Orthopedic Surgery · Sports Medicine

Get Back
In The Game.

Fellowship-trained orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon and team physician for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Teams — advanced surgical and non-surgical care for knee, shoulder, and hip injuries in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

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Dr. Justin J. Mitchell, orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon
Board-Certified · FAAOS
  • Fellowship Trained in Sports Medicine & Arthroscopy
  • Subspecialty Certified in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
10+Years in Practice
70+Peer-Reviewed Publications
USASki & Snowboard Team Physician
>100National & International Lectures, Presentations & Surgical Demonstrations
What I Treat

Specialties & Expertise

Comprehensive care across the full spectrum of sports injuries — each of these will become its own detailed page with conditions, treatments, and recovery info.

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Knee Injuries & Surgery

ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair — including complex root tears — cartilage restoration, and patellar conditions, treated with the latest arthroscopic techniques.

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Complex Knee Reconstruction

Specialized expertise in multiligament knee injuries and revision surgery — the complex cases that demand advanced training and experience.

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Shoulder

Rotator cuff tears, labral injuries, instability, and dislocations — restoring strength and range of motion for overhead athletes and active adults.

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Hip

Hip arthroscopy for labral tears, impingement (FAI), and related conditions — minimally invasive solutions to keep you moving.

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Sports Medicine

Non-operative care, injury prevention, and return-to-play planning for athletes of every age and level — surgery only when it's truly the right answer.

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Orthobiologics

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and bone marrow aspirate injections — harnessing your body's own biology to support healing and reduce pain.

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Dr. Mitchell presenting at an Arthrex BioIlluminations educational event
Presenting at Arthrex BioIlluminations
Meet Your Surgeon

Justin J. Mitchell, MD, FAAOS

Dr. Justin Mitchell is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon practicing in La Crosse, Wisconsin. A Wisconsin native and UW–Madison graduate, he earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin, completed orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Colorado, and completed fellowship training at the world-renowned Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado.

His practice focuses on complex knee injuries and ligament reconstruction using internal brace technology and biologic augmentation, and he has cared for professional athletes across the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, professional soccer, and the U.S. Olympic Team.

Whether you're a high school athlete, a weekend competitor, or someone who just wants to move without pain, Dr. Mitchell builds a treatment plan around your goals — not just your MRI.

  • Board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, with subspecialty certification in orthopaedic sports medicine
  • Sports medicine fellowship — The Steadman Clinic, Vail, Colorado
  • Team physician — U.S. Ski & Snowboard Teams, La Crosse Loggers, and La Crosse Steam
  • Clinical Assistant Adjunct Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Orthopedics
  • 70+ peer-reviewed publications · Associate Editor, Journal of Cartilage & Joint Preservation
Full Bio & Credentials
Board Certifications · Affiliations · Team Physician Roles
U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Sports Medicine
U.S. Ski Team Medical
U.S. Snowboarding Medical
U.S. Freeskiing Medical
American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery — Board Certified, Orthopaedic Surgery
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery — Board Certified, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons — Designated Member
How I Practice

A Different Kind of Care

01

Precise Diagnosis

A careful exam and honest conversation come before any treatment plan. You'll always understand exactly what's injured and why.

02

Surgery Isn't Always the Answer

Many injuries heal best without an operation. When conservative care can get you there, that's the plan we make.

03

Advanced Techniques

When surgery is the right call, you get modern, evidence-based techniques — including complex reconstruction and biologic augmentation.

04

A Team Effort

Recovery is a partnership between you, your surgeon, and your physical therapist — with a clear roadmap back to full speed.

Evidence-Based Care

Research & Publications

Dr. Mitchell doesn't just follow the evidence — he helps create it. With more than 70 peer-reviewed publications, textbook chapters, and a library of surgical education videos produced with Arthrex, his work helps shape how sports medicine is practiced. A few highlights:

Journal Article

Primary Versus Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Patient Demographics, Radiographic Findings, and Associated Lesions

Arthroscopy · 2018
Journal Article

Outcomes After 1-Stage Versus 2-Stage Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

American Journal of Sports Medicine · 2017
Video Education

Surgical technique & education video series — ACL reconstruction, meniscal root repair, and biologic augmentation

Arthrex · Ongoing
Watch Education Videos Full Research Library
Dr. Justin Mitchell with Dr. Chad Lavender in front of a biologic ACL reconstruction illustration
Dr. Justin Mitchell and Dr. Chad Lavender — two innovators and pioneers in using biologic augmentation in ACL reconstruction surgery
Illustration of BioACL reconstruction with the Soft Button TightRope
BioACL reconstruction with the new Soft Button TightRope® · Image courtesy of Arthrex, Inc.
Innovation Spotlight

Advancing ACL Surgery

ACL reconstruction is evolving — and Dr. Mitchell is bringing that innovation to patients in Wisconsin and across the Midwest, using every available option to optimize healing and recovery in ACL surgery.

The BioACL™ (also known as the "Fertilized ACL")

A biologically augmented approach to ACL reconstruction: the graft is enhanced with bone marrow aspirate concentrate, demineralized bone matrix, and autograft bone, and supported with an internal brace suture tape — all designed to create a better healing environment for the new ligament. Early published results are promising.1,2

Soft-Button TightRope® Fixation

Instead of rigid hardware, the graft is secured with a low-profile, adjustable-loop cortical button. Studies have shown reliable graft fixation and integration with outcomes comparable to traditional screw fixation3 — and Dr. Mitchell has co-authored biomechanical research on optimizing graft preparation for this type of suspensory fixation.4

References
1. Lavender C, et al. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction Augmented With Bone Marrow Concentrate, Demineralized Bone Matrix, Autograft Bone, and a Suture Tape (The Fertilized ACL). Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil. 2021.
2. Maginnis C, et al. Analysis of Graft Types Augmented With an Internal Brace for ACL Reconstruction: A Systematic Review. Am J Sports Med. 2024.
3. TightRope Versus Biocomposite Interference Screw for Fixation in Allograft ACL Reconstruction: Prospective Evaluation of Osseous Integration and Patient Outcomes. JBJS Open Access. 2020.
4. Bedi A, Smith BL, Mitchell JJ, et al. Effect of Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Preparation and Fixation on Graft Laxity During Suspensory Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Biomechanical Analysis. Orthop J Sports Med. 2024.
Every injury is different — whether these techniques are right for you is a decision made together during your evaluation.
Beyond the Operating Room

Nutrition & Training Around Surgery

How you fuel and train before and after surgery has a real impact on how well you heal. This section will grow into a full guide — sample framework below.

Phase 1 · Before Surgery
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Pre-Surgery Nutrition

Protein targets, key micronutrients, and what to cut back on in the weeks before your procedure to set the stage for healing.

Phase 2 · Before Surgery
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Prehab Training

Going into surgery strong comes out the other side stronger. Smart strength and mobility work right up to surgery day.

Phase 3 · After Surgery
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Recovery Nutrition

Fueling tissue repair — protein timing, anti-inflammatory foods, and supplements worth considering (and ones that aren't).

Phase 4 · After Surgery
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Return to Training

Rebuilding safely — how to progress load, when to test, and how to come back to your sport better than before.

Ready to put this into practice? One option for patients looking to optimize their recovery is the Thrive Protocol — a physician-developed, evidence-based perioperative nutrition system designed to help support healing around the time of surgery. The link below provides more information.

Learn More About the Thrive Protocol
Patient Stories

Back Doing What They Love

Real reviews from verified patients on public review sites, lightly edited for privacy.

★★★★★5.0 / 5Healthgrades Patient Rating ★★★★★4.9 / 5Verified Patient Reviews

Read more patient reviews on Healthgrades and U.S. News Doctors.

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