Orthopedic surgery continues to evolve through advances in sports medicine, joint preservation, reconstruction, oncology and minimally invasive techniques. Across the country, a select group of surgeons is helping shape the field through clinical innovation, research leadership, education and advocacy.
The following 15 orthopedic surgeons stand out for their expertise, influence and contributions to advancing musculoskeletal care
Editor’s note: This is not a comprehensive or ranked list. Becker’s does not endorse any individual featured. To nominate a physician for a future list, please contact Sophie Eydis at seydis@beckershealthcare.com.
- Mininder Kocher, MD. Boston Children’s Hospital: Dr. Kocher is chief of sports medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital and a professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston. An internationally recognized pediatric sports medicine specialist, he focuses on arthroscopic treatment of knee, shoulder, hip, elbow and ankle injuries in young athletes. Dr. Kocher is widely respected for his research, surgeon education and leadership roles with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.
- Thomas Obermeyer, MD. Barrington (Ill.) Orthopedic Specialists: Dr. Obermeyer is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder surgery and sports medicine, with expertise in rotator cuff repair, shoulder instability, total shoulder replacement, ligament reconstruction and robotic-assisted knee replacement.
He is widely recognized for his minimally invasive approach to treating complex shoulder and knee conditions, helping patients return to activity with less downtime. Dr. Obermeyer is a member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and teaches orthopedic surgeons through national educational courses and surgical training programs.
- Michael Shuler, MD. Athens (Ga.) Orthopedic Clinic: Dr. Shuler is a hand and upper extremity surgeon and founder of the Hand & Upper Extremity Center at Athens Orthopedic Clinic. Specializing in minimally invasive hand, wrist and elbow procedures, he is recognized for advancing techniques in endoscopic carpal tunnel release, cubital tunnel surgery and thumb arthritis treatment, helping patients recover more quickly with less postoperative immobilization.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Shuler is a researcher and medical device innovator, with more than 25 peer-reviewed publications and leadership roles in federally funded research initiatives. He is widely respected for his contributions to hand surgery, biologic treatments, medical technology development and surgeon education.
- Amiethab Aiyer, MD. Johns Hopkins Medicine (Baltimore): Dr. Aiyer is division chief of foot and ankle surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine and an orthopedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle reconstruction, minimally invasive bunion correction, Achilles tendon repair, ankle replacement and complex lower extremity injuries. He is widely recognized for his research on foot and ankle disorders, including bunions, Achilles tendon ruptures, ankle arthritis and trauma, with work spanning clinical, biomechanical and outcomes-based studies.
A fellow of both the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Orthopaedic Association, Dr. Aiyer is also known for his commitment to orthopedic education and mentorship. He has received multiple teaching awards and co-founded the @orthomentor platform to expand mentorship opportunities and career guidance for medical students pursuing orthopedic surgery.
- Rebecca Cerrato, MD. Mercy Medical Center (Baltimore): Dr. Cerrato is a foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon at The Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy and director of the institute’s fellowship program. A nationally recognized specialist in foot and ankle reconstruction, she was among the first orthopedic surgeons in the U.S. to perform advanced minimally invasive bunion surgery and is known for her expertise in complex foot and ankle injuries, deformities and arthroscopic procedures.
Dr. Cerrato is widely respected for her leadership in foot and ankle education and innovation. She serves in leadership roles with the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, hosts an internationally attended arthroscopy course and is the only U.S. surgeon to serve on the board of a prestigious international society dedicated to minimally invasive foot surgery. In 2025, she received the AOFAS Women’s Leadership Award.
- Daniel Wiznia, MD. Yale School of Medicine (New Haven, Conn.): Dr. Wiznia is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee reconstruction, with expertise in primary and revision joint replacement, avascular necrosis and osteonecrosis of the femoral head. As director of technology and innovation for Yale Orthopaedics, he is recognized for advancing the use of robotics, computer navigation, AI and 3D modeling in joint replacement surgery and personalized musculoskeletal care.
Dr. Wiznia also serves as associate vice chair of research and co-director of Yale’s Avascular Necrosis & Osteonecrosis Program, where he leads efforts to develop patient-specific surgical techniques, regenerative therapies and custom implants. Widely respected for bridging engineering and medicine, he has helped pioneer innovative approaches to orthopedic research, education and technology-driven joint reconstruction.
- Sara Wallace, MD. UChicago Medicine Advent Health (La Grange, Ill.): Dr. Wallace is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement surgery, with expertise in minimally invasive joint replacement, arthritis care, osteonecrosis and hip dysplasia. She treats both common and complex joint conditions, helping patients restore mobility and reduce pain through advanced surgical and nonsurgical treatment strategies.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Wallace is active in orthopedic research focused on emerging treatments and surgical techniques for arthritis and joint disease. Her work has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, and she is recognized for her patient-centered approach to joint reconstruction and comprehensive musculoskeletal care.
- Amy Ladd, MD. Stanford Health Care (Palo Alto, Calif.): Dr. Ladd is chief of Stanford’s Chase Hand & Upper Limb Center and chief of the Children’s Hand Clinic at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. A nationally recognized hand and upper extremity surgeon, she specializes in arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s disease, fractures, sports injuries and complex hand reconstruction.
An internationally respected researcher, Dr. Ladd is known for her pioneering work on thumb arthritis, musculoskeletal biomechanics and sex-based differences in orthopedic conditions. She has written more than 175 scientific publications, holds more than 30 patents and has earned some of hand surgery’s highest honors, including the American Society for Surgery of the Hand’s Andrew Weiland Award. She is also widely recognized for her leadership in orthopedic education, innovation and professional societies.
- Ronald Navarro, MD. Southern California Permanente Medical Group (Pasadena): Dr. Navarro is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder surgery, sports medicine and arthroscopy and previously served as regional chief of orthopedic surgery for Kaiser Permanente Southern California. With more than two decades of surgical experience, he is recognized for his expertise in complex shoulder reconstruction, cartilage restoration and sports-related injuries.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Navarro oversees orthopedic services across Southern California and helps lead perioperative operations at Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is widely respected for his leadership in orthopedic care delivery, commitment to patient-centered treatment and efforts to expand access to high-quality musculoskeletal care throughout the region. He currently serves as president of the American Association of Latino Orthopaedic Surgeons.
- Wayne Johnson, MD. Oklahoma City VA Medical Center: Dr. Johnson is chief of orthopedic surgery at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center and a nationally respected orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee and shoulder arthroscopy. A retired Army lieutenant colonel, he has spent more than three decades in medicine and is widely recognized for his leadership in orthopedic advocacy, education and clinical care.
Dr. Johnson has served in numerous leadership roles within the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, including on its board of directors and board of councilors, and chairs the AAOS Orthopaedic Political Action Committee. He is also vice president of the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society and is known for his long-standing commitment to mentorship, diversity initiatives and advancing the orthopedic profession through advocacy and resident education.
- Asheesh Bedi, MD. Michigan Medicine (Ann Arbor): Dr. Bedi is chief of sports medicine and executive director of sports medicine at Michigan Medicine, where he also serves as head orthopedic team physician for University of Michigan athletics. An internationally recognized sports medicine surgeon, he specializes in arthroscopic and open treatment of shoulder, elbow, hip and knee injuries in athletes.
Dr. Bedi is also a team physician for the Chicago Bears, medical director for the National Basketball Players Association and a consultant to the NHL Players’ Association. He has written more than 350 scientific publications and is widely respected for advancing the treatment of sports injuries, particularly in hip preservation, shoulder surgery and athlete care.
- Robin West, MD. Inova Health (Falls Church, Va.): Dr. West is president of Inova’s Musculoskeletal Service Line, chair of Inova Sports Medicine and one of the nation’s most prominent sports medicine surgeons. An orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, she serves as lead team physician for the MLB’s Washington Nationals and has previously served as head team physician for the Washington Football Team, as well as team physician for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, the University of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Mellon University.
Widely respected for her leadership in sports medicine, Dr. West has held leadership roles with the NFL Physicians Society, NFL Combine Medical Committee and American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. She is recognized nationally for advancing athlete care, orthopedic education and musculoskeletal service line innovation while helping shape the future of sports medicine through clinical, academic and organizational leadership.
- Kevin Stone, MD. The Stone Clinic (San Francisco): Dr. Stone is an internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon and pioneer in biologic joint preservation, cartilage restoration and meniscus transplantation. As founder of The Stone Clinic and chairman of the Stone Research Foundation, he has helped advance regenerative orthopedic treatments designed to repair damaged cartilage and ligaments while delaying or avoiding joint replacement surgery.
A leading expert in meniscus transplantation, Dr. Stone has performed hundreds of these procedures and holds more than 40 U.S. patents focused on improving musculoskeletal care. He is widely respected for his work in orthopedic innovation, regenerative medicine and sports medicine, as well as his efforts to develop novel biologic and robotic-assisted approaches to joint preservation and reconstruction.
- Walter Lowe, MD. UTHealth Houston/Memorial Hermann: Dr. Lowe is chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, chief of orthopedic surgery at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center and medical director of the Memorial Hermann | Rockets Sports Medicine Institute. A nationally recognized sports medicine specialist, he is known for his expertise in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of complex knee injuries in athletes at every level of competition.
Dr. Lowe serves as head team physician for the University of Houston Cougars and the NBA’s Houston Rockets, and previously spent two decades as head team physician for the NFL’s Houston Texans. Widely respected for his leadership in sports medicine, orthopedic education and athlete care, he has earned national recognition for advancing the treatment of sports-related injuries and mentoring the next generation of orthopedic surgeons.
- Valerae Lewis, MD. MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston): Dr. Lewis is professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center and a nationally recognized leader in musculoskeletal cancer care. Specializing in orthopedic oncology, she is widely respected for her expertise in limb salvage surgery and the treatment of complex pelvic sarcomas in both adult and pediatric patients.
Dr. Lewis founded MD Anderson’s Multidisciplinary Pelvic Sarcoma Program, helping advance coordinated care and improve outcomes for patients with these rare and challenging cancers. She also serves in leadership roles within several prominent orthopedic organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Musculoskeletal Tumor Society and International Society for Limb Salvage, and is known for her commitment to orthopedic oncology education through fellowship training and national scientific programs.
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