Best Orthopedic Surgeons Near Cottonwood Heights, Utah
The best orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine clinics near Cottonwood Heights, Utah — from ski injury specialists to joint replacement surgeons, rated by locals who actually use them.
Cottonwood Heights sits at the base of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, which means the population skews toward people who ski, hike, mountain bike, and trail run with a regularity that keeps orthopedic surgeons busy. ACL tears on powder days, rotator cuff problems from years of climbing, the hip that's been complaining since that fall on Mt. Olympus three summers ago — these aren't hypothetical scenarios around here. They're Tuesday morning conversations at the coffee shop. Here are the orthopedic practices and surgeons that east bench residents actually trust with their bodies.
The University of Utah Orthopaedic Center
University Orthopaedic Center (590 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City) is the academic powerhouse, and for many Cottonwood Heights residents, the first call after a serious injury. The department consistently ranks among the top orthopedic programs nationally — U.S. News placed it in the top 10 for orthopedics in 2025 — and the clinical volume means they've seen your injury hundreds of times before.
The scope is comprehensive: sports medicine, joint replacement, spine, hand and upper extremity, foot and ankle, trauma, and pediatric orthopedics. The sports medicine group works with University of Utah Athletics and Real Salt Lake, which means the surgeons treating your torn meniscus are the same ones treating Division I athletes.
Dr. Robert Burks has been a cornerstone of the sports medicine program for decades, specializing in complex knee reconstruction. Dr. Patrick Greis handles shoulder and knee work with a reputation for conservative-first decision making — he won't operate if he doesn't think it'll help, which is exactly what you want from a surgeon. Dr. Travis Maak is younger in his career but has built a following among the ski and endurance sports community for hip preservation and sports-related hip injuries.
The trade-off is access. Wait times for non-urgent appointments can stretch to several weeks, and the Wakara Way campus is a 20-minute drive from Cottonwood Heights. For acute injuries, the ER at University Hospital can fast-track you into the system. Best for complex cases, second opinions, and anyone who wants an academic-level evaluation.
The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH)
TOSH (5848 S 300 East, Murray) is the facility that many east bench residents default to, and for good reason — it's a hospital built entirely around musculoskeletal care. No general medicine wing, no cardiac floor. Every operating room, every PT station, every recovery bed is oriented toward orthopedic and spine patients. It's about 10 minutes from Cottonwood Heights.
TOSH is part of the Intermountain Health system and houses a deep roster of surgeons across specialties. The sports medicine group handles everything from high school athletes to weekend warriors who've pushed it one run too far.
Dr. David Alder is one of the most-referred sports medicine surgeons on the east bench, specializing in knee and shoulder arthroscopy. Patients consistently mention clear communication and realistic expectations — he'll tell you what recovery actually looks like, not what you want to hear. Dr. Craig Davis focuses on hip and knee replacement and has a strong track record with active patients who want to return to skiing and hiking post-surgery. Dr. Joel Greenwood handles shoulder reconstruction and has a particular following among the climbing and overhead-sport community.
The facility itself is a differentiator. The surgical suites are purpose-built for orthopedic procedures, and the inpatient recovery experience is structured around joint replacement and spine patients specifically. If you're having a planned surgery — a knee replacement, a rotator cuff repair — the focused environment at TOSH is difficult to match at a general hospital. Best for planned surgeries, joint replacement, and anyone who wants a facility where orthopedics is the entire mission.
Heiden Orthopedics
Heiden Orthopedics (822 E 3900 South, Salt Lake City) is Dr. Thomas Heiden's practice, and if you've spent time in the Utah ski community, you've heard the name. Dr. Heiden was the team physician for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard team and has served as medical director for multiple World Cup and Olympic events in Park City. His clinical focus is sports medicine — ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair, shoulder stabilization — with a subspecialty in ski-specific injuries that's directly relevant to anyone living at the base of the Cottonwood canyons.
The practice is smaller and more focused than the hospital-based options, which means shorter wait times and a more personalized experience. Dr. Heiden sees patients through the full arc — initial evaluation, surgical planning, post-op follow-up — rather than handing off between providers. The 3900 South location is about 10 minutes from central Cottonwood Heights.
Reviews consistently mention two things: his technical skill and his willingness to explain the biomechanics of what went wrong and what the repair involves. For patients who want to understand their injury, not just fix it, that matters. Best for ski and sports injuries, ACL reconstruction, and athletes (recreational or competitive) who want a surgeon with elite-level sports medicine credentials.
Salt Lake Orthopaedic Clinic
Salt Lake Orthopaedic Clinic (SLOC) (1160 E 3900 South, Suite 5000, Salt Lake City) is one of the larger private orthopedic groups in the area, with a roster that covers the full spectrum: sports medicine, joint replacement, spine, hand, foot and ankle, and trauma. The 3900 South location puts it within a 10-minute drive of most Cottonwood Heights neighborhoods.
The breadth is the strength here. If you tear a ligament on the slopes and later need a referral for the wrist you broke catching yourself, SLOC can handle both under one roof. The group has been in practice for decades and carries the institutional knowledge that comes with treating generations of Wasatch Front residents.
Dr. Dustin Richter handles sports medicine with a focus on knee and shoulder injuries. Dr. David Dickerson is a go-to for total joint replacement with a reputation for getting active patients back to their baseline. The practice also has a strong hand and upper extremity group, which is worth knowing — hand injuries are common in skiing and climbing, and finding a specialist who's also a good surgeon saves the referral chain.
The patient experience is more traditional private-practice than the academic or hospital models — you'll see the same surgeon consistently, scheduling is generally efficient, and the staff knows you by name after the first visit. Best for patients who want a full-service orthopedic group with private-practice continuity and a broad specialty roster.
Rocky Mountain Orthopaedics
Rocky Mountain Orthopaedics (6360 S Highland Drive, Murray) sits right off Highland Drive, making it one of the closest orthopedic offices to Cottonwood Heights. The practice covers sports medicine, joint replacement, and fracture care with a small-group approach — you're not being routed through a large hospital system.
The convenience factor is real. For follow-up appointments, imaging, and the kind of routine orthopedic visits that add up after a surgery or chronic issue, having a practice five minutes from home rather than twenty minutes across the valley makes a meaningful difference over the course of a treatment plan.
The group maintains relationships with multiple surgical facilities in the area, so the surgeon you consult with at the Highland Drive office performs procedures at whichever facility best fits the case. Best for non-surgical orthopedic care, follow-up management, and patients who prioritize proximity and accessibility.
Mountain Peak Physical Therapy
Mountain Peak Physical Therapy (6234 S Highland Drive, Murray) is not a surgeon's office, but it's on this list because orthopedic outcomes are only half surgical — the other half is rehab. Mountain Peak specializes in post-operative orthopedic rehabilitation with a focus on return-to-sport protocols. They work with many of the surgeons listed above and understand the specific demands of getting a skier back on the mountain or a runner back on the Pipeline Trail.
The therapists here design programs around what you actually want to do, not just around range-of-motion benchmarks. If your goal is to ski 40 days next season, your rehab plan should reflect that — and Mountain Peak builds accordingly. The Highland Drive location makes it accessible for Cottonwood Heights residents dealing with the twice-a-week PT schedule that dominates the first months after surgery.
Living at the base of the Wasatch means accepting that your body is going to take some hits. The upside is that the concentration of orthopedic talent within a short drive of Cottonwood Heights is genuinely world-class — a function of the ski industry, the University of Utah's medical program, and a patient population that demands high-level care because they intend to get back out there. For a broader look at what makes Cottonwood Heights work as a place to live, check out our Cottonwood Heights neighborhood guide.