MOI-North-Knee

Trust your knees to our expertise.

From sports medicine to game-changing research, the specialists at MedStar Orthopaedic Institute are shaping the future of medicine. Our knee team is one of the largest in Maryland, with orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine experts, athletic trainers, and physical therapists working together to develop a treatment plan just for you.

All of our patients receive the same high level of care that we provide to athletes playing for the Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, Baltimore Blast, and U.S. Lacrosse. We are proud to be the official medical team of the pros, as well as many collegiate and recreational teams.

Nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report for orthopedics, we are Maryland’s only robotic orthopedics specialty center. We also lead the state in outpatient joint surgery—you’ll get the best care and return home sooner. MedStar Health knee specialists can evaluate your pain at 13 convenient locations spanning Central Maryland:

Enjoy more pain-free days with personalized knee care.

Chronic or sports-related knee pain can interfere with work or play—but it doesn’t have to. Visit a specialist to help relieve your symptoms, with or without surgery.

How a Knee Specialist Can Help You
MedStar Orthopaedic Institute experts diagnose and treat the full range of sports and overuse knee conditions. We offer non-surgical, minimally invasive, and standard treatments for conditions that can cause knee pain, such as:

ACL, MCL, or PCL tear

Anterior knee pain: Patella femoral syndrome

Bursitis

Fractures

Full or partial dislocation (sublaxation)

Impingement, injuries of the fat pad

Meniscus tear

Overuse injuries

Patella instability

Adolescent growth plate disorder: Osgood Schlatter’s disease

Shin splints

Strains and sprains

Ruptured or torn tendon

Tendonitis

Torn and displaced supporting structures, such as cartilage and meniscus

With advanced imaging and insights about your symptoms and goals, we can pinpoint the cause of your knee pain and recommend a treatment plan to help you enjoy more pain-free days—and back to the sports and activities you love as soon as possible.
Treatment Options
Many patients find relief from knee pain and can return to exercise without surgery. Our experts will discuss all your treatment options with you. Then, we will personalize your care plan based on your active lifestyle, needs, and goals. For maximum pain management without surgery, we may recommend a combination of treatments such as:

Anti-inflammatory or pain medication

Corticosteroid injections

Physical therapy

MedStar Orthopaedic Institute joint surgeons are experts in minimally invasive and traditional techniques. If you need knee surgery for a sports-related or overuse injury, we will help you understand what to expect before, during, and after your procedure. Using leading-edge robotic and image-guided technologies, we offer the full range of procedures, including:

Arthroscopy to "clean up" damaged joint tissue repair

ACL reconstruction and repair

PCL reconstruction and repair

MCL reconstruction and repair

Meniscus reconstruction and repair

Full or partial knee replacement

Traditional and robotic-assisted surgery

With precise, personalized planning, our expert surgeons can avoid disturbing healthy tissues around the joint as we correct the cause of your symptoms. The results? No hospital stay required—and faster return to activities compared with traditional open surgery.

Relief from knee pain starts here.

Closeup side view of a doctor examining the knee of a woman during an appointment. The doctor is gently touching the tendons around the knee and the knee cap and trying to determine the cause of pain.

Don’t let knee pain stop you from living your best life. Take our free assessment now to learn about your treatment options.

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For more information, call

877-346-7846

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Hear from our patients.

Watch Maryland horse jockey Darius Thorpe get back on track after tearing his ACL.

US News Best Hospitals - Orthopedics - 2023-24

Meet our knee care experts.

MedStar Orthopaedic Institute is one home to one of Maryland’s largest fellowship-trained knee surgery teams. We are on the leading edge of research, educating future surgeons in the latest data-driven techniques. Our experts work closely with specialists throughout MedStar Health—so every patient gets an exceptionally personalized, team-based treatment plan.

Christopher Looze, MD

Milford H. Marchant Jr., MD

Kenneth Tepper, MD

Knee Surgeons

David Cohen, MD

David Cohen, MD
MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

David A. Cohen, MD, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute at Franklin Square Hospital. He specializes in sports medicine with a focus on shoulder and knee care for patients across all physical abilities and athletic levels.

Dr. Cohen uses the latest surgical techniques for procedures such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, meniscal repair, and minimally invasive arthroscopy, reducing patients’ pain and downtime.

Taking a patient-focused approach to care, Dr. Cohen helps his patients understand their treatment options and works with them to meet their personal goals. Whether that’s returning to daily activities or getting back in the game, he creates custom treatment plans tailored to each patient’s specific needs.

Elite athletes rely on Dr. Cohen’s expertise for prevention and treatment of ankle, knee, hip, and shoulder injuries. Dr. Cohen is the past Head Team Physician for the Baltimore Brigade. He is currently an Assistant Team Physician for the Baltimore Orioles and covers the Community College of Baltimore County Essex.

After earning his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Cohen completed his residency at Union Memorial Hospital. He then completed a fellowship in knee and shoulder arthroscopy at UHZ Sports Medicine Institute, where he served as a team physician for the University of Miami and Florida International University.

Dr. Cohen is an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and the American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine.

Dr. Cohen’s expertise and compassionate care earned him the prestigious recognition of Baltimore’s Top Doc for five consecutive years. One of the most rewarding aspects of his work is seeing the progression of his patients' athletic careers. He works with active people of all skill levels, from weekend warriors to student-athletes, college standouts, and elites. He appreciates being part of patients’ athletic journey, helping them overcome injuries and achieve their goals.

Leigh Ann Curl, MD

Leigh Ann Curl, MD
MedStar Harbor Hospital

Dr. Leigh Ann Curl is the Chief of Orthopaedics at MedStar Harbor Hospital. As part of the MedStar Sports Medicine team, Dr. Curl is the head orthopaedic surgeon for the Baltimore Ravens. She has been with the Ravens since 1998.

In March 2018, she was elected President of the NFL Physicians Society. As president, Dr. Curl will help provide direction and support for the physicians and athletic trainers to ensure athletes receive the highest standard of medical and surgical care. In 2019, she was inducted into Robert “Tick” Cloherty - Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

In addition, she is currently assistant team physician for the Baltimore Orioles, and has also served as team physician for the University of Maryland Terrapins, the New York Mets, USA Women's Basketball, USA Women's Rugby, Johns Hopkins University and St. John's University in New York.

Dr. Curl is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery and a member of the American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine. She is board certified and has trained at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Hospital for Special Surgery. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut where she played collegiate basketball. Her expertise is sports-related injuries and complex conditions of the shoulder and knee.

James Dreese, MD

James Dreese, MD
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital

James Dreese, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon, fellowship-trained in sports medicine. He is double-board certified in Orthopedic Surgery and Orthopedic Sports Medicine. He serves as associate director of Union Memorial Sports Medicine and as research director for the MedStar Sports Medicine Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship. He was recently elected to serve as one of two delegates from the state of Maryland on the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Council of Delegates. He has served as editor-in-chief for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and has been appointed to numerous regional and national leadership committees in Orthopedic Sports Medicine. He is actively involved in sports medicine research, and has published numerous articles and book chapters.Dr. Dreese is an associate team physician for the Baltimore Ravens and the head team orthopaedist for Loyola University. He has been named numerous times to U.S. News and World Report's Top Doctors for Sports Medicine and Castle Connolly's Top Doctor Baltimore Edition.

Dr. Dreese has clinical interest in conservative and surgical management of knee, shoulder, hamstring, and elbow injuries. His practice focuses on managing these injuries in athletes and the general population. His clinical practice uniquely focuses on non-joint replacement solutions for knee and shoulder injuries. He has extensive experience in managing complex ligamentous, meniscus, and cartilage injuries of the knee during the eight years he spent caring for Maryland Shock Trauma patients. He continues to frequently manage patients and athletes with complex knee injuries referred throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. As a result of the findings of his own and others' research, he adheres to strict principles of meniscal preservation rather than removal (meniscectomy) whenever feasible. For patients in whom meniscal preservation is not successful he offers extensive expertise in allograft meniscus transplantation. Dr. Dreese has extensive experience in managing ligamentous injuries of the knee, with expertise in determination of conservative vs surgical management. He performs high volumes of both bone-patellar tendon-bone and hamstring ACL reconstruction, promoting a joint disucssion with patients and their families in deciding which option suits the individual patient.

Dr. Dreese's particular areas of interest in the shoulder include rotator cuff tears, shoulder instability, SLAP tears, AC joint injuries, and biceps tendon injuries. In the knee, he focuses on ligament reconstruction (ACL, PCL, LCL/posterolateral corner), meniscus repair (meniscus root tears, bucket-handle tears, radial tears, etc.), cartilage restoration (fragmented juvenile cartilage transplantation and fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation) for localized arthritis, subchondral insufficiency fracture stabilization, patella instability surgery, patellofemoral pain syndrome, high tibial osteotomy, and nerve injuries around the knee. In particular, he focuses on operations to preserve the meniscus via repair in an effort to limit the risk of developing arthritis and the need for meniscus transplantation or joint replacement surgery. He has extensive experience in treating proximal hamstring injuries, specializing in conservative and surgical treatment for patients throughout the region.

Allison Fillar, MD

Allison Fillar, MD

Allison Fillar, MD, is fellowship trained and board-certified in orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine. She specializes in reconstructive knee and shoulder surgery. Dr. Fillar has cared for high school, collegiate and professional athletic teams in New York and Maryland.

She has conducted research on meniscal root injuries and analyzed varying techniques for ACL reconstruction. Dr. Fillar is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and the Arthroscopy Association of North America.

Dr. Fillar's focus is on helping patients get back to the activities they love. She believes in building relationships with patients over time and works in partnership with each person to evaluate treatment options.

Jason Hammond, MD

Jason Hammond, MD

Jason Hammond, MD, is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon who is fellowship trained in sports medicine. His interest in sports medicine began while being treated for a track and field injury in high school. Dr. Hammond specializes in minimally invasive procedures of the shoulder and knee, including arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, arthroscopic shoulder stabilization, ACL reconstruction, and meniscus surgery. He is also proficient in knee replacement surgery, including outpatient partial knee replacements and and robotic knee replacement, also known as MAKOplasty.

He also offers the latest procedures that allow the body to heal with its own blood.

Dr. Hammond has authored a number of published articles and book chapters. He has also spent time as an associate physician of several colleges and professional teams, including the Baltimore Ravens. He is now the head team physician for Towson University Men's Basketball and several other schools, including Gertstell Academy and Manchester Valley High School in Carroll County.

Richard Hinton, MD

Richard Hinton, MD
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital

Richard Y. Hinton, MD, MPH, PT, is the medical director of MedStar Sports Medicine, director of the MedStar Sports Medicine Fellowship Program, and an attending orthopaedic surgeon at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Hinton's practice is concentrated on knee and shoulder conditions and involves athletes at the recreational, scholastic, collegiate, and professional levels of play. Dr. Hinton specializes in ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) reconstruction and revision surgery. He has a special interest in pediatric and adolescent sports medicine, including ACL injuries and osteochondritis dissecans.

Having trained at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Virginia, Dr. Hinton began his sports medicine career as a physical therapist and certified athletic trainer. He then received his medical degree from The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and residency training in orthopaedic surgery at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. He completed fellowship training in both pediatric orthopaedic surgery and adult sports medicine at these same institutions. He then received his Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, with a concentration in epidemiology and injury prevention.

Dr. Hinton has served as a team physician for the Baltimore Ravens, Towson University, Loyola University, Morgan State University, the Women's U.S. National Lacrosse Team, and a number of scholastic and youth organizations. He is an executive board member of US Lacrosse's Sports Science Committee and co-director of the nation's leading lacrosse-specific sports medicine program at MedStar Health. He has served as president of the Maryland Orthopaedic Association and held membership on various AOSSM committees, as well as the Maryland Board of Physicians Athletic Trainers Oversight Committee.

Dr. Hinton has authored numerous articles in the areas of injury epidemiology, lacrosse sports medicine, ACL injury and reconstruction, and knee conditions in the skeletally immature. He is frequently invited to speak at regional and national medical meetings, as well as public conferences focused on youth sports medicine.

AwardsDr. Hinton was named a 2017 “Top Doc” by Baltimore Magazine for Orthopaedic Sports Medicine.

Richard Levine, MD

Richard Levine, MD
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital

Dr. Levine graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in 1991. While at Cornell, he played Division 1 soccer and lacrosse. He completed his medical school training at the State University of New York Downstate College of MedicineÂ in 1995 and completed his residency in Orthopedic Surgery at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2000. Dr. Levine then moved to Baltimore, where he completed his fellowship training in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital 2001.

Baltimore Blast fans will also recognize Dr. Levine from the sidelines of MASL professional men's indoor soccer, where he has served as Head Team Physician for the Baltimore Blast since 2001 and is responsible for all aspects of player care. Dr. Levine also serves as the head orthopedic surgeon for Towson University, Goucher College, and Notre Dame of Maryland University, where he provides care to student-athletes and is a fixture on the sidelines and in the stands during games.

Other notable sports coverage responsibilities have included the medical director for the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, PGA and LPGA tournaments, Professional Wrestling, and consultant for Cirque de Soleil.

In addition to his clinical practice and team affiliations, Dr. Levine serves as medical director for sports medicine clinical services at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and has served as faculty for the Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Fellowship and Orthopaedic Residency programs there since 2001.

Dr. Levine employs both operative and non-operative treatments to assist in your goal of returning to pain-free activity. He specializes in arthroscopic surgery and treatment of injuries to the shoulder and knee; specifically: anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), meniscus (cartilage care), rotator cuff, labrum, knee ligaments, and shoulder instability. He performs total knee replacements and unicompartmental knee replacements.

Dr. Levine's patients range from professional, college, and high school athletes to active individuals and weekend warriors (like him!). He will individually assess your injury and help you make the best decision for you and your lifestyle.

Christopher Looze, MD

Christopher Looze, MD

Christopher Looze, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon who is fellowship trained in sports medicine. A former professional baseball player within the Toronto Blue Jays organization, he has a personal passion for sports and wants his work to have a positive impact on the athletes of today and tomorrow. As part of the MedStar Sports Medicine team, Dr. Looze is a team physician for the Baltimore Orioles.

Prior to joining MedStar Orthopedic Institute, he completed a fellowship at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, recognized globally as a leader in orthopedic patient care, research, education and injury prevention. Dr. Looze earned his medical degree at the New York University School of Medicine, followed by completion of a residency at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases.

Milford H. Marchant Jr., MD

Milford H. Marchant Jr., MD

Milford H. Marchant Jr., MD, has extensive clinical expertise in treating a wide variety of sports-related injuries and arthritis of the shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee. He specializes in the non-operative and operative treatment of injuries in adult and youth patients of all skill levels, from recreational to professional athletes. He emphasizes patient education and the importance of injury prevention and rehabilitation.

During his fellowship at the world-renowned Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic, Dr. Marchant assisted the head team physician in the orthopaedic care of the 2009 World Champion Los Angeles Lakers. In addition, he served as an assistant team physician for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Sparks, Anaheim Ducks, and Fullerton College, and served as the head team physician for the Major League Lacrosse Chesapeake Bayhawks.

Dr. Marchant continued his medical training as an Orthopaedic Surgery Resident at Duke University Medical Center. Assisting the Sports Medicine Division at Duke, he served as one of the resident physicians for Duke Athletics. This training allowed Dr. Marchant to gain expertise in injury prevention and non-operative treatment modalities. In particular, he acquired extensive knowledge in the care of overhead athletes. Working among innovators in the field of sports medicine, Dr. Marchant further developed skills in cutting-edge arthroscopy techniques of the shoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle, as well as in joint preserving and reconstructive procedures of the shoulder and elbow.

Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Marchant assists with MedStar Sports Medicine's partnership with US Lacrosse.

Kenneth Tepper, MD

Kenneth Tepper, MD

Dr. Kenneth Tepper is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon, fellowship trained in sports medicine. Dr. Tepper sees patients in Pikesville, Hunt Valley and in Westminster, Carroll County. He is one of only a few surgeons nationwide who perform hip arthroscopy and is the Director of Hip Preservation and Arthroscopy at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. He is the first hip arthroscopic surgeon in the Baltimore region to use the Dyonics Plan, which is a 3-D computer modeling program for hip impingement (femoroacetabular impingement or FAI).

Dr. Tepper is the head team physician for Stevenson University, and the head orthopaedist for the U.S. Men's U19 national lacrosse team. He also served as the Associate Chief Medical Officer for the FIL 2018 Men’s World Lacrosse Championships in Netanya, Israel, where he was responsible for over 2000 athletes from 46 countries.

Dr. Tepper's clinical interests include arthroscopic surgery of the hip, shoulder, and knee; partial and total knee replacement, including robotic joint replacement using MAKOplasty. Hip surgery includes labral repair with correction of femoro-acetabular impingement (FAI) and repair of the hip abductors. He also offers the latest procedures that allow the body to heal with its own blood.