Michael J. Alaia, MD

As a former competitive athlete committed to staying active as I age, I know that an orthopedic injury can cause significant physical and psychological pain. I was drawn to orthopedic surgery, and specifically to sports medicine surgery, because I enjoy helping people get back to their old performance levels after being sidelined. As an associate professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and co-director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship, I have extensive experience in the management of the entire range of activity-related injuries, including innovative joint preservation procedures and revision reconstructions.

At the Sports Medicine Center, I specialize in sports medicine care and arthroscopic and open reconstructive surgery of the knee, shoulder, and elbow, as well as tendon ruptures and fracture care. I am one of the few sports medicine specialists in New York City with significant experience in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair, reconstruction, and revision surgery, joint-preserving cartilage transplants and osteotomies (knee realignment surgery), complex patellar instability, and multi-ligament knee injuries. Additionally, a significant amount of my practice is dedicated to the treatment of shoulder dislocations and rotator cuff tears.

In my practice, I give top priority to the physician–patient relationship and, by extension, patient education. My goal is to build trust with my patients so they feel comfortable with me as their surgeon. I want to ensure people understand their diagnosis and all necessary steps for the road to recovery.

I believe in collaborative care, and I encourage my patients to work with me to develop an overall treatment plan. I take the time to explain potential treatment approaches, possible outcomes, and how things will look and feel at all stages—from surgery to recovery.

I routinely take part in invited lectureships at national and international conferences and teach surgical techniques at the Chicago-area OLC Education and Conference Center. In 2017, I was honored to receive a traveling fellowship from the Arthroscopy Association of North America, and in 2018 I was a host for the fellowship. I also hosted the 2022 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine/European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, and Arthroplasty European Traveling Fellowship, collaborating with world leaders in sports medicine.

I previously served on the medical teams of the New York Jets and New York Islanders, and I am currently a team physician for U.S. Ski & Snowboard. In addition, I have been recognized for the past several years in Super Doctors’ database for orthopedic surgery and sports medicine in New York and Castle Connolly’s “Top Doctors” series for the New York metro area.

I am actively involved in research and have authored or co-authored more than 150 scientific papers, as well as numerous scientific podium presentations. I have authored several textbooks and textbook chapters. My current research focuses on complex knee reconstruction, including knee dislocations, multiple-ligament knee injuries, ACL reconstruction, knee osteotomy, and revision ACL reconstruction.