Dr. Ross Henshaw, M.D., is not only athletic himself and a sports lover, he’s an award-winning sports medicine specialist.
Right in the heart of Ridgefield, patients and athletes of all ages have been seeing Dr. Henshaw for orthopedic care and, in particular, his arthroscopic surgical skills. Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical approach to treating many injuries that utilizes smaller incisions and offers quicker recovery times, typically with less pain during the recovery period. As an alumni lacrosse player for Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Henshaw knows firsthand how sports-related injuries can have a direct effect on an athlete’s body and the patient's quality of life.
“I was introduced to medicine in college. My roommate’s father was an orthopedic surgeon. After watching him treat patients in the office and the operating room, there was no looking back for me– and I was not a science jock!,” Dr. Henshaw said. “I could see how much he loved caring for people and how much they appreciated his help. He was having an incredible impact on their lives and I wanted the same, so I changed course and devoted myself to getting into medical school. I gravitated toward orthopedics and sports medicine because I was an athlete and constantly nursing one injury or another and wanted to help patients with their injuries no matter how they occurred.”
After attending medical school at Columbia University, Dr. Henshaw went on to serve as one of several physicians for Yankee Stadium, the New York Mets, and the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament.
“I was lucky to have trained at world-class institutions and learned techniques that were not being performed elsewhere except in other major orthopedic centers. One procedure is called a “meniscus transplant.” The meniscus is a cushion in the knee and when a young patient has an injury that damages the meniscus beyond repair they are destined to develop early arthritis because the meniscus does not grow back. Without the cushion, the cartilage wears away, creating a rough painful surface with few easy surgical remedies. This scenario is rare, however when it occurs we can restore the cushioning by transplanting a new meniscus. In training, I learned how to perform meniscus transplants and have been able to make this procedure available in the Ridgefield community.”
As a fellowship-trained knee, hip and shoulder orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Henshaw's success led him to OrthoConnecticut, where he has proudly served patients for over 20 years. Dr. Henshaw explains, “I have, without hesitation, had a wonderful career here. Having grown up nearby in the Waccabuc community, I love this area and am thrilled to share my skills with this patient community and give back in my own way.”
Dr. Henshaw acknowledges that patients have a choice when it comes to orthopedic care. “There are certainly lots of options in our region for orthopedic care, and I am sure it is confusing for patients to decide where to go when they have an orthopedic problem. OrthoConnecticut has been serving our community for over 65 years, and our founders were pillars of Ridgefield. We take pride in being highly selective when hiring new doctors because we want to continue to be leaders in our field. Our doctors have trained at the top universities, medical schools, residencies and fellowships including Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, Hospital for Joint Diseases, Hospital for Special Surgery, and Rush University Medical Center. Most have been recognized with awards not only for academic excellence, but also for compassion and humanism.”
When asked about the practice's recent office move, Dr. Henshaw explained OrthoConnecticut’s ever furthering commitment to patients. “Like our modern office and surgical center in Danbury, we were lucky to find a perfect place that fit our needs right in the heart of Ridgefield. We gut-renovated and transformed the location to have more clinical space and better flow for our patients. Everything is new, clean and welcoming,” he said.
If you’re in pain, know that there is help. Contact the professionals at OrthoConnecticut today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Henshaw, or any of the orthopedic specialists at 1-833-ORTHOCT.