Jim C. Hsu, MD, FAAOS

Jim C. Hsu, MD, is an orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive shoulder, knee, and elbow surgery.

“My goal is to return patients to their activities better and faster, which makes minimally invasive approaches ideal because it allows us to do more treatment with very small incisions,” Dr. Hsu says. “These procedures are often complex and demanding, both mentally and physically. But they are rewarding to learn, master, and perform—especially when I know they ultimately will benefit the patients who often recover faster and with much less pain.”

Dr. Hsu aims to educate his patients so they can make informed and confident choices. “There are many situations in orthopaedics where more than one valid treatment exists. And to decide, patients need to understand their injury and their options. I love to explain and discuss the anatomy, the injury, why certain types of injuries heal while others don’t, and what different types of treatments entail,” he says, adding that he often sketches and diagrams to help his patients better understand. “I always make sure their questions are fully answered. I love when patients tell me at the end of the visit, ‘Now I really get it,’ or ‘Thank you for spending the time to explain it all to me!’”

An accomplished violinist and marathon runner, Dr. Hsu says he draws from both hobbies for his medical work. “I love to understand how machines and gadgets work and the cleverer the design, the more I am fascinated. As a violinist, I am likewise drawn to musical works that challenge me,” he says. “And as with the violin, for running the biggest impact is the mental aspect. The learning process takes a long time. It can sometimes be frustrating. But perseverance is essential.”

At the end of the day, one can complete a marathon and then do another and improve, Dr. Hsu says, but with medicine, perseverance is even more meaningful. “The goal of the whole experience is to improve patient outcomes, and personal satisfaction is just a bonus,” he says.

“As a surgeon, I am most excited when I can combine progress in the biology of bone and soft tissue healing with breakthroughs in implant technology and surgical techniques, to help treat patients better,” Dr. Hsu says.

His research involves development of new techniques and applications for orthopaedic technology to improve treatment success. “Currently, I am studying a distal biceps tendon repair technique I have developed that uses less invasive repair methods and more robust suturing techniques to improve tendon-to-bone fixation strength while decreasing complications,” he explains.

Other interests include endoscopic proximal hamstring tendon repair, arthroscopic cartilage and meniscus repair, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, and all-arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction versus ligament-preserving ACL repair.