Through his research, Dr. Chudik investigates and pioneers advanced and novel arthroscopic procedures, instruments and implants that have forever changed patients’ lives. Never content to settle for what’s always been done for orthopaedic shoulder care, Dr. Chudik prides himself on providing individualized care and developing a plan that is right for each patient. By taking this approach for the past 20 years, Dr. Chudik has developed minimally invasive surgical techniques, instruments for the arthroscopic repair of the shoulder rotator cuff tears of the shoulder, as well as injury-specific rehabilitation programs and return to sport and activity protocols and testing.
Because no two people and no two injuries are alike, Dr. Chudik uses his expertise to develop and provide individualized care and recovery plans for his patients. This customized attention explains why patients travel to have Dr. Chudik care for their shoulder conditions and injuries.
Dr. Chudik developed treatments, rehabilitation, and even return-to-activity protocols for golf, baseball, tennis, and other overhead activities and sports. He also developed and is a shoulder functional test to provide a definitive test to determine when it is safe for patients to return to sports following a shoulder rotator cuff injury.
Answer to the Question
The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles that run along the shoulder blade (scapula) around the shoulder socket (glenoid) to surround and attach to the ball (humerus head) of the shoulder joint by their tendons. Rotator cuff muscles work together to keep the humeral head centered in the socket as you move your arm. Rotator cuff tears can cause weakness and rotator cuff dysfunction making it difficult to reach, lift, push or pull with your arms. If injured, it is best to be evaluated early since tears do not heal on their own and can continue to worsen and retract with time becoming irreparable.
Through his research, Dr. Chudik investigates and pioneers advanced and novel arthroscopic procedures, instruments, and implants that change patients’ lives because of better long-term outcomes, or outcomes that were never possible previously. His efforts continue to yield scores of patents that will positively affect orthopaedic surgical techniques worldwide.
Novel Procedures
Dr. Steven Chudik continually innovates to create new technology, and surgical techniques and improve patient care. He also collaborates worldwide with other leaders in the orthopaedic technology industry. Surgeries provide Dr. Chudik with an endless source of ideas to create new, safer, less invasive, and more effective surgical procedures, surgical instruments, and implants. Several of his shoulder patents are the direct result of these pioneering endeavors.
An inquisitive nature was the impetus for Dr. Steven Chudik’s career as a fellowship-trained and board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, sports medicine physician, and arthroscopic pioneer for shoulder injuries. It also led him to design and patent special arthroscopic surgical procedures and instruments and create the Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Teaching and Research Foundation (OTRF). Through OTRF, Dr. Chudik conducts unbiased orthopaedic research and provides up-to-date medical information to help prevent sports injuries. He also shares his expertise and passion for mentoring medical students in an honors research program and serving as a consultant and advisor for other orthopaedic physicians and industry.