About
Foot and Ankle Surgery Expertise
I chose to specialize in foot and ankle because it gives me the opportunity to help people with many different kinds of problems. I work with a broad age range, from children to older adults and everyone in between, and I perform small surgeries all the way up to large reconstructions. From fractures and traumatic injuries to arthritic conditions and sports injuries, the variety of foot and ankle issues I see is what I like about my field.
Fundamentally, a lot of mobility issues start at the base — where your feet are meeting the ground. I enjoy working with active people and getting them back to the things they want to do, whether that’s a walk around the block or the highest-level athletic pursuits. I am proud to be part of a specialized practice at Summit — when you see a foot and ankle specialist, or any other type of specialist here, you’re getting a fellowship-trained expert who is focused solely on a narrow area.
Dr. Samuel Russ’s Approach to Care
In general, I aim to be a good listener, so I can determine each patient’s personal needs. What activities do we need to get you back to doing? The treatment I recommend may be different if you’re a marathon runner, or a warehouse worker, or simply a person who wants to be able to take a grandchild to the park. Listening is the foundation of my ability to individualize care for each patient.
Another important aspect of my approach is that even though I am a foot and ankle surgeon, I take a conservative, nonoperative approach when I begin working with patients. I try everything I can to help people live functional, pain-free lives without surgery first. Then, if we determine together that surgery is the best thing for them, I work with patients to figure out what they need, so I am not doing too much or too little. I work to individualize the surgical treatment plan for them, with the goal of doing the least invasive option possible.
Dr. Samuel Russ’s Outside Interests
Outside the office, I keep busy with my young children and enjoy spending time with family. I have fun coaching youth baseball and basketball. You’ll often find me hiking and biking on a weekend, unless it’s a Saturday afternoon in the fall. In that case, you’ll find me following Notre Dame football. My wife and I are also experienced swing and ballroom dancers and enjoy that shared hobby.
More resources for you:
- Take a look at Summit’s foot and ankle services.
Specialties
Conditions We Treat
- Arthritis in the Foot and Ankle
- Ankle and Foot Fracture
- Bunions
- Sports-Related Injuries of the Foot & Ankle
- Deformity of the Foot, Ankle, and Toes
Specialties
Common Treatments
- Ankle Arthroscopy
- Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Surgery
- Hallux Rigidus Surgery
- Open Reduction Internal Fixation of the Foot & Ankle
- Achilles Repair
- Ankle Replacement
- Ankle Fusion
Locations
My Team
My Team
At Summit, each physician works alongside a team of professionals to care for you, our patient.
Additional Information About Dr. Samuel Russ
Education & Memberships
Education
Undergraduate Studies
Bachelor of Arts | Theology and Preprofessional Studies
University of Notre Dame — Notre Dame, IN
Medical School
Doctor of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School — Minneapolis, MN
Residency
Orthopaedic Surgery
University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, MN
Fellowship
Foot and Ankle
St. Mary’s Orthopedics — Portland, ME
Professional Memberships
Awards
Global Volunteer Work
Volunteering surgical skills in Honduras at One World Surgery/Holy Family Surgery Center
Publications
- Russ S, Tompkins M, Nuckley D, Macalena J. Biomechanical comparison of patellar fixation techniques in medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction. Am J Sports Med. 2015 Jan ;43( 1 ): 195-9.
- Estes JD, Reilly C, Trubey CM, Fletcher CV, Cory T J, Piatak M Jr, Russ S, Anderson J, Reimann TG, Star R, Smith A, Tracy RP, Berglund A, Schmidt T, Coalter V, Chertova E, Smedley J, Haase AT, Lifson JD, Schacker TW. Antifibrotic therapy in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus infection preserves CD4+ T-Cell populations and improves immune reconstitution with antiretroviral therapy. J Infect Dis. 2015 Mar 1;211(5):744-54.
- Sanchez JL, Hunt PW, Reilly CS, Hatano H, Beilman GJ, Khoruts A, Jasurda JS, Somsouk M, Thorkelson A, Russ S, Anderson J, Deeks SG, Schacker TW. Lymphoid fibrosis occurs in long-term nonprogressors and persists with antiretroviral therapy, but may be reversible with curative interventions. J Infect Dis. 2015 Apr1 ;211 (7):1068-75.
Lecture | Teaching Presentations
- “Ankle Arthritis: Epidemiology, Workup, and Management.” Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis. Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds. August 7,2019.
- “Does Articular Reduction Matter?” University of Minnesota Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds. February 22, 2019.
- “Periprosthetic fractures about total hip arthroplasty: Management and results.” Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis. Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds. June 20, 2018.
- “Global surgery and the Honduras experience.” University of Minnesota Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds. March 16, 2018.
- “The weightbearing upper extremity: Shoulder pain in paraplegic patients.” Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis. Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds. October 11, 2017.
- “Pediatric proximal femur fractures.” Regions Hospital Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds. May 16, 2017.
- “The patellofemoral joint in total knee arthroplasty: Anatomy, complications, and management.” Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis. Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds. January 13, 2016.
- “Septic tenosynovitis of the hand: Practice guidelines for diagnosis and management.” Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis. Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Grounds. September 9, 2015.
Reviews
replace_with_js
Survey feedback for replace_with_js
08/24/2026
Reviews
