Christopher Schneble, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine.
Dr. Schneble treats adolescents through geriatrics for a variety of issues ranging from joint problems primarily in the knee, elbow, and shoulder, performing procedures such as shoulder replacements, ligament reconstructions, and cartilage restoration.
“There’s nothing more rewarding than trying to figure out what is bothering someone, confirming what you think may be the problem, and helping them get back to doing the things that they love,” Dr. Schneble says.
Dr. Schneble came to orthopaedics by way of a passion in biomechanics. “Many of the things we do in the operating room have physics-based principles,” he says, adding that he was an athlete himself growing up and sustained multiple sports related fractures. “I figured out pretty quickly what it’s like to be in a doctor’s office and what I needed to do to get back on the field. It was all contingent upon us working together as a team. Seeing that side of things and working closely with a physical therapist has helped shape my perspective in my current career.”
During his sports medicine fellowship, Dr. Schneble took care of athletes from the Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles. “I dealt with a lot of throwing elbow, throwing shoulder, and high-contact injuries like knee ligament problems,” he says. “What I learned from this experience is you have to treat the person and not the condition, because what ultimately matters is the person’s goals. The idea is to work with someone in a way that helps them achieve their desired result.”
Along these lines, a 20-year-old college athlete often has different priorities than a 55-year-old casual athlete. “What I like about sports medicine is that you have a wide range of people who are affected by the same ailments, but the care has to center on their goals and how to get them back to the level of function they desire,” he says.
Dr. Schneble’s research interests are focused on a variety of research topics, including bone morphology, 3D modeling, patellofemoral kinematics, throwing elbow, and cartilage restoration.
