Beyond the operating room: Exploring the world of an orthopaedic surgeon

David Rubenstein, MD, an experienced orthopaedic surgeon at Main Line Health, shares his passion for sports medicine. With a career spanning three decades, Dr. Rubenstein has dedicated himself to helping athletes and active individuals of all ages return to the activities they love. Read about his journey into orthopaedics:

Q. What made you want to become an orthopaedic surgeon?

I hurt myself playing tennis in college and went to the university's sports medicine clinic on campus. At the time, it was one of the first sports medicine clinics in the country. I walked in and saw a variety of sports medicine equipment and flags from numerous colleges. I had been planning to become a dentist, but, at that moment, I knew I wanted to go to medical school to be an orthopaedic surgeon.

Q. What's your background in orthopaedics and sports medicine?

My specialties are the shoulder, knee and elbow. I trained in orthopaedics and sports medicine in California. During my training, I had the chance to work with most of the professional teams in Los Angeles and got to meet both Magic Johnson and Wayne Gretzky.

After my training, I moved back to Philadelphia and have been practicing here for about 30 years. I have continued to work with professional athletes in various sports and have been a team doctor for the 76ers and Phillies. A few years ago, I even got to meet my hero, Billie Jean King.

Q. What do you love most about your work?

I love taking care of people who are extremely active. And that doesn't just mean young people. I love working with the 75-year-old golfers as much as the 20-year-old football players. Sports medicine spans generations, which makes it really interesting. When I can help patients get back to the activities they love, they are so grateful.

Q. What are some of the most common injuries you see?

I see a lot of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears - interestingly, young women now outnumber men with this injury - from activities such as soccer, basketball, field hockey and skiing. I also see a lot of people with shoulder injuries, such as rotator cuff tears and dislocations. Meniscal and cartilage tears are also incredibly common in men and women of all ages.

Q. What keeps you excited about orthopaedic surgery?

Even though I'm very conservative in terms of recommending surgery, I pride myself on performing high-tech arthroscopic procedures that are minimally invasive and have very low complication rates. My goal is to have patients avoid joint replacements by using the best arthroscopic techniques available.

Next steps:

Make an appointment with David Rubenstein, MD
Learn more about orthopaedic care at Main Line Health
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