Q&A: Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Surgery

Orthopedic Surgeons and Sports Medicine Surgeons help individuals who have issues with their musculoskeletal system and suffer from bone, muscle or joint pain. These issues can happen to any person, regardless of age or mobility.

Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Surgeons can help to prevent, diagnose and treat disorders of the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles to allow people to live happier and more productive lives, pain-free.

If you suffer from persistent hip or knee issues, sprains or strains or athletic injuries and have tried out physical therapy, integrative medicine or pain management options, then it may be time to visit an orthopedic surgeon.

We connected with Dr. Colin Burgess, ECHN's newest Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Surgeon to learn more about orthopedics and his practice.

Q: What are your credentials?
A: I am a DO and Orthopedic Surgeon at ECHN

Q: Where are you located?
A: My office is located at 2800 Tamarack Avenue, Suite 104 in South Windsor, CT. Currently, I am seeing patients Monday-Wednesday and Friday. I do my surgical cases out of Manchester Memorial Hospital typically on Thursdays.

Q: What is your educational background?
A: I graduated from UCONN in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology. Afterward, I worked as an Emergency Medical Technician for the Ambulance Service of Manchester for two years before attending medical school at NYCOM in New York. Upon graduation from medical school, I did my orthopedic surgery residency training in Long Island with Hofstra and Northwell Health System. Lastly I did an additional year of fellowship training with a focus on sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery.

Q: Can you explain what an Orthopedic Surgeon does?
A: An Orthopedic Surgeon manages injuries to the musculoskeletal system of the body. This includes simple muscle/tendon sprains, ligament or tendon tears, arthritis, broken bones, joint problems and everything in between. If you have an injury to your arm or leg involving a bone or joint, an Orthopedic Surgeon can evaluate you. We use both non-operative treatments and surgical procedures to treat whatever injury you may have sustained.

Q: Can you explain what a Sports Medicine Surgeon does?
A: Sports medicine is a subspecialty within orthopedic surgery that has an additional focus on the management of musculoskeletal injuries that occur with athletic activity in people of all ages. These problems can be acute or chronic and do not necessarily have to occur during a sporting event, many times they can be degenerative injuries. We help prevent and manage injuries in amateur athletes, professionals, weekend warriors and anyone in between who may injure themselves. Sports medicine surgeons have advanced experience with arthroscopic surgical techniques involving surgery through poke-hole incisions using a camera to work inside the joint.

Q: What is the difference between Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Surgery? A: There is not necessarily a difference between the two, Sports Medicine is a subspecialty under the umbrella of Orthopedic Surgery.

Q: What are your interests in regards to your specialty?
A: I love performing minimally invasive, arthroscopic procedures to the shoulder, knee and hip to help patients get back to maximum function. Utilizing arthroscopic techniques as opposed to larger incisions may help reduce recovery time and get patients back to their daily activities quicker. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoy all aspects of orthopedics including fracture fixation and joint replacement to also improve patients functionality whether it’s after an injury or it’s elective surgery for an arthritic joint!

Q: Why would someone need to come see you?
A: If you have an acute musculoskeletal injury or are having chronic pain to one of your joints, it may be worthwhile to be seen by an orthopedic surgeon to identify the source of your pain and address any injury as needed. We can help prevent injury, limit worsening of your pain or repair a broken bone or torn ligament/tendon. If you are having pain or discomfort anywhere from your shoulder to wrist or hip to ankle, I may be able to help!

Q: What are common procedures that you have done in the past?
A: I have performed thousands of cases so far in my career with an emphasis on shoulders, knees and hips. This ranges from minimally invasive, arthroscopic surgery to treat a torn meniscus or repair an injured ligament/tendon all the way to fully replacing the joint with a shoulder, hip or knee replacement.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: I enjoy traveling with my wife more than anything. When we are not away from home, chances are I am spending time with my dog, at the gym or on the golf course.

Q: What are you looking forward to at ECHN?
A: ECHN is a group of tight-knit employees that all get along well and seamlessly work together to provide the best patient care in all aspects of orthopedics and medicine. I am honored to be a part of the team and look forward to contributing to nationally recognized orthopedic care while maintaining a friendly, community feel.

Q: Is there anything else you would like the community to know?
A: I am a product of ECHN and the community of Manchester/central CT. I was born at Manchester Memorial Hospital, raised in Manchester and even worked in the operating room as a summer job between college semesters before beginning my medical training. I am fully committed to the residents of Manchester and surrounding areas to provide the best orthopedic care possible!