Dr. Thomas Novella opened his practice in 1982 and has been on staff at Hospital for Special Surgery since being recruited in 1994. Dr. Novella’s educational and practice background is diverse. Although his practice targets conservative management of both common and enigmatic foot/ankle problems and body-alignment problems related to the foot, his training has immersed him in all aspects of clinical care.
His surgical residency included hundreds of foot cases, as well as orthopedic, plastic, thoracic, abdominal and vascular surgery, and emergency room duties. His orthopedic/pediatric fellowship included research in thermography and electromagnetic bone healing, dance medicine research (ongoing to this day), extensive teaching and clinical duties, and was conducted under the tutelage of Richard Schuster, DPM, and Herman Tax, DPM, both widely considered to be the fathers of podiatric biomechanics and podopaediatrics.
At the dawn of the Sports Medicine era, Dr. Novella was recruited into two group practices, one treating Olympic and world champion track and field athletes, another treating professional dancers from the world’s most renowned dance companies. Since then he had over 45,000 recreational and elite-level dancer and athlete patient encounters.
In 1984, Dr. Novella began teaching his protocol to measure dancers’ ankle ranges of motion. It is now commonly used around the world. Dr. Novella’s practice also heavily includes non-athletic patients, many presenting with theretofore-insoluble problems. Dr. Novella’s resume includes hundreds of domestic and international lectures on foot/ankle-related athletic and dance issues (see www.thomasnovelladpm.com/). He attained Professorship at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in 1998, where he has continuously taught since his residency. Dr. Novella’s extensive diagnostic experience and teaching credentials help him advise patients of their best treatment path, whether it be an evidence-based, yet innovative conservative approach, or a consultation with one of the world’s top physicians or surgeons such as we have at HSS.
Podiatry, Performing Arts Medicine (Dance)
Performing Arts Medicine Collaborative
Difficult cases already seen by multiple specialists
Overuse injuries
Injuries not amenable to surgery
Surgical iatrogeny
Gait anomalies interfacing with microtraumata
Sports and dance injuries
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.
Consultant, Department of Medicine, Hospital for Special Surgery
Consultant, Department of Orthopedics, Mount Sinai Health System
Adjunct Professor, Department of Orthopedics, New York College of Podiatric Medicine
Adjunct Instructor, Fashion Institute of Technology (ergonomics of athletic footwear design)
Consultant, New York City Ballet
Podiatric Orthopedics
DPM, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, New York, 1978
Surgical Resident, Hospital for Joint Diseases and New York College of Podiatric Medicine, 1978
English
Medical Editor, Pointe Magazine
Editorial Consultant, Journal of Dance Medicine and Science
For all publications, please see the PubMed listing.
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 June 20, 2024, Dr. Novella 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.
