Sports Medicine Specialist Joins Bassett Medical Group

Kristen Herbst, DO, who is board-certified in orthopedic surgery, has joined Bassett Healthcare Network. She specializes in sports medicine, arthroscopy and shoulder surgery, including total shoulder replacement.

"Ive been an athlete my whole life and as my schedule allows, I still like to participate in everything from 5ks to marathons and triathlons," says Herbst. I find that I identify with my patients, whether theyre anxious to get back to competition or simply manage their pain to have a better quality of life."

Herbst sees patients at Oneonta Specialty Services and FoxCare Center. In just the past month since joining Bassett, she has seen a good number of patients with a variety of injuries including rotator cuff tears, tendonitis and teenage athletes with anterior cruciate ligament tears.

"There are many patients whose symptoms can be managed very well using a non-invasive, non-operative approach such as anti-inflammatory medications, perhaps a steroid injection or physical therapy. When those treatments have been exhausted or if the injury is severe, then surgery may be the best approach. It really depends on the mechanism that led to the injury."

Herbst takes patients of all ages, from the young athlete and weekend warrior to the older patient suffering from chronic pain due to arthritis. She comes to Bassett after three years at Lourdes Medical Associates in Cherry Hill, NJ, and has provided medical coverage for high school and college athletic teams, as well as for professional sporting organizations. She completed her sports medicine and arthroscopy fellowship at the University of Cincinnati, OH, and earned her medical degree from Touro University California.

Herbst is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopaedics, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, the Arthroscopy Association of North America, and the American Osteopathic Association.