Dr. Rock G. Positano has been on staff at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) since 1991 and is nationally known for his non-surgical approach for the treatment of foot disorders. He serves in the capacity of Founder and Director of the Non-surgical Foot and Ankle Service and the Joe DiMaggio Sports Medicine Center at HSS. Dr. Positano was featured on the front page of the New York Times (Dec. 7, 2003) in an article concerning the dangers of cosmetic foot surgery. He has authored and edited numerous peer reviewed articles and has served as the editor of 8 medical textbooks ranging from foot and ankle orthopedics to sports medicine. His thesis on Foot Health was approved with “Honors” and “With Distinction” by the faculty of the Yale School of Medicine.
The Non-surgical Foot and Ankle Service is dedicated to evaluating the majority of foot and ankle problems that often can be treated successfully without surgery. This service is dedicated to providing non-surgical treatment for foot and ankle problems and is the very first in the greater New York area located at a major orthopedic teaching hospital dedicated to orthopedic/musculoskeletal care and research in developing non-surgical treatments for foot and ankle ailments as well as optimizing the relationship between foot function and the effects on the knee, hip and lower back disorders.
The service is nationally renowned for its expertise in the design and fabrication of prescription foot orthotics used to treat many orthopedic foot and ankle problems. In addition, foot orthotics are prescribed to treat biomechanically related problems involving the knee, hip, and lower back, as these conditions are often responsive to the stability and improved mechanics that these devices provide.
The service treats non-complicated fractures of the foot/ankle and has a direct affiliation and access to the Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, the Orthopedic Trauma Service (OTS) at Hospital for Special Surgery and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, the Limb Lengthening and Deformity Service, and the Orthopedic Service of the Department of Surgery at MSKCC.
The Non-surgical Foot and Ankle Service provides access to state of the art diagnostic testing that includes diagnostic ultrasound, computerized motion and gait analysis, bone densitometry, MRI, CAT scan, X-rays, and bone scans.
