Meet Summit Orthopedics Surgeon Dr. Jack Skendzel

An avid downhill skier, Dr. Skendzel shares a passion for active sports with his patients. After completing his undergraduate work at Notre Dame, medical school at Georgetown University School of Medicine, and his residency program at the University of Michigan, Skendzel did a fellowship at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado. His passion for skiing complemented his work as team physician for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Ski Team, and he travelled to Europe, Chile and New Zealand to provide medical assistance.

“I enjoy working with active people; sports medicine sets the bar high for me,” he says. “My patients are people who are physically functioning at a very high level to begin with; if they experience an injury or pain, they expect our team to get them back to the very highest level of performance. I like that. My specialty is working with athletes between the ages of thirteen and sixty. Today, lifestyle defines my patients more accurately than age. I treat 55- and 60-year-olds with a healthy, active lifestyle who love sports and look fantastic.”

Dr. Skendzel’s focus is sports medicine, complex knee multi-ligament repair, and hip arthroscopy with a special interest in hip labral tears. “Hip arthroscopy is relatively new in the field of orthopedics,” explains Skendzel. “Today, MRI scans are so good that we can see labral tears—in the past, imaging a tear was not possible. Also, previously, correcting hip impingement required us to dislocate the patient’s hip in a significant, invasive procedure. With today’s technology, we have much less invasive surgical options to offer these patients.”

Skendzel’s patients appreciate his personable approach. “The best part of my job is seeing my patients, getting to know them, and working with them to help them regain function,” he explains. Dr. Skendzel is known for calling patients personally to report and explain their imaging results. He makes education a priority. “When we meet with a new patient, I always go over their x-rays with them and explain their condition and their options. Not all of our patients are surgical candidates, but I think it is important that they understand the condition of their hip or knee so we can work together to make an informed decision.”

“We like to treat patients like they are a member of our own family,” Skendzel smiles. “From education, to providing patients with materials and resources, to managing expectations about surgery and recovery, to being available if they do have questions, we are committed to providing our patients with the services they need to regain function and go back to the active life they love.”

Summit Orthopedics offers comprehensive sports medicine expertise

From Olympians to pro athletes to kids in youth sports and those that just want to be more active—Summit Orthopedics delivers expert care by fellowship-trained sports medicine physicians. If you are recently injured or concerned about ongoing pain, Summit Orthopedics sports medicine specialists have the expertise to evaluate your discomfort and develop a plan to quickly and safely help you get back to being active.

Start your journey to stronger, healthier athletic condition. Find your sports medicine expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a sports medicine consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Plymouth, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.

More resources for you

• Ask Dr. Skendzel About Torn Rotator Cuff Symptoms
• A Rare Meniscus Transplant Surgery Gives A Young Girl A New Lease On Life
• Read the story: Jodi’s Hip Repair
• Ask Dr. Skendzel: Can pre-surgical therapy improve my ACL surgical outcome?

Share this on