This content piece is sponsored by St. Elizabeth Healthcare.
Dr. R. Michael Greiwe is a surgeon with OrthoCincy who routinely uses St. Elizabeth Hospital for his shoulder and elbow surgeries. In addition to being a surgeon, he is also the team physician for Covington Catholic High School and the Director of Orthopaedic Research at OrthoCincy.
Dr. Greiwe specializes in shoulder replacement, instability, and labral tears; rotator cuff pathology; Tommy John surgery and advanced arthroscopic surgical techniques for sports-related injuries of the knee, shoulder, and elbow.
LINK nky sat down to talk to Dr. Greiwe about his experiences with patients at St. Elizabeth, what inspired him to become an orthopedic surgeon, and his passion for research.
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LINK nky: Can you explain more about working with St. Elizabeth for your patients and their surgeries?
Dr. Greiwe: “I’ve always enjoyed working with the staff at St. Elizabeth. They’re so professional and they do a great job of taking care of the patients we bring there. The nursing staff at the hospital and surgery centers are very knowledgeable. We are lucky to have these types of nurses and anesthesiologists in our local area.
LINK nky: What inspired you to pursue sports medicine and orthopedics?
Dr. Greiwe: “I think when I was younger, I always enjoyed being an athlete. I understood the athlete mentality and that drive to try to play despite being injured. Enjoyed being able to care for athletes. This solidified my background in sports medicine. I played sports in college and sports were always a big part of my life. I played baseball, soccer, tennis, and ran track and cross country growing up. In college, I ran cross country and track at the University of Notre Dame, and I was always fascinated with sports injuries. In medical school, I did research with a doctor named Mark Frankle, he inspired me to go into shoulder surgery.”
LINK nky: From a patient perspective, what do you feel are the most important things to keep in mind to avoid strains or injuries to the shoulder or elbow?
Dr. Greiwe: “I think first, staying active throughout life is really important. Using your shoulders consistently to stay active and having a good range of motion and strength is important. If you are working at a certain sport, it is vital to strengthen the rotator cuff and the muscles around the shoulder blade..”
LINK nky: Can you tell me a bit about the research you do and how that relates to your work at St. E?
Dr. Greiwe: “I’m interested in minimally invasive shoulder replacement and the development of new techniques to replace the shoulder in ways that spare the rotator cuff. I am also working on research and development on the implants that surgeons will use in the future. One example of that is the work we are doing in pioneering robotic shoulder surgery. That’s a big part of what I do. Ultimately, I think there are tremendous improvements coming in shoulder surgery over the next 5-10 years, and making lives better for patients through research, innovation, and product development is meaningful for me.”
We’re also working on a research department at OrthoCincy that will help physicians determine the right treatment for patients with various injuries. Research by our physicians has been published in a number of journals already and we’re really proud of that. Shoulders have been the primary focus of our research at OrthoCincy, but some of my colleagues have been improving research in other areas like hip and knee surgery. I’m proud of their efforts. I’m really excited for this research department to carry on the good work we’ve been doing over the past ten years. At OrthoCincy, we are recruiting physicians who will continue the legacy of excellence in teaching and research that we started ten years ago.”
To learn more about Dr. Greiwe or schedule an appointment, please click here.