About Me
For Summit sports medicine surgeon Mark LaBelle, M.D., orthopedics is a specialty that focuses not just on healing illness or injury, but also on restoring good health.
“What excited me about orthopedics initially is the fact that the patients get better,” Dr. LaBelle said. “Seeing patients return to healthy lifestyles that bring them satisfaction in their lives is the best part of my job.”
About Dr. LaBelle
Dr. LaBelle was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, the third of eight children. He was exposed to orthopedics at a young age by his father, who is also an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. LaBelle earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at Northwestern University, followed by residency training in orthopedic surgery at Case Western Reserve University. He went on to pursue a fellowship at the University of Utah, focusing on shoulder arthroplasty and advanced arthroscopic techniques of the knee and shoulder.
Dr. LaBelle works with patients to achieve a return to health by listening closely to them. “My approach to patient care is, I will listen and understand patients and what their goals are. All patients have different goals and different problems, and my goal is to understand where they are and what their goals are,” Dr. LaBelle said.
Dr. LaBelle’s sports medicine philosophy
Although the term “sports medicine” might make you think of elite athletes, sports medicine specialists like Dr. LaBelle can help anyone. “Although we do treat high-level athletes in sports medicine, many of our patients are regular, active people looking to meet their recreational goals without pain and disability,” Dr. LaBelle said. “My goal is not just to treat a condition that I see on an MRI or X-ray, but also to understand what patients want to be able to do without pain, so that I can help them achieve those goals.”
Dr. LaBelle’s specialty areas
Dr. LaBelle specializes in helping people of all ages who have injuries to the knee and shoulder. For the shoulder, he treats shoulder instability, rotator cuff pathology, biceps injuries, and arthritic conditions. For the knee, Dr. LaBelle will treat cartilage injuries, ACL injuries, complex multiligamentous injuries, and patellar instability, as well as perform osteotomies. He will also treat patients with fractures of the lower extremity, arm, and shoulder. At Summit, he will be performing shoulder arthroplasty in addition to a range of other surgical and nonsurgical treatments.
When he is not working, Dr. LaBelle tries to keep up with his two young children. He and his family like to do outdoor activities, including skiing, hiking, and spending time out on the lake. He is an avid football fan as well.
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 like Dr. LaBelle. 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 several additional community clinics.
More resources for you:
- Learn when to see a sports medicine surgeon.
- Take a look at Summit’s sports and active medicine services.
Education
Undergraduate Studies
Bachelor of Science | Biomedical Engineering
Northwestern University — Evanston, IL
Medical School
Doctor of Medicine
Northwestern University | Feinberg School of Medicine — Chicago, IL
Residency
Orthopaedic Surgery
University Hospitals | Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine — Cleveland, OH
Fellowship
Sports Medicine
University of Utah | Department of Orthopaedic Surgery — Salt Lake City, UT
Professional Memberships
- American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery (AAOS)
Conditions We Treat
- Meniscus Tear
- Shoulder Dislocation
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Arthritis of the Shoulder
- Knee Ligament Injuries
- Patellar Dislocation
- Cartilage Injury
- Sports Injury
Common Treatments
- Knee Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Ligament Repair & Reconstruction
- Cartilage Restoration
- Tendon Repair & Reconstruction
- Therapeutic Injections
- Shoulder Replacement
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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05/28/2025
Reviews
Articles
Resources
Resources
Publications
- LaBelle MW, Mengers S, Strony J, Peck M, Flannery R, Cupp S, Salata MJ, Parsons EM, Gillespie RJ. “Evaluating the Role of Graft Integrity on Outcomes: Clinical and Imaging Results Following Superior Capsular Reconstructions.” Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2021 Sep; 30(9):2041-2047.
- LaBelle MW, Marcus RE. “CORR Synthesis: What Is the Role of Platelet-rich Plasma Injection in the Treatment of Tendon Disorders?” Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 2020 Aug; 478(8):1817-1824.
- LaBelle MW, Knapik DM, Arbogast JW, Zhou S, Bowersock L, Parker A, Voos JE. “Infection Risk Reduction Program on Pathogen Presence in High School and Collegiate Athletic Training Rooms.” Sports Health. 2020 Jan/Feb; 12(1):51-57.
- LaBelle MW, Marcus RE. “CORR Insights®: Is Platelet-rich Plasma Injection Effective for Chronic Achilles Tendinopathy? A Meta-analysis.” Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 2018 August; 476(8):1642-1644.
- Kim CY, Sivasundaram L, LaBelle MW, Trivedi NN, Liu RW, Gillespie RJ. “Predicting Adverse Events, Length of Stay, and Discharge Disposition Following Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Comparison of the Elixhauser Comorbidity Measure and Charlson Comorbidity Index.” Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2018 October; 27(10):1748-1755.
- Su CA, LaBelle MW, Ina JG, Sivasundaram L, Nho S, Mather RC 3rd, Salata MJ. “The Safe Zones for Endoscopic Proximal Hamstring Repair: A Cadaveric Assessment of Standard Portal Placement and Relationship to Major Neurological Structures.” Hip International. 2021 Jul 26:11207000211034171.
- Sivasundaram L, Paliobeis A, LaBelle MW, Kim CY, Trivedi NN, Karns MR, Salata MJ, Voos JE. “Demographics, Risk Factors, and Complication/Readmission Rates following Multi-Ligament Knee Reconstruction.” Current Orthopaedic Practice. 2020 Jan/Feb; 31(1):18-22.
- Gibbs DB, Lynch TS, Gombera MM, Saltzman MD, Nuber GW, Schroeder GD, LaBelle M, Hollett BP. “Preexisting Rotator Cuff Tears as a Predictor of Outcomes in National Football League Athletes.” Sports Health. 2016 May/June; 8(3):250-254.
- Schroeder GD, Lynch TS, Gibbs DB, Chow I, LaBelle MW, Patel AA, Savage JW, Nuber GW, Hsu WK. “The Impact of a Cervical Spine Diagnosis on Careers of National Football League Athletes.” Spine. 2014 May 20; 39(12):947-52.
- Schroeder GD, Lynch TS, Gibbs DB, Chow I, LaBelle MW, Patel AA, Savage JW, Hsu WK, Nuber GW. “Pre-existing Lumbar Spine Diagnosis as a Predictor of Outcomes in National Football League Athletes.” American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015 April; 43(4):972-8.
- Fuchs DJ, Ho BS, LaBelle MW, Kelikian AS. “Effect of Arthoscopic Evaluation of Acute Ankle Fractures on PROMIS Intermediate-Term Functional Outcomes.” Foot and Ankle International. 2016 Jan; 37(1):51-57.
- Louie PK, Espinoza Orias AA, Fogg LF, LaBelle M, An HS, Andersson GBJ, Inoue N. “Changes in Lumbar Endplate Area and Concavity Associated With Disc Degeneration.” Spine. 2018 March 27.
- Brisson GE, Fisher MJ, LaBelle MW, Kozmic SE. “Defining a Mismatch: Difference in Usage of Social Networking Sites between Medical Students and the Faculty Who Teach Them.” Teaching and Learning in Medicine. 2015; 27(2):208-14.
