Dr. LaPrade sees patients at the Eden Prairie and Eagan locations. Click here for directions.

Dr. LaPrade performs most sports medicine cases and common fractures at a surgery center in Edina or Eagan, while complex fractures or joint replacements can be performed at a surgery center (EXCEL program) or a hospital setting.

Patients that have other medical conditions may also require a hospital setting for surgery, and Dr. LaPrade commonly uses the Orthopedic Institute, which is an orthopedic-only hospital in Chaska, for those who require a hospital setting. He also takes trauma call at the Fairview hospitals in Edina and Burnsville.

Hospitals:

M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital
M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital
Orthopedic Institute

Surgery Centers:

Crosstown Surgery Center
Eagan Orthopedic Surgery Center

Dr. LaPrade treats sports medicine injuries of the knee, shoulder, and elbow for patients of all ages. In addition, he specializes in joint replacement of the shoulder, as well as trauma care, including operative and nonoperative care of common fractures. His special interests include shoulder and knee arthroscopy, rotator cuff tears, shoulder instability/dislocations, anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, cartilage preservation of the knee, knee osteotomies, ACL injuries, meniscus tears, MCL, PCL and posterolateral corner injuries of the knee, patellar dislocations, multiligamentous knee injuries, and pediatric knee injuries.

Dr. LaPrade has created patient information handouts for many of his commonly treated conditions to help patients understands their conditions and how to determine the best treatment plan for each patient. These handouts include information on ACL injuries, patellar instability, rotator cuff tears, shoulder arthritis, and shoulder instability.

Click here to view Dr. LaPrade’s patient education.

Dr. LaPrade will often utilize robotic or navigated systems for total knee or total shoulder replacements. If this is something you are interested in, please ask Dr. LaPrade in clinic for more details.

Dr. LaPrade has experience with athletes of all levels. He is currently the head team physician of Eden Prairie High School, and previously has been an assistant team physician for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL, Charlotte Football Club of MLS, and Charlotte Knights of AAA of minor league baseball. He also has provided coverage for the NFL Combine, Stanford University NCAA baseball, and the Minnesota State High School Tournament.

A fellowship is an extra year of specialized training following the 5 years of orthopaedic surgery residency, which allows for further concentration in a certain field of orthopaedic surgery. Dr. LaPrade completed a combined Sports Medicine/Shoulder & Elbow Fellowship at OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he obtained additional experience in complex knee, shoulder, and elbow sports medicine surgery and complex shoulder arthroplasty. His fellowship year also included international experience in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Oslo, Norway for additional complex knee sports medicine training. Dr. LaPrade continues to be passionate for education and is part of the teaching faculty for the Twin Cities Orthopedics sports medicine fellowship program, who you may encounter as part of your care. These fellows are fully trained orthopaedic surgeons who are an essential part of the team in clinic and the operating room.

Dr. LaPrade has been very involved with sports medicine research dating back to his undergraduate education. He remains active in clinical and biomechanical research, focusing on innovation and optimizing care for patients after sports medicine procedures, and he continues to use the latest research in his evidence-based practice in order to ensure patients are receiving the best care. He is also a reviewer for numerous sports medicine journals, including the top sports medicine journals, the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM) and Arthroscopy.

Twin Cities Orthopedics has the Bioengineering Lab where he is involved in much of this research. This link details his research, as well as selected studies and presentations intended for patient education on many topics including ACL injuries, meniscus tears (including root, ramp, and radial tears), the Latarjet procedure, and PCL tears. There are also multiple review articles on common injuries related to Dr. LaPrade’s practice.

Dr. LaPrade has many physical therapy (PT) protocols available online to both help understand your recovery process as well as help to guide physical therapists, whether part of the TCO system or an outside system.

Click here to view Dr. LaPrade’s PT protocols.

Click here to view Dr. LaPrade’s postop protocols.

Ice should be used during the acute phase (first 24 to 48 hours) following an injury, or whenever there is swelling. Ice decreases blood flow to the area, which in turn decreases swelling and inflammation. Heat does the opposite. It increases blood flow to the area and can provide pain relief once the swelling and inflammation has subsided. Heat is good to use prior to doing any exercises or physical therapy as it warms up your muscles.

You can get cortisone injections every 3 to 4 months as long as they continue to provide symptomatic relief.

Some patients get immediate relief from a cortisone injection. For others, it may take up to 2 weeks for the injection to take effect. However, most people notice relief within 2 to 3 days. The duration of a cortisone injection can vary greatly. Some will last as long as a year, whereas others may last only a few days. It is also important to know that occasionally pain can get worse for a few days following a cortisone injection before it gets better. In the meantime, over the counter pain medications and ice are recommended.

The Crosstown Surgery Center is a 21,000+ square foot facility located at Twin Cities Orthopedics Edina, offering patients a convenient, complete, and coordinated orthopedic care solution at one location. With six surgery suites, a procedure room, and several free amenities for families, the Crosstown Surgery Center is a premier orthopedic facility in Minnesota. To learn more, visit www.CrosstownSurgeryCenter.com.

The Eagan Orthopedic Surgery Center is a 23,000 square foot facility, located within Twin Cities Orthopedics Eagan – Viking Lakes. This facility has six surgery suites and offers patients a complete outpatient surgery solution at one location.

The Orthopedic Institute is a premiere destination for patients to access world-class orthopedic care. It is located on the fifth floor of Ridgeview’s Two Twelve Medical Center in Chaska.

This facility includes 6 operating rooms and 20 private suites for inpatient post-surgical care and recovery, and has a distinct recovery space for patients returning home the same day as their surgery. At the Orthopedic Institute, we offer high quality care from a relationship-based team to help you return to the highest quality of life with optimal mobility.

If you are a new patient, please arrive to your appointment early in order to complete the registration process. In addition, please bring the following:

• Driver’s License or State ID
• Referral (if required by insurer)
• Insurance information
• Copies of operation records, medical records, x-rays, MRIs and CT scans from prior doctor visits. It is important to have copies of the actual radiology studies and not copies of the reports on those studies as Dr. LaPrade will want to review the images themselves to formulate a final plan.
• List of current medications and any known allergies

Yes, absolutely. The more information we have regarding your unique situation and past history, the better equipped we are to provide the highest level of care. Bringing any previous x-rays, scans, and/or documentation (if available) is recommended. If you do not have this information, don’t worry; we will still take great care of you.

You can use the General Contact Form on the Contact & Locations page of this website to get in touch with Dr. LaPrade regarding second opinions or contact us via phone at 952-808-3090 to set up an appointment or speak with a member of our care team.

The initial visit is about fact-gathering, listening to your story, and learning more about you. I’ll then examine your concerns, review x-rays or advanced imaging if you have them, and begin to build a list of options for you. I want you to feel comfortable and relaxed, so I can understand how best to help you.

If you have records from another physician, provider, or hospital you may bring them with you to your appointment. If you do not have a copy, please contact the physician, provider, or hospital prior to your TCO appointment to let them know we will be requesting them.

Yes, of course. Feel free to have family members or a friend join you in your consultation. Many patients find it is helpful to have support in the room, even just as an extra set of ears to remember the details of the visit.

After your appointment, or after surgery, you can expect prompt and accessible follow-up treatment. Care continues long after surgery and we want to be a part of your complete healing process. If you ever have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If an MRI scan or other diagnostic test was ordered, you will hear from the TCO team within 1-2 days to schedule the MRI. If you do not hear from them, please let us know. You will schedule an in-person appointment at the next available appointment after the MRI to show you the images and formulate a plan.

If you have questions after your appointment, contact us. You can call our clinic directly, or contact us using the General Contact Form on the Contact & Locations page of this website.

The timeframe for recovery depends on the procedure and the individual, but it is our goal to get you back to your regular lifestyle as fast as possible. You can discuss your likely recovery time at your appointment.

Each individual will experience different pain levels, but it is our goal to have you feeling significantly improved as soon as possible. To get an idea of the pain expectations for your individual case, please discuss with Dr. LaPrade at your appointment.

Please note that we strive to get our patients off narcotic pain medication as soon as possible. It can be needed shortly after surgery, but we do not advocate or prescribe long-term use of pain medication. We take pain medication usage very seriously and make sure it is necessary before signing a prescription for any patient.