Form & Function Orthopaedics

Form & Function Orthopaedics Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Form & Function Orthopaedics, Surgeon, 9555 SW Barnes Road, Suite 275, Portland, OR.

Joint preservation for shoulders and knees

Orthopaedic surgery & regenerative care for active adults

Guided by the JointSpanMD™ approach

Founded by Dr. Nancy Yen Shipley

Portland, OR

02/16/2026

With Olympic skiing dominating our screens right now, we are watching elite athletes push the limits on snow. But injuries on the mountain are not limited to Olympians. Many active adults head out each winter trying to get a few good runs in, and falls onto the shoulder are one of the most common mechanisms for a shoulder separation.

Channing Tatum recently shared X-rays after a ski injury and surgery.

Based on what has been publicly released, this appears most consistent with a grade 3 AC joint separation, also known as a shoulder separation.

Important distinction:
This is not the same as a shoulder dislocation.
• A dislocation occurs when the ball comes out of the socket
• A shoulder separation involves the joint where the collarbone meets the shoulder blade

In a grade 3 separation, the stabilizing ligaments between the clavicle and shoulder blade are torn, allowing the clavicle to elevate and creating the visible bump many patients notice after a direct fall onto the shoulder.

Some grade 3 separations can be treated without surgery. Others are treated surgically, particularly in highly active individuals or those who want more predictable stability, strength, and shoulder function.

On the postoperative X-ray shared publicly, there appears to be a single screw positioned within the clavicle only. One possibility is fixation for a synthetic ligament or tape-based reconstruction, where a high-strength synthetic tape is looped around the clavicle and coracoid.

There are multiple accepted surgical options for AC separations today:
• Suture-button fixation between clavicle and coracoid
• Tendon graft ligament reconstruction
• Synthetic ligament constructs
• Plates or screws in select cases

The goal across all techniques is the same: restore stability, reduce pain, and allow safe return to activity and sport.

I am not involved in his care and have no knowledge beyond what has been publicly shared. This is general education based on released images.

If you want clear, real-world explanations of sports injuries, recovery, and how to protect your joints so you can stay active for decades, I share more in depth on YouTube at the NancyMD channel.

Most ACL tears are still treated with reconstruction. It remains the most common ACL surgery that I perform.In reconstru...
02/15/2026

Most ACL tears are still treated with reconstruction. It remains the most common ACL surgery that I perform.

In reconstruction, we replace the torn ligament with graft tissue to restore stability by creating a new ACL.

But in select cases, especially certain acute tears with good tissue quality, a bridge-enhanced repair may be appropriate. This is known as BEAR, Bridge-Enhanced ACL Repair. Instead of replacing the ligament, we support the body’s ability to heal the native ACL using a biologic scaffold.

It is not for everyone. Timing, tear pattern, tissue quality, age, and activity goals all matter.

Modern orthopaedics is not about one procedure. It is about choosing the right solution for the right knee at the right time.

If you would like to learn more about your options, contact us at Form & Function Orthopaedics
9555 SW Barnes Road, Suite 275
Portland, OR 97225
971-971-4325

Let’s talk through what makes sense for your knee and your goals.











02/14/2026

We are all admiring Olympic greatness during this Winter Olympics.

But the real work happens when no one is watching.

The women we celebrate on the world stage did not arrive there by accident. They built belief in the quiet hours. They trained when it was inconvenient. They chose discipline over doubt. They learned how to trust themselves long before the crowd ever did.

Today is Valentine’s Day.

And the most important voice you will hear is your own.

If you are in midlife, this matters even more. Hormones shift. Recovery changes. The narrative around aging can get loud and limiting. That is exactly when self-trust becomes your competitive advantage.

You do not need an Olympic podium.
You need consistency.
You need strength.
You need the courage to back yourself.

Say it out loud: I love you. I believe in you. I am not done.

That is where real longevity begins.










Regenerative medicine is growing for a reason. When you combine PRP, adipose therapies, shockwave, laser, and structured...
02/14/2026

Regenerative medicine is growing for a reason. When you combine PRP, adipose therapies, shockwave, laser, and structured loading, you can meaningfully shift the trajectory of a joint. It is not magic. It is cell signaling, biomechanics, and smart programming. When we respect the biology, we help people stay active far longer.

| f2ortho.com

02/13/2026

The internet is aging everyone overnight.

I do not see wrinkles first.

I see joint integrity.
I see muscle mass.
I see bone density.
I see whether she can get off the floor without assistance.

As an orthopaedic surgeon, I know this: aging is predictable. Frailty is not inevitable.

Muscle begins declining in our 30s. Hormonal shifts in our 40s change collagen, tendon resilience, and recovery. Bone density responds to load or the lack of it.

The future version of you is being built right now.

Strength train.
Protect sleep.
Prioritize protein.
Do something that challenges your heart rate.
Rehab injuries completely.
Address hormones thoughtfully.

You do not prepare for aging at 70.
You build capacity in midlife.











02/12/2026

After her third surgery, Lindsey Vonn shared a hospital photo showing a spanning external fixator on her left leg.

I am not involved in her care and have no information beyond what has been publicly shared. This is general orthopaedic education.

An external fixator is a temporary stabilizing frame placed outside the body. Pins go into bone above and below the fracture and are connected to an external bar to hold alignment while protecting injured soft tissues.

Why not fix it internally right away?

High-energy fractures often come with significant swelling. Immediate internal plates or rods can increase infection and wound complication risk. A spanning external fixator stabilizes the injury and allows swelling to settle before definitive surgery.

It may also be used if there is concern for compartment syndrome, a dangerous increase in pressure within the muscle compartments that can threaten blood flow and nerve function.

Wishing her a steady and complete recovery.

02/10/2026

With all the conversation this week around Lindsey Vonn, who I am wishing the best in her recovery, I want to zoom out to the bigger story.

What we are witnessing right now is extraordinary.

Women are competing, training, and pushing physical limits at ages that were rarely seen a generation ago. Into their 40s. Beyond. At levels that once felt off-limits. That matters.

Many of these women are also navigating perimenopause, which can begin as early as the mid-30s and often spans the 40s. During this phase, estrogen fluctuates rather than simply declines, and we know hormonal state influences collagen behavior, ligament stiffness, neuromuscular control, and injury risk. Newer data confirms what many women already feel in their bodies, that this transition can come with more musculoskeletal symptoms if it is not addressed intentionally.

Most of us are not elite athletes, and we do not need to be. But these women show us what is possible when training, recovery, and musculoskeletal health are supported with intention.

Everyday life is our elite sport.

How we care for our bodies in midlife shapes how strong, capable, and mobile we remain for decades to come. And the ceiling is higher than we were ever told.

I’ll be speaking about this exact topic at SHIFT Happens, our women’s retreat hosted by .powercollective.
Learn more at MPowercollective.com.
💫 $495 only until 2/20

Research highlights supporting this conversation:

1️⃣ Wojtys et al., AJSM
ACL injuries were more frequent during phases of higher estrogen, showing hormonal state influences ligament injury risk.

2️⃣ Shultz et al., Journal of Orthopaedic Research
Estrogen fluctuations were associated with measurable changes in knee laxity and neuromuscular control.

5️⃣ Kruse et al., JBJS Open Access (2026)
A large systematic review showing perimenopause is associated with increased musculoskeletal symptoms and injury susceptibility.

SHIFT Happens was created because women deserve a space that respects their intelligence and their lived experience. We ...
02/10/2026

SHIFT Happens was created because women deserve a space that respects their intelligence and their lived experience. We will talk about sleep, hormones, strength, metabolism, and joint health with depth, honesty, and yes, a dose of fun. You will leave with clarity and a plan you can actually use.
www.mpowercollective.com

02/08/2026

This morning’s Olympic coverage was difficult to watch. Lindsey Vonn crashed and was airlifted from the course.

Let me be clear. I have zero criticism for Lindsey Vonn. She understood the risks better than anyone. This was an informed decision by an elite athlete who has spent a lifetime pushing the limits of human performance.

I am not a treating physician in her case. These are general sports medicine observations based on publicly available footage and reporting.

She completed a strong practice run, and if anyone had the capacity to attempt competition at that level so soon after an ACL injury, it would be an athlete of her caliber.

But the biomechanics of the knee do not change.

When the ACL is torn, the knee loses a key stabilizer. That instability can lead to additional injuries including the PCL, MCL, or LCL, meniscus tears, and damage to the articular cartilage lining the ends of the bones. One ligament injury can quickly become a multi-structure knee injury when high rotational forces are involved.

For most people, even routine activity early after an ACL tear can result in instability or falls. Attempting skiing or pivoting sports days after injury carries substantial risk of compounding damage.

Watching that crash was heartbreaking. Many of us had the same reaction in real time. Silence. Hand over mouth. Hoping she was okay.

When one knee is injured, the body instinctively offloads it. The opposite leg takes more force during landings to protect the injured side. You can see this pattern in her landing mechanics, with the right leg absorbing more load to avoid stressing the left knee. That compensation reduces margin for error at high speed.

If you want the explainer video with audio, see for a clear breakdown of ACL biomechanics and compensation.

In clinic I repeat this often: after an ACL tear, whether treated nonoperatively, with BEAR repair, or reconstruction, return to cutting and pivoting sports is measured in months. Often many months. Sometimes up to a year.

Wishing Lindsey the very best in her recovery.

02/07/2026

The word “arthritis” gets used far too broadly, and that costs people options.

A focal cartilage lesion is a localized injury. Think of it like a pothole in the road. The surrounding pavement is still intact. In the right patient, with the right timing, that area can sometimes be treated with cartilage preservation or restoration strategies.

Widespread arthritis is different. That is when cartilage loss is diffuse, the joint space narrows, bone begins to remodel, and the entire joint environment changes. At that point, focal solutions no longer work because the problem is no longer localized.

Why this distinction matters:
• It determines whether joint preservation is even biologically possible
• It changes which injections, rehab strategies, or surgeries make sense
• It prevents people from being offered procedures that cannot succeed

Cartilage procedures, biologics, and preservation techniques are powerful when used in the right setting. They fail when applied to the wrong pattern of disease.

This is one of the most important distinctions I make when evaluating knee pain, long before we talk about injections or surgery.

02/06/2026

Why joint problems start before X rays change

X rays are excellent at showing bone alignment and joint space. What they do not show is how a joint is functioning.

Most joint problems begin long before cartilage loss appears on imaging.

Early joint pain is often driven by:
• muscle weakness or inhibition
• tendon overload or degeneration
• capsular stiffness
• poor neuromuscular control
• low grade inflammation

Cartilage is remarkably durable. It usually deteriorates after the support system around the joint has already failed.

This is why someone can have pain, swelling, instability, or reduced tolerance for activity even when their X rays look normal. The problem is real. It just lives in the system that supports the joint, not the bone itself.

Waiting for imaging to change often means waiting until options become limited.

Early joint pain is not something to dismiss. It is often the most important signal we get.

02/06/2026

Lindsey Vonn’s decision to keep chasing the Olympics after an ACL tear has people talking, and understandably so.

Quick clarification: I am not her treating surgeon and I only know what has been publicly shared. I’m commenting as an orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon.

Why might she be an exception? Elite athletes like Lindsey have extraordinary neuromuscular control, proprioception, strength, and decades of high-level training. They also rehab daily with entire teams optimizing movement, stability, and recovery. That is not the reality for most skiers.

Context matters too. This injury is contralateral to a prior ACL, she’s 41 by Olympic standards, and this may be a final shot. It’s fair to assume this is a fully informed decision.

Here’s the key takeaway: for the average athlete, I do not recommend skiing on a torn ACL without proper treatment. That may mean structured rehab, repair options like BEAR ACL when appropriate, or reconstruction. Skiing places massive rotational forces on the knee, and instability raises the risk of meniscus and cartilage damage.

Your knee is not Lindsey Vonn’s knee. Talk to your orthopaedic surgeon and physical therapist before getting back on snow.

Wishing Lindsey the best. Go Lindsey, go Team USA 🇺🇸, and yes… go Snoop.



Address

9555 SW Barnes Road, Suite 275
Portland, OR
97225

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 3pm

Telephone

+19719714325

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Form & Function Orthopaedics posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category