Sports Medicine Surgeon for Athletes and High Performers
Dr. Jorge Chahla, MD, PhD, is an orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR) in Chicago who treats knee, hip and shoulder injuries in people whose sport or training matters to them. He is board certified in orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine and sees patients in English and Spanish. Athletes travel to his Chicago area offices from across the country and from abroad.
Who does Dr. Chahla care for?
He cares for athletes at every level: high school and college players, professionals, weekend competitors, runners, dancers, and people with demanding jobs who train hard. Most of them want more than a knee or shoulder that feels fine day to day. They want to get back to a specific sport, stage or training load, with a plan built around that goal.
Which injuries does he treat?
Dr. Chahla’s practice covers sports injuries of the knee, hip and shoulder, including complex and revision cases.
- Knee: ACL reconstruction and repair, meniscus repair, multiligament knee injuries, kneecap instability and cartilage conditions
- Hip: hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and labral repair
- Shoulder: shoulder instability and rotator cuff tears
Not every injury needs surgery. Part of the first visit is deciding whether rehabilitation alone is a reasonable path, and what the risks and alternatives are for each option.
How is return to sport decided?
Return to sport is decided by testing and by how the athlete feels, along with the time since surgery. Strength, movement and confidence are checked before a full return.
Time alone is a poor guide. In a systematic review coauthored by Dr. Chahla (28 studies, 2,918 patients after ACL reconstruction), 63.4% of patients returned to play. Of those who did not return, 64.7% gave a psychological reason, most often fear of reinjury (1). So readiness is checked in more than one way.
Each joint has its own course. A systematic review of shoulder stabilization surgery that Dr. Chahla coauthored found that patient reported scores kept improving for up to one year after surgery, with most of the gain in the first six months (2). These are research findings in published study groups. They are not a forecast for any one person, and they are not a summary of results in Dr. Chahla’s practice.
What is the MOR Sports Performance and Recovery program?
Sports Performance and Recovery is a separate program at MOR, led by certified athletic trainers. It is for people who have finished treatment and physical therapy but have not yet regained their strength, mobility or confidence. MOR lists tools such as 3D motion capture, wearable sensors, force plates and strength testing devices, along with sport specific assessments for running, throwing, golf and return to jumping and cutting after hip, knee or ankle surgery.
This program is separate from a visit with Dr. Chahla. A performance assessment measures how an athlete moves and builds a training plan. It is not a surgical consultation, diagnosis or second opinion. When it fits, Dr. Chahla may recommend a functional sports assessment as part of recovery. More detail is on the Sports Performance Center page.
Does Dr. Chahla publish research on athletes?
Yes. His research covers ACL surgery, hip arthroscopy, cartilage and return to sport, and he helped write an international consensus statement on when to add a lateral extra-articular procedure to ACL reconstruction (3). In a study he coauthored on professional soccer players who had hip arthroscopy for FAI, 96% returned to professional play, at a mean of 9.2 months (4). That study followed 24 players treated by one surgeon at another center, so it describes that group only. A fuller list is on the published literature page.
Frequently asked questions
I live outside Chicago. Can I see Dr. Chahla?
Yes. Patients travel to see him from other states and countries. Visits and surgery take place at MOR in the Chicago area. The Traveling for Surgery page explains how visits are planned and how to send imaging and records ahead of time.
Can I get a second opinion before surgery?
Yes. Dr. Chahla gives second opinions on knee, hip and shoulder injuries. Bring your records, imaging, and any operative reports. See the second opinions page.
Do I need surgery to get back to my sport?
Not always. Some injuries respond well to rehabilitation, and others need surgery to restore stability. The answer depends on the exam, the imaging and your goals, and Dr. Chahla reviews the options with you.
When can I return to my sport?
It depends on the injury, the procedure and how you do on testing. Dr. Chahla’s team uses objective checks of motion, strength and stability with your therapists and athletic trainers, rather than a fixed date.
Does he see patients in Spanish?
Yes. Dr. Chahla sees patients in English and Spanish.
Where Dr. Chahla sees patients
Dr. Chahla sees patients at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush offices in Chicago (1611 W. Harrison St., Suite 400), Oak Brook (2011 York Road) and Naperville (55 Shuman Blvd., Suite 700). Rush University Medical Center is his hospital affiliation. To request a consultation, call (312) 432-2531 or use the contact page. Learn more about Dr. Chahla.
References
- Nwachukwu BU, Adjei J, Rauck RC, Chahla J, Okoroha KR, Verma NN, Allen AA, Williams RJ 3rd. How much do psychological factors affect lack of return to play after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction? A systematic review. Orthop J Sports Med. 2019;7(5):2325967119845313. doi:10.1177/2325967119845313. PMID 31205965.
- Patel BH, Lu Y, Agarwalla A, Puzzitiello RN, Nwachukwu BU, Cvetanovich GL, Chahla J, Forsythe B. Maximal medical improvement following shoulder stabilization surgery may require up to 1 year: a systematic review. HSS J. 2020;16(Suppl 2):534-543. doi:10.1007/s11420-020-09773-5. PMID 33380993.
- Sonnery-Cottet B, Carrozzo A, Saithna A, et al; International Experts Panel (including Chahla J). Indications for lateral extra-articular procedures in the anterior cruciate ligament-reconstructed knee: part I of an international consensus statement. Arthroscopy. 2025;41(9):3303-3312. doi:10.1016/j.arthro.2025.06.012. PMID 40544926.
- Locks R, Utsunomiya H, Briggs KK, McNamara S, Chahla J, Philippon MJ. Return to play after hip arthroscopic surgery for femoroacetabular impingement in professional soccer players. Am J Sports Med. 2018;46(2):273-279. doi:10.1177/0363546517738741. PMID 29135269.
Medically reviewed by Jorge Chahla, MD, PhD, board certified in orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine. Last reviewed: November 7, 2026.
This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Talk with your own doctor about your injury.