Michael G. Michlitsch, M.D.

Watch Dr. Michlitsch’s sports injury Q&A videos on YouTube

Dr. Michlitsch is subspecialty trained in orthopedic sports medicine and shoulder and elbow surgery. His surgical practice emphasis is on the arthroscopic management of shoulder, knee, and elbow problems. His non-operative practice also focuses on getting athletes of all ages and levels of participation back to sporting health and pain-free activities.

Dr. Michlitsch has enjoyed providing orthopedic care to athletes since his residency at USC – LA County Medical Center, through his Sports Medicine and Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship, where he served as associate and head team physician at Occidental College, Pasadena College, and Eagle Rock High School, respectively.

Dr. Michlitsch lectures on his areas of expertise locally, as well as on a national level. He has presented his original shoulder research at national meetings of The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

He is an associate team physician for St. Mary’s College. He currently serves as Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics at San Ramon Regional Medical Center. A member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, he serves as Co-Director of the Muir Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Program.

With his spare time, Dr. Michlitsch can be found enjoying numerous recreational and sporting events with his wife Jennifer (a Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist), two sons and daughter. He also can be found behind the plate, volunteering as a Little League umpire.

Dr. Michlitsch is board certified in both Orthopedic Surgery and Orthopedic Sports Medicine by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

My Approach to Treating Patients

As an educator, communicator and doctor, my concern for patients is most significant in my approach to their care. For me, patient education is the important first step. I believe that education helps patients to better understand both their orthopedic problems and their treatment options, whether nonsurgical or surgical, and empowers them to serve as active partners in treatment decisions.

Understanding my patients’ baseline health, athletic status and expectations and goals of orthopedic care are all of equal importance to me. In providing the best evidence-based orthopedic care to each of my patients, I combine my knowledge of their needs, their active participation in treatment decisions and their goals with my passion to stay abreast and contribute to the most current research in his field.

My desire to assist patients with quality of life goals leads me to seek out new and innovative procedures which shorten their recovery time.

Having been fellowship-trained in arthroscopic knee, shoulder, and elbow surgery, I use these techniques to return patients, pain free, back to their sports activities. My personal passion for sports and commitment to staying abreast of new techniques in the field allows me to personalize treatment for each patient’s specific condition.

I utilize my personal experiences and interests to enhance the treatment of patients. As a long-time athlete and sports fan, I understand and support the desire of the athlete who wants to be back on the field. My own growing family inspires me to help parents and grandparents achieve a quality of life and the ability to experience their children and grandchildren in the most active way.

Curriculum Vitae

GROUP AFFILIATION:
Muir Orthopaedic Specialists

OFFICE LOCATIONS:
2405 Shadelands Drive
Walnut Creek, CA 94598

5201 Norris Canyon Road, Suite 300
San Ramon, CA 94583

EDUCATION:
August 2006 – July 2007 – Congress Medical Associates Program, Pasadena, California Fellowship in Sports Medicine and Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, with Drs. Gregory Adamson, James Shankwiler, and Michael Fraipont.

July, 2001 – June 2006 – University of Southern California/Los Angeles County Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. Resident in Orthopaedic Surgery. July, 2001 – June 2006. Administrative Chief Resident, 2005-2006.

May, 2001 – Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. Recipient of Degree of Doctor of Medicine.

May, 1997 – University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. Recipient of Degree of Bachelor of Science, Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude.

CERTIFICATIONS:
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine

INSTRUCTIONAL COURSES:
Vail Hip Arthroscopy Symposium, Vail, CO, February 2009.

24th Annual San Diego Shoulder Meeting, Arthroscopy, Arthroplasty, and Fractures. San Diego, CA, June 2007.

Carticel Fellows Course – Cartilage restorative meeting and instructional course. Carlsbad, California, December 2006.

Shoulder Surgery Controversies 2006. Newport Beach, CA, October 2006

AO North America, ASIF Principles of Fracture Management Course for Residents. Reno, Nevada. January 2003.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:
Head Team Physician, Monte Vista High School, Danville, CA
Associate Team Physician, St. Mary’s College, Moraga, CA
Assistant Team Physician, Occidental College. 2006-2007
Assistant Team Physician, Pasadena City College, 2006-2007
Head Team Physician, Eagle Rock High School, 2006-2007
Guest Lecturer, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Sports Medicine classes.
Swim With Mike annual swim-a-thon raising money for the USC Physically-Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund.
Representative, Joint Council of Interns and Residents, USC-Los Angeles Medical Center, 2004-2005

ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP:
Diplomate, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Member, California Orthopaedic Association
Member, Western Orthopaedic Association
Member, USC Graduate Orthopaedic Society

RESEARCH:
Michlitsch M, Adamson G, Pink M, Shankwiler J, Lee TQ. Biomechanical Comparison of a Modified Weaver-Dunn and a Free Tissue Graft Reconstruction of the Acromioclavicular Joint Complex. Accepted, pending publication, Am J Sports Med. 2010 Jun;38(6):1196-203.

• (Paper presented at American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, Keystone, CO, 2009 and at the American Shoulder and Elbow Society Specialty Day Meeting, AAOS, Las Vegas, NV, 2009. * Nominated for Charles Neer Award)

Michlitsch M, Adamson G, Koganti A, Pink MM. Outcomes Assessment in Patients with Lateral Epicondylitis. Submitted, in review process, J Shoulder Elbow Surg.

Michlitsch M, Rethlefsen S, Kay R. The Contributions of Anterior and Posterior Tibialis to Varus Foot Deformity in Cerebral Palsy. J Bone Joint Surg. 2006;88-A:1764-8.

Michlitsch M, Koganti A, Shankwiler J. Computed tomography versus magnetic resonance imaging: Measurement of glenoid version. Presented at the annual Southern California Graduate Orthopaedic Society Meeting, June 2006.

Michlitsch M, Hedman T, Chon J, Watkins R. Relationship between lumbar fusion angle and force transmission in an adjacent motion segment. Abstract, published in University of Southern California School of Medicine Research Forum, 1999.

PRESENTATIONS:
“Multi-Ligamentous Knee Injuries”, given as a guest lecturer at the Congress Medical Foundation Lectureship Series, April 2007.

“Sports-related Injuries in Children”, given at the John Muir Physician Network CME Meeting, May, 2008.

“What’s New in Shoulder Arthroplasty”, given at the John Muir Health Orthopaedic Update, June, 2008.

“What’s New in ACL Reconstruction”, given at the John Muir Health Orthopaedic Update, May, 2009.

“Cartilage Injuries in the Knee”, given to the John Muir Women’s Health Lectureship Series, January, 2009.