Yale Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation

09/24/2025

Raj Gala, MD was interviewed on WTNH about spinal cord awareness month where he talked about the differences between spinal cord injuries and other common back conditions. Watch here: https://tinyurl.com/45f6tm8a.

09/18/2025

Tomorrow at 8 am: Join us for Grand Rounds with Raj Gala, MD. His presentation is titled: "Erector Spinae Plane Blocks in Spine Surgery.” Open to all. We hope you can join us in the Brady Auditorium.

09/16/2025

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a significant concern for athletes, weekend warriors, and non-athletes alike. These injuries can bring an active lifestyle to a halt, impacting individuals across various age groups and activity levels.

Sports Medicine Chief, Christina Allen, MD, provides a deep dive on the mechanisms of injury, who is most susceptible to ACL tears, prevention methods, and how Yale is training future sports medicine specialists.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a significant concern for athletes, weekend warriors, and non-athletes alike. These injuries can bring an active

09/15/2025

Thinking about using a weighted vest for weight loss? Orthopaedic surgeon and head team physician for Yale Athletics, Liz Gardner, MD, is quoted in this Associated Press story with more.

Weighted vests are increasingly showing up in fitness classes and on jogging tracks. Social media influencers tout them as a way to keep bones healthy, increase performance and even accelerate weight loss.

09/12/2025

Yale orthopaedic surgeon and team physician for the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, Samantha Smith, MD, is featured in this Yahoo! story about the unique challenges facing female basketball players and what makes some injuries more common.

“Major injuries are bad for everybody," one expert says. WNBA schedules and pay may be partly to blame.

09/11/2025

Hip & Knee Joint Reconstruction Chief, Lee Rubin, MD, recently attended the Societe Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopedique et de Traumatologie (SICOT) 45th Orthopaedic World Congress in Madrid, Spain. The meeting was the largest ever SICOT gathering with 2,800 delegates from 130 countries, and included 3,111 abstract submissions.

Research projects from Yale Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation were well represented, with four Podiums and two e-Posters accepted for the congress. 2024-2025 Arthroplasty Research Fellow, John Slevin, received the 2025 SICOT/AAOS “Best Poster” award which came with acceptance of our poster to AAOS 2026 and a scholarship to both events.

Special thanks to John Slevin and Postdoctoral Associate, Greg Roytman, for their work in driving this successful showing and congratulations to John for earning the poster award and scholarship!

09/03/2025

Peter Whang, MD was interviewed on WFSB where he talked about how improperly worn backpacks are a common but often overlooked cause of strain in children and teens, ways to test that that the backpack is safe for children to carry, and how to keep students healthy and pain-free as the school year gets underway. Watch here: https://tinyurl.com/483etmnc.

09/02/2025

Muhammad Uzair Siddique, MBBS, is an ECFMG-certified postdoctoral research fellow working with physiatrist, Charles Odonkor, MD, MA, in the section of physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) with Yale’s Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation.

As part of this fellowship, he will be developing digital biomarkers for pain and mobility, evaluating patient selection and outcomes for neuromodulatory therapies that regulate or modulate the activity of the nervous system, and contributing to study operations. His long-term goal is a clinician-scientist career in PM&R integrating interventional pain with research to advance personalized, technology-enabled rehabilitation.

View his Q&A to learn more: https://tinyurl.com/mu4j299v.

08/25/2025

The Division of Hip & Knee Joint Reconstruction recently commemorated the graduation of Muhammad Padela, MD, MSc, marking the completion of a year-long clinical instructor and adult reconstruction fellowship. During the department’s annual fellowship symposium, Padela presented on a significant research project and shared highlights from his international orthopaedic education experience in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Division of Hip & Knee Joint Reconstruction in the Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation recently commemorated the graduation of Muhammad Padela, MD,

08/21/2025

Whether outside in backyards, at playgrounds, or indoors at air-conditioned jump parks, trampolines can be a staple for childhood summer activity. While a source of joy and exercise for many children, this equipment can also serve as a springboard to significant health risk due to the biomechanical forces they generate.

These forces, when combined with the unique characteristics of developing musculoskeletal systems, can go from spring-to-sprain or worse, leading to injuries like fractures to severe cervical spine trauma, and traumatic brain injuries.

Dominick Tuason, MD explains why educating parents and caregivers about safe trampoline practices and preventing high-risk maneuvers are strategies in navigating the ups and downs of trampoline usage.

Whether outside in backyards, at playgrounds, or indoors at air-conditioned jump parks, trampolines can be a staple for childhood summer activity. While a

08/20/2025

Thomas Hickernell, MD was featured on News 12 Connecticut where he discussed when to see a doctor about hip and knee pain, advancements in joint replacement surgery, how longer-lasting implants are helping younger patients, and what enables so many patients to go home the same day after joint replacement surgery. Watch: https://tinyurl.com/2msh7v28.

08/18/2025

Peter Whang, MD, was interviewed on WTNH where he talked about back-to-school spine safety, ways children and young adults should wear backpacks, tips for students and their parents when moving into a dorm, and how to maintain good posture while sitting at a desk. Watch here: https://tinyurl.com/3v74jhmw.