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James J. Kinderknecht, MD

Primary Sports Medicine
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About Dr. Kinderknecht

Please note: Dr. Kinderknecht will be closing his practice early next year and is no longer accepting new patients.

Dr. Kinderknecht has spent more than 25 years caring for athletes of all ages and levels. He is currently a team physician for the New York Giants. His previous experience has included being a team physician at the University of Missouri and St. John’s University as well as serving as a team physician for several high schools. He is the current medical director for the HSS outreach program to care for high schools participating in the Public School Athletic League in New York City. Dr. Kinderknecht is also a medical co-director of the HSS Sports Safety Program. As such, he believes there is great value in youth sports and athletic activities.

In addition, Dr. Kinderknecht enjoys promoting the positive benefits of physical fitness to all individuals who want to have an active lifestyle. Dr. Kinderknecht is also very involved in medical education as the program director of the Primary Sports Medicine Fellowship.

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Departments

Special Expertise

Pre-adolescent and adolescent athletes
Runners/cyclists/swimmers
Health promotion

Procedures

Joint and soft tissue injections
Viscosupplementation knee injections
Compartment pressure measurements
Splinting and casting

Patient Stories

Insurance

If your insurance is not listed, please call our office if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage. If you have out-of-network benefits, then your insurance may reimburse you for a portion of your office visit. We will work with you and your insurance to minimize your out-of-pocket costs. Financial assistance may be available for patients in need.

Credentials

Appointments

Attending Physician, Hospital for Special Surgery
Faculty, Weill Cornell Medical College

Affiliations

American Medical Society of Sports Medicine
American College of Sports Medicine
American Academy of Family Medicine
National Football League Physicians Society
Major League Baseball Physicians Association
Medical Consultant, National Hockey League Player’s Association

Certification

Family Medicine, Certified 1989, Recertified 1996, 2003
Sports Medicine, Certified 1995, Recertified 2005

Awards

Castle Connolly Top Doctor, 5 Years 
Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor, 2018-2020
Castle Connolly Top Doctors in New York Metro Area, 2018-2022
Healthnetwork Service Excellence Award, 2018
New York Magazine Top Doctors, 2018, 2021-2022
Appointed by Governor Cuomo to the New York State Athletic Commission Medical Advisory Board
University of Missouri Faculty Teacher of the Year Award, Multiple Years
Missouri Athletic Trainer Association Award for Service

Education

MD, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, 1982 - 1986

Internship

Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, 1986 - 1987

Residency

Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, 1987 - 1989

Fellowship

University of California, Los Angeles, 1989 - 1990

State Licensure

Languages

English

For My Patients

Graphic: Hide text

Directions to The Pavilion

My office is located at The Pavilion, 541 East 71st Street. The main entrance to The Pavilion is on the north side of 71st Street underneath the sky bridge that connects the main hospital to the Belaire Building.

Pavilion map

Publications by Dr. Kinderknecht

Patient Education

Selected Journal Articles

Putukian M, et al: Mononucleosis and Athletic Participation: An Evidence-Based Subject Review. Clin J Sport Med 2008; 309-315.

Selected Books/Chapters

McKeag D., Kinderknecht J: Infectious Mononucleosis in the Athlete. Common Problems in Pediatric Sports Medicine. Edited by Smith, NJ. Year Book Medical Publishers.

Kinderknecht J: Head Injuries. Athletic Injuries and Rehabilitation. Edited by Zachazewski, JE, Magee DJ, Quillen WS. W.B. Saunders Co.

Kinderknecht J: Rotator Cuff. The Clinical Atlas of Office Procedures, Common Musculoskeletal Injuries. Edited by McShane JM. W. B. Saunders Co.

Kinderknecht J: Shoulder Pain. Twenty Common Problems in Sports Medicine. Edited by Puffer JC. McGraw – Hill.

Kinderknecht J: Infectious Mononucleosis and the Spleen: Return to Play. Current Sports Medicine Reports. Edited by Johnson RJ. Current Science.

Selected Presentations

Dr. Kinderknecht has been a frequent presenter at several regional and national sports medicine meetings.

Research

Research Interests

Mono in the athlete
Early osteoarthritis of the knee/osteochondral defects
Anterior knee pain
Promoting youth participation in sports

Industry Relationships

Industry Relationships

HSS has a long history of supporting appropriate relationships with industry because they advance HSS's mission to provide the highest quality patient care, improve patient mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all, and to advance the science of orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and their related disciplines through research and education.

As of January 22, 2024, Dr. Kinderknecht reported no relationships with the healthcare industry.

HSS and its physicians make this information available to patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy prohibits physicians from collecting royalties on products they develop that are used on patients at HSS.

Dr. Kinderknecht in the News