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Louis Rizio, MD

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Livingston, NJ
Louis Rizio, MD

Dr. Louis Rizio is a board certified, orthopaedic surgeon and fellowship trained in sports medicine.

Team Physician NJIT NCAA Division 1 Athletics
Team Physician Kean University Dr. Rizio is a fellowship trained sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon that treats athletes of all ages and levels. Dr Rizio specializes in Knee and Shoulder Surgery, Cartilage Repair/Regeneration, Arthroscopic Surgery and Sports Related Injuries.

03/07/2026

🚨 The Hidden Drivers of Youth Sports Injuries - Patterns I see as a Sports Orthopedic Surgeon

Many youth injuries aren’t random — they follow predictable patterns.

Here are 7 common mistakes driving the youth sports overuse epidemic:

⚠️ Early specialization → repetitive stress injuries
⚠️ Playing on multiple teams → workload stacking
⚠️ No true off-season → chronic overuse
⚠️ Sudden load spikes → stress fractures
⚠️ Playing through pain → injuries that require surgery later
⚠️ Poor sleep → slower recovery and higher injury risk
⚠️ No strength training → poor mechanics and higher injury rates

Youth athletes today often train more intensely than professional athletes did decades ago — but without the same recovery structure.

The solution isn’t less sports.

It’s better structure, smarter training, and real recovery.

✔ Multi-sport development
✔ Scheduled rest periods
✔ Strength and neuromuscular training
✔ Listening to pain signals early

If you’re a parent, coach, or athlete, these changes can prevent many injuries I see in clinic.

👇 Comment: What sport do your kids play?

🔁 Share this with a coach or parent who needs to see it.

03/05/2026

The Best!

03/04/2026

Great job from all the folks that got this to presentation today! AAOS 2026

02/13/2026

Thank you NJ Family for opportunity to weigh in on some skiing safety questions.

01/21/2026

Honored!

01/15/2026

MPFL Reconstruction: First-Time vs Recurrent Dislocations 🏃‍♂️

🔁 Redislocation Risk
• 7% → First-time dislocation + surgery
• 3.9–10% → Multiple dislocations + surgery
• 30% → First-time dislocation + rehab only

⏱️ Return to Sport
• 5.1 months → First-time cases
• 7.6 months → Recurrent cases
• 85–93% return to sport overall
• 68–74% return to same or higher level

📊 Function & Satisfaction
• Excellent Kujala scores: 87–94
• First-time cases → higher final scores
• Recurrent cases → greater improvement
• ~76–77% patient satisfaction

🏆 Activity Level
• 95% first-time patients return to prior activity
• 72% with recurrent instability

💡 Takeaway
➡️ Earlier stabilization = faster return + better activity outcomes for athletic patients

Ideal for athletes, parents, and coaches | Education only

11/26/2025

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) promotes tendon healing and repair through several key mechanisms:

- Delivers concentrated growth factors (e.g., PDGF, TGF-β, VEGF) that stimulate tenocyte proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix synthesis, especially collagen I, which is critical for tendon strength and structure

- Enhances differentiation of tendon stem/progenitor cells into active tenocytes, increasing collagen production and accelerating tissue regeneration.

- Modulates inflammation by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and favoring M2 macrophage polarization, creating a regenerative microenvironment.

- Promotes angiogenesis, supporting vascular remodeling and improved nutrient delivery to the healing tendon.

- Increases antioxidant defenses in tenocytes via activation of the Nrf2 pathway, protecting cells from oxidative stress and supporting homeostasis.

- Improves tendon tissue organization, cellularity, and glycosaminoglycan content, leading to more mature and structurally sound tendon repair.

- Recruits stem cells to the wound area through chemoattractant proteins such as HMGB1, further enhancing tissue regeneration.

These combined actions establish a microenvironment that supports both structural and functional tendon recovery, though clinical efficacy may vary depending on PRP preparation and application protocols. 🏋️‍♀️

10/15/2025

⚾🏐 Shoulder Rotation Deficits & Injury Risk in Overhead Athletes

Dr. Louis Rizio MD | Sports Surgery Specialist

⸻

What Is GIRD?
• Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit (GIRD) = loss of internal rotation in the dominant shoulder.
• Common in overhead athletes: baseball, tennis, volleyball, cricket.

⸻

Why It Matters
• A >15–20° deficit in internal rotation increases risk of shoulder & elbow injuries.
• Reduced total rotational motion (TROM) = higher stress on the joint.
• Alters throwing mechanics → increased torque and impingement risk.

⸻

Key Stats
• ⚠️ ≥25° loss of IR = up to 4× greater injury risk in high school baseball players.
• 🏐 Volleyball players with ≥17° GIRD & ≥5° TROM asymmetry → more shoulder pain.
• GIRD worsens over years of overhead play & is influenced by prior injuries.

⸻

Common Injuries Linked to GIRD
• Rotator cuff tendinopathy or partial tears
• SLAP/labral injuries
• Posterior shoulder tightness & impingement
• UCL strain at the elbow

⸻

Prevention & Management
• 🧘‍♂️ Sleeper & cross-body stretches
• 💪 Posterior cuff mobility + scapular control work
• 🩺 Regular screening of shoulder rotation during season
• ⚖️ Maintain total shoulder motion within 5° of non-throwing side

⸻

Pro Insight:
Not all GIRD is “bad.” Some loss of IR is a normal throwing adaptation — the key is balance and monitoring total motion, not just one direction.

⸻

Take-Home Message
➡️ GIRD matters — small rotation losses can lead to big injury risks.
➡️ Early detection, consistent mobility work, and season-long monitoring protect performance and longevity.

09/28/2025

National Son’s Day. Lucky to have the best !
💙

08/26/2025

Man’s best friend !
🐶

08/09/2025

Why Athletes Struggle to Return to Sport After ACL
Common Barriers:
• Strength deficits — especially quadriceps asymmetry
• Poor neuromuscular control — faulty landing/cutting mechanics
• Knee stiffness — loss of extension or flexion
• Persistent swelling or pain
• Psychological: Fear of re-injury — reduced confidence or avoidance behaviors
• Inadequate sport-specific preparation
• Rushed timelines — returning before 9 months increases re-injury risk

Ways to Avoid These Pitfalls:
✅ Complete full rehab, not just until “pain-free”
✅ Use objective testing (strength, hop tests, movement quality) before clearance
✅ Incorporate agility, plyometric, and cutting drills before game return
✅ Address mental readiness with gradual exposure & sports psychology
✅ Follow evidence-based timelines — aim for ≥ 9 months before full return
✅ Continue training after return — strength & neuromuscular control maintenance

08/08/2025

💪 Muscle Loss Starts Sooner Than You Think

🚨 By your 30s muscle mass starts to decline — slowly at first, then faster with age.
📉 Without exercise, you could lose up to 15% per decade after 70.

Why it happens:
• ↓ Hormones (testosterone, GH, IGF-1)
• Shrinking + fewer muscle fibers
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Low protein intake
• Chronic inflammation

The fix:
✅ Strength train 2–3x/week
✅ Eat enough protein (≈0.8–1.2 g/kg/day)
✅ Stay active & mobile
✅ Sleep, recover, repeat

The payoff:
🔥 Keep strength
🔥 Maintain independence
🔥 Boost metabolism & bone health
“Don’t let the decades decide your strength — take control today.”

Address

200 South Orange Avenue, Suite 230
Livingston, NJ
07039

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.drrizio.com/

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