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Scott J. Ellis, MD

Dr. Scott J. Ellis is an Orthopedic Surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery specializing in foot and ankle surgery. He is an expert in reconstructive surgery of the foot and ankle and treats a wide range of foot and ankle problems and injuries in patients from active seniors to professional athletes.

Dr. Ellis is a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, and in addition to seeing patients, he teaches and conducts research focused on improving surgical outcomes.

Dr. Ellis is also the Director of Research for the Department of Foot and Ankle at the Hospital of Special Surgery. He is also a past Board member of the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) and past President of the AOFAS Foundation. Dr. Ellis has authored numerous papers, including on the surgical correction of flatfoot deformity.

Dr. Ellis specializes in Achilles disorders including acute tears and more chronic degeneration (also called tendinosis). He treats a vast array of patients with ankle fractures and has performed hundreds of total ankle replacements for severe ankle arthritis. Additionally, Dr. Ellis specializes in the surgical correction of bunions in both men and women, flatfoot deformity, sports injuries related to ankle instability, cartilage injuries, foot fractures, dislocations, and big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus).

Dr. Ellis began his academic study at Davidson College in North Carolina, where he attained numerous academic honors. He later began his medical training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He then completed his residency in Orthopedic surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery. After residency, Dr. Ellis remained at HSS as a fellow in foot and ankle surgery. Following his fellowship, he traveled to Duke University (with Dr. James DeOrio), Lyon, France (with Dr. Michel Bonnin), and Basel, Switzerland (with Dr. Beat Hintermann) in order to expand his knowledge in foot and ankle surgery, total ankle replacement in particular.

Education
College
  • BA, Davidson College, North Carolina, 1996
    MD, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 2002
Internship
  • General Surgery, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, 2003
Residency
  • Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, 2007
Fellowship
  • Foot and Ankle Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, 2008
Certification
  • Board Certified, Orthopedic Surgery, 2010
State Licensure
  • New York, Connecticut, New Jersey
Special Expertise
Procedures
Appointments
  • Associate Attending, Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery
  • Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College
  • Associate Attending, Orthopedic Surgery, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
  • Chair, Foot and Ankle Service Registry Steering Committee, Hospital for Special Surgery
  • Director of Research, Foot and Ankle Service, Hospital for Special Surgery
  • Professional Education Council, Hospital for Special Surgery
  • Global Education Council, Hospital for Special Surgery
  • Past President, Foundation of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS)
  • Leadership Team, Foot Innovate
Departments
Specialized Centers
Awards
Awards
  • Recipient of Weill Cornell Medicine's Distinguished Service to Education Award 2022
  • New York Magazine Top Doctors, 2017-2020
  • HSS Foot and Ankle Fellowship Teaching Award, 2016-2020
  • Castle Connolly Top Doctors in New York Metro Area, 2015-2020
  • Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor, 2014-2020
  • Elected as Member to the American Orthopedic Association, 2016
  • HSS Foot and Ankle Fellowship Teaching Award, 2016
  • AOFAS Goldner Award (best basic science paper) Summer Meeting, 2014
  • Winner, AOFAS Mann Award (best clinical paper) AOFAS Summer Meeting, 2014
  • American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Traveling Fellowship, 2009
  • NIH Research Fellow, Intramural Research Training Award, 2000
Affiliations
  • President, Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Foundation, 2018-2020
  • American Orthopedic Association (AOA), 2016-present
  • American Medical Association (AMA), 2012-present
  • American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), 2011-present
  • Member-at-large, AOFAS Board of Directors, 2015-2017
  • American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), 2011-present
  • New York State Society of Orthopedic Surgeons (NYSOS), 2005-present
Research
Research Description
  • American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Research Grant (Outreach and Education Fund, OEF), 2014-2015
  • Hospital for Special Surgery Medical Student Research Fellowship Program Award. Academic Summer, 2014
  • The British Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Grant, 2013-2014
  • Hospital for Special Surgery Medical Student Research Fellowship Program Award. Academic Summer, 2013
  • Joseph Lane Research Grant (Hospital for Special Surgery Internal Grant), 2011-2012
  • American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Research Grant (Outreach and Education Fund, OEF), 2010-2011
  • Hospital for Special Surgery Medical Student Research Fellowship Program Award. Academic Summer, 2010
  • American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Research Grant (Outreach and Education Fund, OEF), 2009-2010
  • Eduardo Salvati Research Grant (Hospital for Special Surgery Internal Grant), 2005-2007
Research Interests
  • Adult Acquired Flatfoot (Posterior Tibial Tendon Insufficiency)
  • Plantar Pressure Measurement
  • Total Ankle Arthroplasty
  • Patient Expectations and Outcomes
Publications
Selected Publications
  1. W. Probasco, A. Haleem, J. Yu, B.J. Sangeorzan, J.T. Deland, S.J. Ellis. Assessment of Coronal Plane Subtalar Joint Alignment in Patients with Peritalar Subluxation via Weight-Bearing Multiplanar Imaging. Foot and Ankle International. 36(3). March 2015. 302-309.
  2. B.U. Nwachukwu, A.S. McLawhorn, M.S. Simon, K.S. Hamid, C. Demetracopoulos, J.T. Deland, S.J. Ellis. Management of End-Stage Ankle Arthritis: a Cost-Utility Analysis Using Direct and Indirect Costs. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, American. 97A (14). July 15, 2015. 1159-1172.
  3. J. Chan, S. Greenfield, D. Soukup, H. Do, J.T. Deland, S.J. Ellis. Contribution of Lateral Column Lengthening to the Correction of Forefoot Abduction in Stage IIb Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity Reconstruction. Foot and Ankle International. 36(12). December, 2015. 1400-1411.
  4. A. MacMachon, J. Karbassi, J. Burket, A. Elliott, D. Levine, M. Roberts, J. T. Deland, M. O’Malley, J. Yu, C. Mancuso, S.J. Ellis. Return to Sports and Physical Activities After the Modified Lapidus Procedure for Hallux Valgus in Young Patients. Foot and Ankle International. April, 2016. 378-385.
  5. A. MacMahon, P. Kim. D.S. Levine, J. Burket, M.M. Roberts, M.C. Drakos, J.T. Deland, A.J. Elliott, S.J. Ellis. Return to Sports and Physical Activities After Primary Partial Arthrodesis for Lisfranc Injuries in Young Patients. Foot and Ankle International. April, 2016. 355-362.
  6. E.A. Cody, H.H. Greditzer, A. MacMahon, J. Burket, C. Sofka, S.J. Ellis. Effects on the Tarsal Tunnel Following Malerba Z-type Osteotomy Compared to Standard Lateralizing Calcaneal Osteotomy. Foot and Ankle International. 37(9). September, 2016. 1017-1022.
  7. E.A. Cody, C.A. Mancuso, A.MacMahon, A. Marinescu, J.C. Burket, M.C. Drakos, M.M. Roberts, S.J. Ellis. Development and Testing of an Expectations Survey for Patients Undergoing Foot and Ankle Surgery. Foot and Ankle International. 37(12). December, 2016. 1277-1284.
  8. E.A. Cody, C. Mancuso, J. Burket, A. Marinescu, A. MacMahon, S.J. Ellis. Patient Factors Associated with Higher Expectations from Foot and Ankle Surgery. Foot and Ankle International. Elected as Lead Article, Selected for Podcast. 38(5). May, 2017. 472-478.
  9. J. Burket, S. Greenfield, D. Soukup, H. Do., S.J. Ellis. Validation of PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Tests Against the FAOS for Six Common Foot and Ankle Pathologies. Foot and Ankle International. 38(8). August, 2017. 870-878.

For more publications, please see the PubMed listing.

Patient Education by Dr. Ellis on HSS.edu
  • Stress Fractures of the Foot and Ankle
Editorial Appointments
  • Reviewer, Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research, 2007-2015
  • Reviewer, The HSS Journal, 2008-present
  • Reviewer, Journal of Orthopedic Research, 2010-present
  • Reviewer, Foot and Ankle International, 2013-present
  • Member Editorial Board, HSS Journal, 2013-2015
  • Editor, Total Ankle Arthroplasty Today. Eds. M. Bonnin and S.J. Ellis. CIC Edizioni Internazionali, Rome, 2012.
Selected Books by Dr. Ellis
  1. S.J. Ellis, M. Roberts. Surgical Management of Failed Great Toe Arthroplasty. Arthritis and Arthroplasty: The Foot and Ankle. eds. JC Coetzee and SR Hurwitz. Elsevier, Philadelphia, 2010. 341-350.
  2. B.R. Williams, S.J. Ellis, J.Yu, J.T. Deland. Stage IV Adult-Acquired Flatfoot Deformity Deltoid Ligament Reconstruction. Operative Techniques in Orthopedic Surgery. ed. V Prisk. Elsevier, Philadelphia, 20(3) September 2010. 183-189.
  3. S.J. Ellis, B.R. Williams, J.Yu, J.T. Deland. Spring Ligament Reconstruction for Advanced Flatfoot Deformity with the use of an Achilles Allograft. Operative Techniques in Orthopedic Surgery. ed. V Prisk. Elsevier, Philadelphia, 20(3) September 2010. 175-182.
  4. S.J. Ellis, J.K. DeOrio. The INBONE Total Ankle Replacement. Operative Techniques in Orthopedic Surgery. ed. V Prisk. Elsevier, Philadelphia, 20(3) September 2010. 201-210.
  5. S.J. Ellis, L. Moril, J.T. Deland. The Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (STAR) System. Seminars in Arthroplasty. Ed. SM Raikin. Elsevier. Philadelphia, 21(4) December 2010. 275-281.
  6. S.J. Ellis, M. Drakos, A. Daluiski. The Hand. The Hospital for Special Surgery Guide to Orthopedic Surgery. eds. TP Sculco, M Lim, AS Ranawat, A Pearle. Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2012.
  7. C. Demetracopoulos, S.J. Ellis. Evolution of Concepts in Total Ankle Arthroplasty. Total Ankle Arthroplasty Today. Ed. M. Bonnin. CIC Edizioni Internazionali. Rome, 2012
  8. S.J. Ellis. The Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity. Case Files: Orthopedics. Eds. E. Toy, A. Rosenbaum, J. Dines, T. Roberts. McGraw-Hill, New York, March, 2013. 313-321.
  9. E. Vulcano, C. Demetracopoulos, S.J. Ellis. Surgical Management of Insufficiency Fractures: Foot. Insufficiency Fractures. The AAOS Monograph Series. Eds. A. Saleh. Rosemont, IL, The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. March, 2014. Pages 57-70.
Industry Relationships

One of the goals of HSS is to advance the science of Orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and related disciplines for the benefit of patients. Physicians at HSS may collaborate with outside companies for education, research and medical advances. HSS supports this collaboration in order to foster medical breakthroughs; however HSS also believes that these collaborations must be disclosed.

As part of the disclosure process, this website lists physician collaborations with outside companies. The disclosures are provided by information provided by the physician and other sources and are updated regularly. Further information may be available on individual company websites.

Below are the healthcare industry relationships reported by Dr. Ellis as of November 21, 2019.

  • American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society - President
  • Paragon 28 - Consultant
  • Wright Medical - Consultant

By disclosing the collaborations of HSS physicians with industry on this website, HSS and its physicians make this information available to their patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest Policy does not permit physicians to collect royalties on products developed by him/her that are used on patients at HSS.

Patients should feel free to ask their HSS physicians questions about these relationships.

Languages
  • English, Spanish, Bilingual
Hospital

523 East 72nd St. 5th floor
New York, NY 10021

Practice Hours
Monday: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Tuesday - Thursday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Friday: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
  • AOA
  • AMA
  • AOFAS
  • AAOS