About Bert Zarins, MD
Dr. Bertram Zarins is a leading sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon who has made important advances in arthroscopic surgery, both nationally and abroad. Dr. Zarins specializes in ACL reconstruction, knee ligament injuries and rotator cuff shoulder injuries.
Dr. Zarins received his MD degree with honors from SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse in l967. He did an internship and assistant residency in general surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Dr. Zarins completed the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program in l973 and a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
Dr. Zarins is the first Augustus Thorndike MD Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Harvard Medical School. He started the Sports Medicine Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital and was its Chief until 2007. He was a pioneer in the development of arthroscopic surgery and in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. Dr. Zarins was the Head Team Physician for the Boston Bruins (NHL) for 32 years, the New England Patriots (NFL) for 25 years, and the New England Revolution (MLS) for 14 years. Dr. Zarins served on the US Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Council for 12 years and was the Head Physician for the United States in the XIV Winter Olympics in Sarajevo in l984. Dr. Zarins has been Chairman of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Committee on Sports Medicine and was the first Consulting Editor for Sports Medicine for the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
Dr. Zarins is a specialist in the treatment of injuries to the knee and shoulder and in arthroscopic surgery. He specializes in knee arthroscopic surgery (meniscus injuries) and in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. He also is an expert in the treatment of shoulder rotator cuff injuries.
Clinical Interests:
- Injections of the knee
- Injections of the shoulder
- Non-operative treatment of knee problems
- Non-operative treatment of shoulder problems
Treats:
- Adult
Languages:
- Latvian
Locations
Sports Medicine Service
Charles River Plaza
175 Cambridge St., 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-726-7500
Medical Education
- MD, State University of New York at Syracuse, College of Medicine
- Residency, Johns Hopkins Hospital***
- Residency, Massachusetts General Hospital*****
- Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital*****
American Board Certifications
- Orthopedic Surgery, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna Health Inc.
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield - Blue Care 65
- Blue Cross Blue Shield - Indemnity
- Blue Cross Blue Shield - Managed Care
- Blue Cross Blue Shield - Partners Plus
- BMC HealthNet Mass Health MCO/ACO
- Centene/Celticare
- Cigna (PAL #'s)
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Fallon Community HealthCare
- Great-West Healthcare (formally One Health Plan)
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan - ACD
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan - other
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan - PBO
- Health Care Value Management (HCVM)
- Humana/Choice Care PPO
- Maine Community Health Options (MCHO)
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan - ACD
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan - PBO
- MassHealth
- Medicare
- Medicare - ACD
- Medicare ACO - ACD
- Medicare ACO - PBO
- OSW - Maine
- OSW - New Hampshire
- OSW - Vermont
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS)
- Railroad Medicare
- Railroad Medicare - ACD
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- Unicare
- United Healthcare (non-HMO) - PBO
- Well Sense Pediatrics
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Dr. Zarins' clinical contributions have been in the development of Sports Medicine and arthroscopy as specialties and in the treatment of knee and shoulder injuries. He developed an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and has improved ways to stabilize the shoulder. Dr. Zarins also helped develop some of the arthroscopic diagnostic and surgical procedures that are used in arthroscopic surgery of the knee, shoulder and other joints today.
Dr. Zarins' research interests are related to knee and shoulder injuries. Basic science research projects Dr. Zarins has done include biomechanical studies of the knee, patella dislocations, and studies on the effects of laser energy on musculoskeletal tissues.
Publications
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Select Publications:
- Mesiha M, Zurakowski D, Soriano J, Nielson JH, Zarins B, Murray MM. Pathologic characteristics of the torn human meniscus. Am J Sports Med 2007;35:103-12.
- Chan BP, Amann C, Yaroslavsky AN, Title C, Smink D, Zarins B, Kochevar IE, Redmond RW. Photochemical repair of Achilles tendon rupture in a rat model. J Surgical Research 2005;124:274-9.
- Wang C, Ghalambor N, Zarins B, Warner JP. Arthroscopic versus open bankart repair:analysis of patient subjective outcome and cost. Arthroscopy 2005;21:1219-22.
- Giza E, Mithofer K, Farrell L, Zarins B, Gill T. Injuries in women's professional soccer. Br J Sports Med 2005;39:212-6.
- Gill TJ, DeFrate LE, Wang C, Carey CT, Zyontz S, Zarins B, Li G. The effect of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on patellofemoral contact pressures in the knee joint under simulated muscle loads. Am J Sports Med 2003;32:109-13.