About Me
Dr. Samuel Russ is a foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon dedicated to helping people maintain and restore their mobility. His interest in developing a surgical specialty started from his first days of anatomy class in medical school. But it wasn’t until he traveled to Honduras with a group of doctors that he decided that orthopedics was the way to go. “Seeing the doctors work with orthopedic patients in Honduras, and watching them take people who were disabled by their injuries and getting them back on their feet, back to work, back to life — I really connected with that,” Dr. Russ said.
Dr. Russ’s background
“What I really enjoy about orthopedic surgery is getting people back on their feet — getting them active and back to living their lives, whether that is a walk around the block or professional athletic competitions,” he said.
After graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree, Dr. Russ earned his medical degree and completed residency training at the University of Minnesota. He went on to pursue a fellowship in foot and ankle orthopedic surgery at St. Mary’s Orthopedics in Portland, Maine.
Dr. Russ’s approach to care
Even though he is a foot and ankle surgeon, Dr. Russ takes a conservative, nonoperative approach when he begins working with patients. “I try all the things to help people live functional, pain-free lives without surgery first. Then, if we determine that the individual needs surgery, I work with patients to figure out what they need, so that I am not doing too much or too little. I work to individualize the surgical treatment plan for them,” Dr. Russ said.
Key to his approach is his dedication to listening to the patients and empathizing with them. “I try to treat each patient like a family member. I focus on listening to them and their concerns, figuring out what their injury is preventing them from doing, and getting them back to it,” Dr Russ said. Listening is the foundation of his ability to individualize care for each patient.
Dr. Russ’s hobbies
Outside of the office, Dr. Russ keeps busy with his young children and enjoys spending time with family. You’ll often find him hiking and biking on a weekend, unless it’s a Saturday afternoon in the fall. In that case, you’ll find him following Notre Dame football. He and his wife are also talented swing and ballroom dancers and enjoy their shared hobby.
Summit Orthopedics offers personalized foot and ankle expertise
Our fellowship-trained foot and ankle physicians, like Dr. Russ, understand that your mobility depends on the health of your feet and ankles. If you have suffered an injury or are experiencing symptoms that make walking painful, our team of foot and ankle specialists can help with conservative treatment, seasoned surgical teams, and expert rehabilitation support. Summit Orthopedics specialists have the expertise to evaluate your discomfort and develop a plan to quickly and safely get you back on your feet and on your way.
Start your journey to optimal foot health. Find your foot and ankle expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a 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, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.
More resources for you:
- Take a look at Summit’s foot and ankle services.
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
- American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS)
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
Global Volunteer Work
Volunteering surgical skills in Honduras at One World Surgery/Holy Family Surgery Center
Conditions We Treat
- Foot and Ankle Arthritis
- Ankle & Foot Fractures
- 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
- Bunion Correction
- Achilles Repair
- Ankle Replacement
- Ankle Fusion
My Team
My Team
At Summit, each physician works alongside a team of professionals to care for you, our patient.
Locations
Reviews
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Reviews
Articles
Resources
Resources
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.
