Mammoth Orthopedic Institute

05/16/2026

Get to know Timothy Crall, M.D.
Sports Medicine Shoulder, Hip, and Knee
Dr. Crall’s special interests include treating athletes who ski and snowboard. He specializes in arthroscopic and open reconstruction of shoulder, knee, and hip problems, such as rotator cuff tears, shoulder instability, meniscus and ACL tears, and hip impingement and labral tears. He recently published a new technique for ACL reconstruction using a quadriceps tendon autograft, a promising procedure for high-level and more aggressive athletes.

John Muir said, “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” In the Eastern Sierra, we are blessed with surroundings that beckon us to explore, ride, ski, hike, run, climb, paddle, and swim our way through the wilderness. Most first-time visitors to the Eastern Sierra are immediately impressed by the sheer scale of the landscape, and I was no different when I first visited Mammoth. However, it didn’t take long before I realized the real richness of this area lay in a different kind of resource: the people. People here embody the ruggedness of the terrain in their approach to life. Their zeal for living and playing here is humbling.

https://www.mammothortho.com/timothy-crall-md-orthopedic-surgeons-mammoth-lakes-bishop-ca/

05/15/2026

This patient is a young ski instructor with a failed ACL and, unfortunately, a lateral root tear and lateral cartilage wear with combined valgus and 15 degrees of tibial slope. This is a terribly challenging case that, until recently, I definitely would have staged.

However, increasingly it's not strictly necessary if you have the right technology. This is the system, and it allowed us to plan a medial tibial closing wedge osteotomy that reduced BOTH valgus and slope. Once the plate was in place, a separate PSI guide could be placed over the plate that provided a pin guide for a 2.4 pin in the tibia that went up the prior tunnel and a separate non-convergent lateral meniscal root. I have come to trust the freakish accuracy of this system. I know they are engineers, but it still boggles my mind a bit.
These images show
1) Be very careful, the patellar tendon is right in this osteotomy anteriorly. You can leave a little kerf and then scrape it out with a currette before closing the osteotomy.
2) The screw did indeed miss the tunnel as planned.
I did put a little bone graft in this defect, but seeing the screw was neat.
3) Revision quad ACL graft
4) A single plug OCA graft
5) X-rays showing correction of the valgus and slope

I had forgotten about this case for some time until the patient called back after having moved out of the area to ask if I would remove the plate. So, unfortunately, it will end up as a staged procedure due to that hardware removal, after all.

05/10/2026

National Hospital Week is the nation's largest health care event and honors hospitals, health systems, and healthcare workers for their dedication to community care.

Mammoth Orthopedic Institute is proud to be a part of this tradition, celebrating the "who" behind the care—staff, volunteers, and leaders.

https://www.aha.org/ahia/get-involved/national-hospital-week #:~:text=2026%20National%20Hospital%20Week%20May%2010%2D16%20%7C%20AHA

05/05/2026

Join Dr. Karch tonight in Bishop to hear about advancements in knee replacement surgery.

Join us for our next NIHD Healthy Lifestyle Talk on May 5 at 6 PM in the Main Lobby at Northern Inyo Healthcare District.

We’re welcoming Dr. Michael Karch of Mammoth Orthopedic Institute to discuss advanced knee replacement care and the innovative Jiffy Knee™ procedure.

This muscle-sparing total knee replacement technique is designed to help patients recover faster, experience less pain, and return to daily activities sooner. Many patients are able to walk immediately after surgery and regain mobility in weeks instead of months.

If you or someone you love is considering knee replacement surgery, this is a great opportunity to learn more and ask questions.

One Team. One Goal, Your Health.

04/29/2026

“The Dignity of Ordinary Work”
-Michael Karch

The sixth knee replacement of the day had just finished when a medical student asked a question that stopped me for a moment.

“Why joint replacement surgery?”
Not why medicine. Not why orthopedics. Why this.

I thought back to where I grew up in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, a small farming community where mornings started early. Long before sunrise, barns were already alive with work. Farmers milking cows. Mechanics fixing tractors. Neighbors loading trucks. The rhythm of the town depended on people doing the same essential tasks every day, often without recognition. Back then, I didn’t think of it as philosophy. It was simply life. But what I was witnessing was something important: the dignity of ordinary work.

As a joint replacement surgeon, I see dignity in my patients every day.
The carpenter who can no longer climb a ladder because of hip arthritis.
The ski instructor whose knee pain has taken away the winter season.
The nurse who stands for twelve hours caring for others now struggles to walk across a parking lot.

Joint replacement surgery isn’t about artificial joints. It’s about restoring people to the work that gives their lives structure, independence, and purpose.

When a patient returns months later and says, “Doc, I’m back on the job,” that moment carries meaning far beyond the operating room. Work is not just productivity. It is identity. It is a contribution. It is dignity.

Growing up in a farming town taught me something that medicine later confirmed: society runs because millions of people do their jobs well—often quietly, often without applause.

My role as a surgeon is simply to help people get back to that place.
Back to the ordinary work that, in truth, is anything but ordinary.
https://www.mammothortho.com/michael-karch-md.html

04/28/2026

From the slopes of California to the peaks of Switzerland 🇨🇭⛷️ Dr. Minkel, orthopedic sports medicine fellow at Mammoth Orthopedic Institute, recently traveled with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Slopestyle Team to Corvatsch, Switzerland, serving as the team physician during competition. In this role, Dr. Minkel provided expert medical support to elite athletes—making recommendations on further evaluation, coordinating diagnostic procedures, guiding treatment plans, and closely monitoring each athlete’s health and participation status. We’re proud to see our fellows making an impact on the world stage of sports medicine and helping athletes perform at their best.

04/27/2026

The foot and ankle in the human body work together to provide balance, stability, movement, and propulsion. Mammoth Orthopedics offers a wide range of care associated with the foot and ankle, such as: General Foot and Ankle Surgery, Ankle Fusion and Ankle Joint Replacement, Achilles Tendon Repair, Ankle Arthroscopy, Peroneal Tendon Repair, Ankle Ligament Reconstruction, Bunion Surgery, Flatfoot, Plantar Fasciitis, Ankle Sprains, Peroneal Tendon Injuries, Lateral Process Fracture of the Talus AKA Snowboarder's Fracture and Maisonneuve Fractures. To learn more, head to our website.

https://www.mammothortho.com/foot-and-ankle.html

04/25/2026

Get to know Stephen Knecht, MD

Dr. Knecht is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with fellowship specialty training in foot and ankle disorders and orthopedic trauma. His conservative approach to treating musculoskeletal issues prioritizes patient education and collaborative decision-making. He utilizes a holistic approach to treating patients of all ages, including physical therapy and strengthening modalities, orthotics and bracing, nutritional optimization, and, when necessary, surgical solutions. Dr. Knecht’s clinical interests include treatment of ankle and foot trauma, overuse and running injuries, tendon and ligamentous injuries, bunions and hammer toes, neuromas, tarsal tunnel syndrome, arthritis of the foot and ankle, and complex deformities. He participates in multiple orthopedic mission trips to Nicaragua and Guatemala, treating adult and pediatric lower-extremity conditions and deformities in medically underserved areas.

https://www.mammothortho.com/stephen-knecht-md.html

04/24/2026

We want to thank Miach Orthopaedics! Sponsor of the MORe

Miach Orthopaedics is leading a shift in the treatment of anterior cruciate ligament tears from reconstruction to restoration. The company’s Bridge-Enhanced ACL Restoration (BEAR) Implant is the first medical technology to demonstrate with Level 1 clinical evidence that it enables the body to heal its own torn ACL. The BEAR Implant is indicated for a broad range of tear types and is implanted with an easy, bone-sparing technique.

https://miachortho.com/healthcare-professionals/meded/bear-bash

04/23/2026

Dr. Stephen Knecht has returned from his annual medical mission trip to Guatemala, where he served alongside an incredible team through their partnership with Faith in Practice.

Together, the team performed an amazing 101 surgeries in just one week—including 27 by the foot and ankle team. Even more meaningful, Dr. Knecht had the opportunity to follow up with a patient he treated last year, witnessing firsthand the lasting impact of this work.

Team Hope in Motion
Transformation happens both ways.

There is something powerful about serving together on a mission. Through this partnership, we are given the opportunity not only to help others, but to grow alongside them. While surgical care is provided, team members return home changed as well—carrying new perspective, deeper compassion, and a renewed sense of purpose.

To read the stories and see more pictures from 2026: https://teamhopeinmotion.org/2026-trip-blog

To donate: https://teamhopeinmotion.org/donate

04/22/2026

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