Dr. Thomas Kennedy
Orthopedic Surgery
Yakima, WA
39 years experience male
Locations
Orthopedics Northwest
Yakima, WA
My office hours
Thursday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Show morePhone
Insurances accepted
Blue cross blue shield
Cigna
Uniform medical plan
BCBS Blue Card PPO
About
Bio
BA degree in Human Biology at Stanford University, Stanford, California, 1980
MD degree at Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri, 1984
Completed Orthopaedic Residency at Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN, 1990
Assoc. Prof. of Orthopaedic Surgery in Sports Medicine, Univ. of MN, 1990-1991
Illazarov Fellowship, Opedale de Lecco, Lecco, Italia
Entered private practice in Yakima, WA 1991 specializing in Sports Medicine.
Board Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery, ABOS
Subspecialty Certification in Sports Medicine, ABOS
I specialize in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine including shoulder, hip and knee arthroscopy and in partial and total knee replacements including outpatient total and partial knee replacement surgeries.
Whether you are a weekend warrior, a competive athlete, an injured worker or a grandparent trying to stay active I want to "keep you in the game"! Exercise is an important aspect of our physical and mental health and the sooner and more fully you recover from injury the better!
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Orthopedic Surgery
Sports Medicine
Languages spoken
English
Doctor Q&A
47 Answers
5 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
RICE: Rest (limit activity; immobilize with splint, cast or walking boot; limit weight bearing), ice, compression and elevation. If improvement isn't forth... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Time 4 medical eval.: At this time you need to seek the advice of an orthopaedic surgeon who you trust. You need to be examined and may need studies such as xrays or an MR... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Both are possible.: It is not uncommon for a nerve condition of the lumbar spine or a hip condition to refer pain to the knee. It is also possible to develop knee conditi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Injury: Most likely for a meniscal root to be displaced a tear of the meniscus has occured.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Listen: It is most important to closely adhere to the recommendations of your surgeon. This might include a period of limited weight bearing, continuous pass... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Some specialize: There are certainly physical therapists that specialize in the treatment of sports injuries. Most medium to large communities will have them listed i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Patellar pain: The most common cause of knee pain and crepetance walking up and down stairs is patello-femoral pain / chondromalacia of the patello-femoral surfaces.... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
No: It is not necessary to use shoe inserts simply because you have flat feet. Flat feet may be your normal. If you also have foot pain then a medical e... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Seek Evaluation: There are many possible causes of these symptoms. An appropriate othopaedic or neurosurgical evaluation is indicated if these symptoms persists.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Possibly: One of the risks of growth injury is early growth arrest resulting in less length of the involved bone at skeletal maturity.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Consult your doc: The answer will depend on the location and the type of the growth plate injury.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Several: There are several conditons that can cause the feeling that the knee "slips out of place". Meniscal tears, ligament injuries and patellar instability... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 55-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Perhaps: Groin and buttock pain and increased pain with standing/walking is most often related to a condition of the hip. The second most common cause of pain... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Stretch or tear: A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament that gives stability to a joint and a strain is a stretch or tear of a muscle/tendon unit, muscle or tendo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Too broad: The answer to your question depends on too many variables that unknown; what sports/activities cause pain, what is your level of fitness, what is you... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Many possibilities.: There are many possible answers to your question depending on what sports, and what is your age, sex, body build and fitness level. If you are older ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
RICE: Rest (limit activity, use of injured join), ice (ice pack over cloth 15 minutes or ice massage with an ice cube directly over the area of tenderness f... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Preparation: The most important thing an athlete can do to reduce the risk of injury is to train appropriately for the specific sport. It is important to train th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Last resort: A tkr is reasonable for advanced arhtrosis (worn out joint) after other treatments have failed. At 32 if your knee is unstable and you have torn liga... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Depends: 6 weeks or more depending on several variables including was this a first time dislocation or one of multiple, the age of the individual, did a labral... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old male asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
See a physician: Without knowing the type/mechanism of injury and whether you have other symptoms it would be hard to speculate. There are several possibles, but with... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
It depends.: The answer depends on the laws in your state. There is a legal basis for employers to be able to restrict an employee from working while taking presc... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old male asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Swelling: Pain and stiffness after sports participation often is the result of swelling. Swelling can result for several different reasons. Injuries such as m... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Surgery: Rotator cuff repair is simply the surgical repair of a torn rotator cuff tendon and acromioplasty refers to surgical removal of a portion of the acrom... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Time 4 medical eval.: It is time to see your doctor for an evaluation. If necessary your doctor can refer you to an appropriate specialist for further evaluation.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Time 4 medical eval.: If you felt a sharp pain and / or a pop in your calf as you pushed off with your leg, or if you have pain, swelling or bruising in your posterior calf... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Time varies: Nerve healing has many variables including the severity of the nerve injury and the different nerve injured. Some injuries are so severe that full re... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Consult a physician: There are many possible causes of hip/thigh pain in athletes. What is most likely depends on the age, sex and activities of the athlete. Hip/thigh p... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 65-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Post injury swelling: Swelling of the foot following an ankle fracture could result in a tight fitting shoe in the forefoot and contribute to the development of a morton's ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Many: Many different types of physician deal with sports injury on a daily basis. Orthopaedic surgeons (especially those specializing in sports medicine) a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Time 4 medical eval.: If you felt a sharp pain and / or a pop in your calf as you pushed off with your leg, or if you have pain, swelling or bruising in your posterior calf... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Yes - sometimes: Compared to their male counterparts in several specific sports, women are several times more likely to injure their anterior cruciate ligament is one ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Consult your doc: The answer will depend on the location and the type of the growth plate injury.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Depends: There are many variables that will effect the time necessary to recover enough to return to sports including the graft used, fixation techniques and t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Evaluation: There are many possible causes of painful popping of the knee (chondromalacia patella, meniscal tears, intra-articular loose bodies and instability of... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Complicated: The answer to this question is complicated and is best addressed by your surgeon as part of a preoperative discussion of the risks and benefits of the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Consult a physician: There many causes of both hip and knee pain. It is not unusual for knee pain to be referred from either the hip or the back and it is not unusual for... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 65-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Stretching: Gentle passive stretching exercises performed several times daily can be beneficial. P.T. For ultrasound and to monitor range of motion can also be h... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
The injury: A sprain refers to a tear of a ligament and a broken thumb refers to a fracture or break of the bone.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
None specifically: Although appropriate exercises directed by your physician are important as part of the rehabilitative process, there are no known exercises which have... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 58-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Time 4 medical eval.: Spondylolysis (a stress fracture or congenital defect of the pars portion of the spine) is one possible cause of low back pain in this age group. Spo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Depends: The answer to your question depends on several variables such as which joints, for how long has this been going on, have their been any injuries and ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Depends: Different injuries are more common depending the age and sex of the athlete and the sport one is participating. Generally speaking the most common a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Time 4 medical eval.: There are several possible causes of atraumatic knee swelling and pain. Inflammatory arthritis, degenerative arthritis, gout, and infection are a few... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Evaluation: Deformity of a finger following injury should be further evaluated by a physician and in most cases it would be important to at least obtain an xray.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Teen with finger/finger joint swelling but no trauma happened. what could it be, and what treatment?
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
It depends.: There many different causes of atraumatic finger swelling. The amount of swelling and duration would help narrow the possibilities. If swelling is s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Thomas Kennedyanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 44 years experience
Complicated: The answer to this question is complicated and is best addressed by your surgeon as part of a preoperative discussion of the risks and benefits of the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
2
Recommendations
148
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Kennedy is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Kennedy is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you! I blame the failure of the ACL graft on my weight and I kinda want to blame my on-and-off prednisone use (for asthma). It probably doesn't help that I have congenital hip-dysplasia and a sh...Read More
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Share thanks in your own words...
HealthTap member
Thanks for your quick reply! Thank you I will seek medical treatment
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
Washington University School of Medicine, MO
Graduated 1984MD
Residency
University of Minnesota
Residency
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL CENTER, FAIRVIEW
Completed 1990
Awards
Healthgrades Honor Roll
2008, 2009 Patientâs Choice Award, recognizing outstanding patient care
HealthTap Founding Doctor
Affiliations
Yakima valley memorial hospital
Orthopedics Northwest
Yakima Regional Medical Center
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