Melanie Battle Kinchen, MD
Los Angeles, CA

I am a young orthopaedic surgeon with specialty training in spine surgery. I received my BA from Yale University in 1990, my medical degree from Harvard in 1995, and my orthopaedic surgery and spine fellowship training at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2001. I am currently in practice and also the medical director of a spine center in Whittier California, a suburb of Los Angeles. I give frequent talks to the community on basic topics such as back pain, neck pain, and scoliosis which are well received. I have written several articles for the community as well. I am interested in expanding my media exposure and am in the process of developing a demo with my vocal coach Arthur Joseph. I am very comfortable in front of the camera and can connect with patients by making information easy to understand. I am interested in the Academy resources that may aid in my quest to serve as an expert on a variety of health related topics that include, but are not limited to, the world of orthopaedic spine surgery.

Areas of specialty

Active lifestyle

• Active lifestyle

Bone health/fractures

• Bone density

Complementary and alternative medicine

• Exercise
• Herbal medicine or supplements
• Prevention
• Vitamins
• Yoga

Cultural competency

• Cultural competency

Diseases

• Osteoporosis

Diversity - disparity issues

• Diversity and disparity issues

Health policy

• Children's access to health care
• Health care financing
• Insurance - malpractice
• Universal health care

Hips

• Bursitis of the hip
• Osteonecrosis of the hip

Injury prevention

• Backpack safety
• Slips and falls
• Travel and luggage lifting

Knees

• Osgood schlatter disease (knee pain)
• Patella dislocation
• Preventing acl injuries in women
• Unstable kneecap

Medical educator

• Medical educator

Miscellaneous

• Chronic nerve pain
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Diagnostic imagin techniques
• Fibromyalgia syndrome
• Making a surgical decision
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Smoking and musculoskeletal health
• Thromboembolic disease

Neck - spine

• Cervical fracture
• Cervical radiculopathy
• Herniated disk
• Kyphosis
• Neck sprain
• Sciatica
• Scoliosis
• Spinal fusion
• Spinal stenosis
• Spine trauma
• Spondyloysis and spondylolisthesis
• Vertebroplasty and khyphoplasty
• Whiplash

Orthopaedic education

• Orthopaedic education

Patient centered care

• Patient centered care

Patient safety

• Patient safety

Pediatric

• Back conditions

Pharmaceuticals

• Pharmaceuticals

Shoulder – elbow - upper extremeties

• Arthroscopic shoulder injury; thermal capsulorrhaphy
• Baseball finger
• Biceps tendinitis
• Boutonniere deformity
• Broken collarbone
• Carpal scaphoid fractures
• Carpal tunnel
• Colles fracture
• Dislocated elbow
• Dislocated shoulder
• Dupuytren’s contracture
• Elbow
• Elbow bursitis
• Elbow fractures
• Fingertip injuries
• Fracture of the scapula
• Frozen shoulder
• Ganglions of the wrist
• Glenoid labrum tears
• Hand
• Hand arthritis
• Olecranon fracture
• Radial head fractures
• Rotator cuff
• Rupture of biceps tendon
• Shoulder
• Shoulder impingement (bursitis, tendonitis)
• Sprained thumb
• Tennis elbow
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Trigger finger

Sports: injury prevention

• All-terrain vehicles
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Biking/mountain biking
• Boxing
• Cheerleading
• Cross training
• Cycling
• Dancing
• Diving
• Field hockey
• Figure skating
• Football
• Go-carts
• Golf
• Gymnastics
• Handball
• Helmet use
• Hockey
• Horseback riding/equestrian
• In-line skating
• Mini-bikes/trail bikes
• Mopeds or power-assisted cycles
• Mountain climbing
• Pitching
• Playgrounds
• Rowing
• Running
• Scooters/skateboards - powered
• Scooters/skateboards - unpowered
• Shin splints
• Skiing
• Sledding
• Slides
• Snowboarding
• Snowmobiles
• Soccer
• Starting an exercise program
• Steroids
• Strength training
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track and field
• Trampoline safety
• Volleyball
• Water skiing
• Weight lifting
• Wrestling

Workplace injuries

• Back
• Neck
• Tendonitis

Wrong site surgery

• Wrong site surgery

If you would like to set up an interview with Melanie Battle Kinchen, MD, please contact us.

Kristina Findlay Manager, Media Relations 847-384-4034 findlay@aaos.org

Lauren Pearson Media Relations Specialist 847-384-4031 lpearson@aaos.org

[Media Spokespersons] [Previous Page]