Gelenkpunkt - Sports and Joint Surgery Innsbruck

Be it Austrian ski stars, German and Italian national soccer players or French world champions: the renowned private practice for orthopedics, trauma surgery and sports traumatology in Innsbruck is repeatedly in the focus of international media coverage. Because when it comes to enabling athletes who are active worldwide to return to competition as quickly as possible, the "Praxis Gelenkpunkt" is one of the top addresses in Europe. But the sought-after facility is also a popular choice for amateur athletes and all those who yearn for the greatest possible mobility. Four renowned specialists stand for the enormous expertise of the practice.

There are four outstanding specialists who work together to offer minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery and reconstructive joint surgery at the highest level. The specialists are regarded as proven experts, especially in cases of injuries, damages and complaints of the large joints.

The four top physicians have been familiar with three main areas of focus for many years: These are knee, hip and shoulder surgery in all its facets, the treatment of sports injuries and all kinds of strain syndromes - and the use of knee, hip and shoulder prostheses..

International prestige: Specialists at the top level

In order to maintain and expand the high standard that repeatedly draws the attention of the international press, the versatile specialists of the "Practice Gelenkpunkt" rely on worldwide networking: With an international network of outstanding sports physicians and orthopedic surgeons, the specialists have created a professional environment that impressively accompanies the daily medical work: numerous research projects, important publications and the implementation of specially developed, innovative technologies strengthen the competence of the Innsbruck private practice.

Prof. Christian Fink, a specialist in trauma surgery and sports traumatology as well as a specialist in orthopedics and traumatology, is co-founder of the Innsbruck elective medical practice. He was born in Gmunden and completed his studies in humane medicine in Innsbruck. From early on, he focused on sports medicine and knee surgery. As part of his training as a specialist he spent a great deal of time studying abroad in the USA, where he also spent two years researching at Duke University, and in Australia. At the Faculty of Medicine in Innsbruck he qualified as a professor writing on the subject of "Pathology of the anterior cruciate ligament and menisci of the knee joint - clinical and experimental investigations". Following this, the knee joint has remained the focus in all his clinical and scientific activity to date. Prof. Fink is a very much sought-after lecturer at national and international conferences. In addition, the renowned specialist in orthopedics and trauma surgery has published more than a hundred papers. Prof. Fink is a member of numerous high-profile professional associations - for example, nationally in the Austrian Society for Sports Medicine and the Austrian Society for Trauma Surgery. Internationally, he is a member of the "European Society of Sports Medicine Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy", the "AGA - Society for Arthroscopy and Joint Surgery" or the AAOS (American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons), among others. He is also an honorary member of the AOSSM (American Society of Sports Medicine).

Associate Lecturer Dr. Christian Hoser is a specialist in trauma surgery and sports traumatology and a specialist in orthopedics and traumatology. The Linz native, who spent several stays abroad in the USA and New Zealand as part of his specialist training, received his doctorate in 1991 as a Doctor of General Medicine. In 1998 he was awarded the title of Specialist in Trauma Surgery as well as the additional title of Specialist in Sports Traumatology. In 2019 he received the title of Specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology. Dr. Hoser is also considered a co-founder of the "Practice Gelenkpunkt". His main focus is on joint surgery, arthroscopic procedures and the treatment of tendon injuries. As a member of the ÖGS (Austrian Society for Sports Medicine) and the ÖGU (Austrian Society for Trauma Surgery), Dr. Hoser is one of the country's outstanding specialists in his fields, but he also enjoys a great international reputation. He is a member of the "European Society of Sports Medicine Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy", where he has been the Austrian representative since 2006, and of ISAKOS (International Society for Arthroscopic Knee Surgery and Sports Medicine Orthopaedics).

Associate Lecturer Dr. med. Peter Gföller, a specialist in trauma surgery and sports traumatology, practices in his hometown: He was not only born in Innsbruck, he also studied in the Tyrolean metropolis - and received his doctorate there in 1996. After his military service, he completed his specialist training as a trauma surgeon in Innsbruck and in Hall in Tyrol. Until 2008 he worked as a senior physician at the University Clinic for Trauma Surgery in Innsbruck. One of his main areas of expertise is the hip, where he is equally adept at hip arthroscopy and hip prosthetics. However, the knee joint is also one of his specialties, where he is a recognized expert, especially in topics such as ligament reconstruction, arthroscopic surgery and prosthetics. Dr. Gföller is also a member of the Austrian Society for Trauma Surgery and the AGA (Society for Arthroscopy and Joint Surgery). He is also an active member of the ASHA (Austrian Society for Hip Arthroscopy), the ISHA (International Society for Hip Arthroscopy) and the ESSKA (European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery & Arthroscopy).

Prof. Sepp Braun is a specialist in orthopedics and traumatology. Born in Munich, he began his specialist training at the Rechts der Isar Hospital of the Technical University of Munich, but then continued it at the Accident and Emergency Clinic Murnau. After a one-year fellowship at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado, he completed his training at the University Hospital in Freiburg. Before he joined the team at the Innsbruck "Practice Gelenkpunkt" in 2017, he worked as a senior physician and head physician at the sports orthopedics department of the Rechts der Isar Hospital of the TU Munich. His clinical focus is diverse: It includes arthroscopic and open shoulder surgery as well as all aspects of shoulder endoprosthetics. He is also one of the internationally renowned specialists in the fields of general sports orthopedics and sports traumatology. Prof. Braun is also a member of numerous national and international professional associations. These include the Society for Arthroscopy and Joint Surgery (AGA), where he was elected spokesman of the board of directors, the DGU (German Society for Trauma Surgery) and the DGOU (German Society for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery), in which he in turn acts as AGA representative. He is also a member of the ESSKA (European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery & Arthroscopy), the ESMA (European Sportsmedicine Association) and the GOTS (Society for Orthopedics and Traumatology in Sports).

DDr. Elisabeth Abermann perfectly reinforces the team of the private practice with her clinical focus: In addition to knee surgery, this includes general sports orthopedics and the entire spectrum of sports traumatology. Born in Innsbruck, she first completed a degree in dentistry before following her true vocation and undergoing training in trauma surgery at the Pyhrn-Eisenwurzen Clinic Kirchdorf and the Salzkammergut Clinic Bad Ischl. She then transferred to the Regional Hospital Feldkirch - and completed several fellowship residencies, which took her to one of the most important Canadian institutions for sports traumatology, namely the Sunnybrook Trauma Center Toronto. Paris was also one of her stops. Finally, she completed the orthopedic part of her training at the Schulthess Clinic in Zurich. Her last position was at the Tauern Clinic Zell am See/Mittersill since 2018. DDr. Abermann is also well connected internationally - as a member of the ESSKA (European Society of Sports Medicine Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy) and the Society for Arthroscopy and Joint Surgery (AGA).

Not only are these four renowned top physicians who stand for the high reputation of the "Practice Gelenkpunkt" - they are also four dedicated team players who in addition to a high level of medical expertise attach great importance to other factors. These include personal care as well as top-qualified treatment: The fact that empathy is very important in modern medicine is lived out every day in Innsbruck.

Time for patients: High degree of empathy

The time factor plays a major role in human interaction and healing processes. The medical specialists of the "Practice Gelenkpunkt", but also all members of the highly qualified team take this time for their patients. This starts with detailed information right at the beginning - because this is the only way a relationship of trust can develop. Here, in addition to the rich experience, the feeling is conveyed that the patients are always informed at eye level.

Accessibility and flexibility are also essential factors for the great trust that people put in the "Praxis Gelenkpunkt" team: Via an emergency number, patients can always reach someone, seven days a week. Flexible appointments until the evening hours and on weekends also speak for the exceptional nature of the facility.

And of course, scientific research is a very important part of the daily medical work in the private practice for orthopedics and trauma surgery in Innsbruck. On the one hand a lot of basic research is carried out here, on the other hand applied clinical research plays an important role, especially for patients. Treatment results are documented and evaluated in detail based on standardised evaluation forms. This makes it possible to draw up meaningful international comparisons, while benefiting greatly from the above-average worldwide exchange of the specialists. The number of scientific publications and lectures that the team has already completed is now in the four-digit range.

Focusing on research: Foundation of own institutes

Two more examples show how much scientific thinking is done in the Innsbruck institution: In order to further optimize the quality of the research work, a special institute was founded within UMIT. The "Private University for Health Sciences, Medical Computer Science and Technology" thus has a high-calibre "Research Unit for Sports Medicine of the Musculoskeletal System and Injury Prevention" (OSMI), which offers numerous courses and advanced training courses. In cooperation with UMIT and OSMI, a separate education, research and training facility was created in 2018 on the premises of the "Privatklinik Hochrum". The "Surgical Skills Institute" (SI) is a state-of-the-art laboratory with two workstations for arthroscopic and open surgical procedures. It is used, among other things, for company workshops, advanced training, product development or testing of new implants or instruments, as well as for research projects.

What makes this well-known practice so special for patients from all over the world, Prof. Christian Fink, who as a specialist author published a book about the (sports) life with arthrosis together with skiing legend Christian Neureuther, among others, summarized very well: "Gelenkpunkt is a centre of knowledge, a hub for sports injuries and joint complaints. Our scientific activities and worldwide networking bring enormous advantages for our patients". There's nothing more to be said.