Q&A with Dr. Strotman
Tell us a bit about your journey to becoming an orthopedic surgeon. What inspired you to pursue medicine and surgery?
Teaching and mentoring have been passions of mine from an early age, and I’ve always known I wanted a career that involved direct interaction with people and the opportunity to positively impact their lives. I’ve also always been part of teams through athletics, and I’ve come to really value how combined efforts are required to accomplish goals and bring out the best in individuals. That appreciation for teamwork drew me to medicine, which is inherently collaborative. During medical school, I discovered that a procedural field was a priority for me—I enjoyed working with my hands and seeing tangible results from my efforts. Through strong mentorship and exposure to orthopedic surgery, I found a specialty that combined technical skill, problem-solving, and meaningful patient relationships. Those experiences ultimately solidified my decision to pursue orthopedics.
What drew you specifically toward specializing in hip and knee replacements and total joint surgery?
My interest in hip and knee replacement and total joint surgery was shaped primarily by the mentors I encountered during training. I was also strongly considering trauma and orthopedic oncology, as I enjoyed the complexity and impact of those fields. Ultimately, what drew me most to total joint surgery was the combination of the technology and instrumentation used in the operating room and the outcomes I saw in patients. The ability to restore form and function so reliably—often allowing patients to return to activities they thought were no longer possible—was incredibly gratifying. Seeing that tangible improvement in quality of life solidified total joint surgery as the right fit for me.
Your expertise is in complex primary and revision hip and knee replacements. What are some of the most challenging cases you see, and how do you approach them?
Some of the most challenging cases I see involve failed joint replacements with a specific underlying etiology, such as infection, instability, implant loosening, or significant bone loss. These situations are often extremely difficult for patients, both physically and mentally, as they are facing the prospect of a “re-do” surgery after already going through a major procedure. From a surgical standpoint, revision surgery adds significant complexity due to scar tissue, distorted anatomy, abnormal tissue planes, and varying degrees of bone loss or compromised bone quality. You are working with anatomy that is very different from virgin tissue, which requires careful planning and adaptability in the operating room.
My approach to these cases emphasizes thorough preparation and communication. It’s critical to have open, honest discussions with the patient to set expectations and address the emotional toll of revision surgery. I also work closely with a multidisciplinary team—including primary care, physical therapy, and, when indicated, infectious disease—to ensure all aspects of the patient’s care are aligned. Having well-defined algorithms and protocols across the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases allows for thoughtful planning, real-time adjustments during surgery, and a structured recovery process. This comprehensive, team-based approach helps optimize outcomes in what are often very complex and high-stakes situations.
You emphasize the anterior approach to the hip and utilize minimally invasive, muscle-sparing techniques. What advantages do patients experience with these approaches?
While minimally invasive hip and knee replacement is more technically demanding and not appropriate for every patient, I am proud to offer smaller-incision, muscle-sparing techniques to the vast majority of individuals seeking joint reconstruction.
By utilizing a smaller incision around the knee, patients often experience:
Less blood loss
Reduced swelling
Decreased postoperative pain
Faster, more efficient recovery
Improved cosmetic appearance
The goal is simple: restore mobility while minimizing surgical trauma and helping you return to your life as quickly and safely as possible.
For hip replacement, I utilize the anterior approach — a modern, minimally invasive technique that reflects my commitment to preserving the body’s natural anatomy whenever possible.
Unlike traditional approaches:
The lateral approach can disrupt hip abductor muscles, potentially contributing to postoperative limping.
The posterior approach requires splitting the gluteal muscle.
The anterior approach avoids both. Instead of cutting or detaching muscles, the hip joint is accessed through a natural plane between muscles at the front of the hip. This muscle-sparing technique allows for:
Less soft tissue disruption
Greater stability after surgery
Lower risk of postoperative instability and potential need for stringent restrictions related to hip movement immediately following surgery
An anatomic view of the femur — even in complex deformities
For many patients, this translates into a smoother recovery, greater confidence, and a faster return to normal activity.
My philosophy is straightforward: use the least invasive, most anatomically respectful approach possible — without ever compromising safety, precision, or long-term results.
What fascinates you most about advances in joint replacement surgery today, and how have innovations changed the way you treat patients over the years?
The fundamental principles of joint replacement remain largely unchanged. That being said, the advent of the anterior approach to hip replacement has been particularly beneficial in facilitating accurate acetabular component placement tailored to each patient’s individual anatomy. Improved visualization and positioning have translated into more consistent alignment and reproducible outcomes.
On the knee side, continued advancements in technology—such as navigation—have further enhanced our ability to address coronal plane deformity and achieve balanced collateral ligament tension. I routinely employ these tools to improve precision in implant positioning and soft-tissue balancing, with the goal of optimizing function and durability for each patient.
What fascinates me most is how much progress has occurred around the operation rather than within the operation itself. Peri-operative protocols have evolved dramatically.
Over the past decade, advances in anesthesia, multimodal pain control, blood management, and rehabilitation have reshaped the patient experience. These developments now allow many patients to safely undergo joint replacement with same-day discharge, often in an ambulatory surgery setting, without compromising outcomes.
Just as important has been the emphasis on patient optimization—addressing modifiable risk factors preoperatively and refining post-operative pathways to support recovery. By continually improving these protocols, we can reduce complications, improve efficiency, and place patients in the best position for long-term success.
Every surgeon works within a team. What do you enjoy most about being part of the orthopedic team and facility at Barrington Orthopedic Specialists?
What I enjoy most about being part of the orthopedic team and facility at Barrington Orthopedic Specialists is the culture. That culture is reflected in the longevity of both the physicians and staff, which speaks to a shared commitment to one another and to our patients. The practice consistently puts patients first, and that mindset is evident in everything from clinical decision-making to day-to-day operations.
I also value having a safe and efficient ambulatory surgery center dedicated to total joint replacement, which allows us to deliver high-quality care in a streamlined, patient-focused environment. There is a true team mentality within the group—physicians do not hesitate to support one another with challenging cases, and collaboration is encouraged rather than siloed. Additionally, patients have direct phone access to each physician’s clinic team, which significantly reduces frustration and enhances communication by avoiding impersonal central call systems. Altogether, it’s an environment that prioritizes teamwork, efficiency, and an excellent patient experience.
What is the most rewarding part of helping people recover from joint pain and regain mobility?
The most rewarding part of helping people recover from joint pain and regain mobility is seeing them return to a level of form and function that had become extremely cumbersome—or even impossible—before surgery. While the primary goal of joint replacement is to reduce pain, the corollary is restoring independence and confidence. Patients often share that they’re able to travel again, visit family without limitations, play with their grandchildren, and participate in outings without worrying about whether they’ll need to leave early or feel like they’re slowing a group down because of their walking speed. Many are also able to return to activities they enjoy, such as hiking, golfing, pickleball, or bowling. Being able to help people reclaim those parts of their lives is incredibly meaningful and is what makes this work so fulfilling.
For patients who might be nervous about hip or knee replacement, what advice or reassurance would you offer them?
For patients who are understandably nervous about hip or knee replacement, I emphasize that overall outcomes are highly satisfactory and reproducible. Joint replacement is one of the most successful procedures in modern medicine. Studies have shown that fellowship training in joint replacement is associated with lower rates of complications and implant failure, which helps ensure both safety and durability.
Just as importantly, you are never going through this alone. We have an outstanding clinical team at Barrington Orthopedic Specialists that supports patients at every step of the process—from preoperative preparation through surgery and recovery—so you can feel informed, confident, and well cared for throughout your journey.
Outside of medicine, what are some things you enjoy doing in your free time?
Outside of medicine, I enjoy staying active, whether that’s training at the gym or spending time outdoors on hiking trails. I also enjoy competitive games that emphasize strategy and analytics, particularly poker. I really appreciate how poker is an egalitarian game—anyone can play, and despite the advent of solvers, so many nodes in the game tree remain largely poorly defined. That blend of accessibility, probability, and decision-making under uncertainty is what makes it both challenging and engaging for me. It is a game that rewards preparation, decision-making, and patience—the same principles I bring to caring for my patients.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
Just 12 hours removed from graduating college, I hopped on a plane to Korea without knowing anyone currently living there and spent nearly three months in Seoul.
Posted OnJune 4, 2026Review Author BradDr. Strotman took the time to answer my questions, get to know me, and put me at ease about my injury. He also diagnosed my issue quickly
Posted OnJanuary 8, 2026Review Author FlorenceUnderstood problem. Encouraging.