Michael Travis Benke, MD is a member of Summit Health’s Orthopedics and Sports Medicine team. Dr. Benke is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who treats patients with injuries to the shoulder, knee, elbow, and hip. He is fellowship trained in Sports Medicine and specializes in advanced arthroscopic surgery and cartilage restoration. He is the author of multiple articles in peer-reviewed orthopedic journals focusing on these areas and is also adept in orthopedic trauma and shoulder replacement and reconstruction.

Dr. Benke’s main goal when seeing patients is curing pain and restoring function. “During visits, it’s important to me that patients gain a full understanding of their condition and become actively involved in their care and recovery,” Dr. Benke says. Additionally, he believes that “in orthopedics, and especially sports medicine, most injuries can be treated non-operatively, and this is always my primary objective. I try my best to keep patients and athletes active and on the playing field and out of the operating room. Unfortunately, surgery or other invasive procedures are sometimes necessary.”

Dr. Benke completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Neviaser, one of the premier open shoulder surgeons in the country. There, he was nominated as one of the American Orthopaedic Association’s Emerging Leaders. He went on to complete advanced training in Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy at the Santa Monica Orthopaedic Group fellowship in Santa Monica, CA, where he acquired advanced techniques in cartilage restoration and transplantation from Dr. Bert Mandelbaum. He was also trained in the latest techniques of hip, shoulder, and knee arthroscopy.

Dr. Benke has served as a team physician for multiple high school, college, and professional teams including the LA Galaxy Major League Soccer team.

When not seeing patients, Dr. Benke enjoys skiing and snowboarding with his family, traveling, and coaching his three children in various sports.