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Kent Ellington, MD, FAAOS
4.7 of 5 Stars
Specialties:
  • medical iconFoot & Ankle
  • Trauma
Fellowship Trained:
  • Foot & Ankle

Biography

  • Medical Director of the Foot and Ankle Institute, OrthoCarolina
  • Selected to be on the Board of Directors for the Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Foundation.  This is a charity organization that focuses on education and humanitarian efforts. 
  • As an award-winning surgeon, with over 20 years of research experience, Dr. Ellington has 18 approved patents, is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology at UNC Charlotte and an Associate Professor of Orthopaedics at Atrium
  • Dr. Ellington is active in teaching orthopedic residents and fellows and also lectures regionally, nationally and internationally
  • Dr. Ellington has extensive experience in the research and design of orthopedic implants, develops novel technology, and is a leader in advanced / newer surgical techniques. All of which are used in the USA and international.
  • Clinical Faculty, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Atrium Health - Carolinas Medical Center
  • Reviewer for Techniques in Foot & Ankle Surgery
  • Reviewer for Foot and Ankle International
  • Reviewer for Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
  • Board of Directors -- OrthoCarolina Foundation
  • Board of Directors -- OrthoCarolina Research Institute (OCRI)
  • Research Advisory Committee -- OrthoCarolina Research Institute (OCRI)
  • Board of Directors - Mallard Creek Surgery Center
  • Member of the Operations Committee, OrthoCarolina 
  • Team Physician -- UNC Charlotte
  • Team Physician -- Stewart-Haas Racing
  • Team Physician -- Wingate University
  • Team Physician -- Johnson C. Smith University
 
Clinic Locations
Foot & Ankle Institute Logo
Foot & Ankle Institute 250 N Caswell Rd
Suite 200B
Charlotte, NC 28207
South Park | Charlotte Orthopedics
South Park 5935 Carnegie Blvd.
Suite 200
Charlotte, NC 28209
University | Charlotte Orthopedics
University 9848 North Tryon St
Charlotte, NC 28262
Education
  • University of North Carolina Charlotte -- Bachelor of Science
  • University of North Carolina Charlotte -- Masters of Science
  • Wake Forest University School of Medicine -- Doctor of Medicine
  • Atrium Health - Carolinas Medical Center -- Internship
  • Atrium Health - Carolinas Medical Center -- Residency, Orthopedic Surgery
  • Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore -- Fellowship, Institute for Foot & Ankle Reconstruction
Practice
  • Specializes in orthopedic foot & ankle reconstruction
  • Arthritis management of the foot and ankle
  • Ankle replacement
  • Revision ankle replacement
  • Total talus replacement
  • Custom implants
  • MIS (Minimally invasive surgery) bunion correction
  • MIS for other procedures 
  • Trauma
    • Post-traumatic foot/ankle reconstruction
    • Trauma and acute fracture care of foot/ankle
    • AVN
    • Treatment of Pilon fractures
    • Treatment of Tibia fractures
    • Post-traumatic foot/ankle arthritis treatment
    • Stress fracture foot/ankle treatment
  • Sports
    • Professional, Collegiate, High School Athletes, - extensive experience with all levels
    • Foot/ankle sports medicine/arthroscopy
    • Athletic injuries to foot/ankle
    • Treatment of athletes
    • Achilles rupture 
    • Cartilage preservation
    • OCD treatment
    • Ligament repair
    • Achilles tendonitis and injury
    • Ankle instability
  • Forefoot reconstruction
    • Bunion correction
    • Hammertoe correction
    • Metatarsalgia
    • Neuroma
    • Hallux rigidus
  • Fusions
    • Foot fusions
    • Ankle fusions
  • Arch conditions
    • Flatfoot correction
    • High-arched feet correction
  • Foot/ankle and lower extremity (tibia) deformity correction
    • Limb Salvage
    • Limb Lengthening
    • Spatial Frame (Ilizarov)
  • Paralytic conditions/drop foot/deformity
    • Tendon transfers
    • Reconstruction
  • Congenital foot/ankle correction
  • Charcot foot/ankle treatment
  • Other foot/ankle treatments
    • I do not treat plantar fasciitis 

  • Member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
  • Member of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society
  • Board Certified Surgeon
Awards
  • Named a 2023 Top Doctor by Charlotte Magazine
  • 2023 North Carolina's Top Doctors, Charlotte Region, SouthPark Magazine
    • 2022 North Carolina's Top Doctors, Charlotte Region, SouthPark Magazine
    • Musculoskeletal New Ventures Conference, Memphis Sept 2022
    • Advances In Spine Surgery, Cabo June 2022
    • Named a 2021 Top Doctor by Charlotte Magazine
    • 2019 Instrument Rated Pilot
    • 2018 Invited to international foot/ankle group on infection - https://icmphilly.com/ 
    • 2017 High-Performance Rating
    • 2017 Complex Aircraft Rating
    • 2016 Cirrus Certified
    • 2016 Private Pilot
    • 2013 Reviewer for the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
    • 2011 Reviewer for the Journal Foot and Ankle International
    • 2010 Invited JBJS website creator and editor of the foot/ankle website
    • 2009 Resident Teaching Award, Atrium Health - Carolinas Medical Center Orthopaedics
    • 2008 AOA Emerging Leaders Program
    • 2008 Basil Boyd Annual Research Award
    • 2007 North Carolina Nano-Biotechnology Research Award
    • 2007 Atrium Health - Carolinas Medical Center Orthopaedic Surgery Annual Resident Research Award
    • 2004 Alpha Omega Alpha, Honor Medical Society
    • 2004 Richard L. Burton Research Achievement Award, Wake Forest Univ School of Medicine
    • 2004 Highlight Paper AAOS
    • 2003 Highlight Paper AAOS
    • 2003 Highlight Paper OTA
    • 2002 Highlight Paper OTA
    • 2001 Wake Forest University School of Medicine Research Award
    • 2000 Cameron Applied Research Center Excellence in Research Award
    • 2000-2003 North Carolina Medical Association Academic Scholarship, Iredell County
    Research

    Research Projects In Progress:

    • Outcomes following ankle fracture-dislocations, prospective clinical study
    • Amniox for hallux rigidus, randomized, prospective clinical study
    • Internal brace for ankle instability
    • Outcomes of ZImmer Total Ankle Replacement, prospective 10-year international study
    • Nitinol staples, fusion outcomes
    • Dynanail, TTC fusion outcomes
    • Amniox, peroneal and achilles prospective clinical study

    Published Work:


            Book Chapters:

            • Master's in Surgery, Kinos Ankle Replacement, 2022
            • Appleton Foot and Ankle Trauma, 2011
            • Foot and Ankle Clinics, PIP Correction, vol 16, no 4, 2011
            • Coughlin and Mann, 7th edition, Midfoot and Forefoot Fractures, 2013
            • Orthopaedic Knowledge Update – Lessertoe deformity, 2014
            • Orthopaedic Knowledge Update – Flatfoot reconstruction, 2014
            • Which Surgical Technique produces the best clinical outcomes for a lateral ankle sprain?, 2014
            • What are the surgical and rehabilitative treatment options for an athlete with a combined syndesmotic and lateral ankle sprains?, 2014
            • What are the surgical and rehabilitative treatment options for an ankle sprain with a chondral defect?, 2014
            • Which Surgical Technique produces the best clinical outcomes for a lateral ankle sprain? 2014
            • Chapter 15: Nitinol Compression Staples in Foot and Ankle, OCL 50.3 (Campbell Clinic); Unique  Procedures 2019
            • AOFAS – Advanced Foot and Ankle Reconstruction.  Repair of the ruptured Achilles. Jones and Ellington, 2019. Chp 44.

            Book Editor:

            • Foot and Ankle Clinics: Subtalar Joint, 2014

            Instructor at Courses

            Vanderbilt July 2022

            Stryker Course, NYC Dec 2022

            Medline Course, Chicago Nov 2022

            Artelon Course,  Washington DC Oct 2022

            Oscar Miller Day, Charlotte Oct 2022

            Harvard, Boston July 2022

            Medline Course, Chicago, Oct 2021

            Kinos Course, Louisville, May 2021

            Medline Course, Austin, Jan 2022

            Medline Course, Chicago, July 2018

            Medshape Course, Boston, July 2018

             Synthes Course, Memphis, March 2018

            Synthes Course, St. Louis, March 2018 

            Synthes Course, West Palm, Feb 2018

            Synthes Course, Atlanta, Feb 2018

            Synthes Course, Cleveland, Dec 2017

            Synthes Course Knoxville, Dec 2017

            Foot Innovate Webinar, Amniox Nov 2017

            Synthes Course, Baltimore, Nov 2017

            Synthes Course Switzerland, Oct 2017

            Synthes Course, Oct 2017

            Lisfranc Fractures: Minneapolis Ortho Trauma Mtg, 47th annual, Oct 2017

            OC Reunion, Sonoma, Oct 2017

            Synthes Course, NYC Sept 2017

            Myerson Reunion, Beaver Creek, Feb 2017

            Medline Courses Spring and Fall Chicago 2016

            Grand Rounds Visiting Professor, Harvard Orthopaedic Surgery Dept, Nov 2016

            Medline Fellows Course Oct 2016sa

            Arthrex Fellows Course Apr 2016

            Zimmer TAR Greeneville 2016

            Talus Fractures. 46th Annual Orthopaedic Trauma, Minneapolis, MN Nov 2015

            Arthrex Fellows Course Apr 2015

            Pilon Fractures. 45th Annual Orthopaedic Trauma, Minneapolis, MN, Nov 2014

            Arthrex Fellows Course Apr 2014

            Wright Medical Young All Stars, NYC. Nov 2014.

            Foot Innovate Webinar: Internal Brace. Nov 2014.

            Syndesmotic Injuries and High Ankle Sprains. 44th Annual Orthopaedic Trauma, MN. Nov 2014.

            Lisfranc Fractures. 44th Annual Orthopaedic Trauma, Minneapolis, MN Nov 2014.

            Pilon Fractures. 44th Annual Orthopaedic Trauma, Minneapolis, MN, Nov 2014

            BME, Minneapolis, 44th annual trauma symposium, Nov 2014

            Medshape, Chicago, AOFAS, Aug 2014.

            Zimmer Total Ankle Arthroplasty, Charlotte, May 2014

            Amniox Medical, Miami, May 2014

            Arthrex, Sports Medicine Orthopaedic Fellows Course, Naples, May 2014

            Zimmer Total Ankle Arthroplasty, Detroit, Apr 2014

            Arthrex, Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Fellows Course, Naples, Apr 2014

            BME, Speed, Minneapolis, 43rd annual trauma symposium, Nov 2013

            Arthrex, Plantar plate repair, flatfoot, internal brace. Charlotte, NC, Nov, 2013

            Amniox Medical, San Diego CA, August 2013

            Arthrex, Advanced foot/ankle course, Naples, FL, May 2013

            Synthes Course, Switzerland and Germany, March 2018

            Amniox Medical, Miami FL, March 2013

            Annual Myerson Meeting, Beaver Creek, CO, Feb. 2013Nov 2014. Talus Fractures. 44th Annual Orthopaedic Trauma, Minneapolis,MN

            Vumedi – syndesmostic injury, 2013

            Foot Innovate – hallux rigidus, 2013.

            Lisfranc. Annual Orthopaedic Trauma, Minneapolis, MN Nov 2103

            Pilon Fractures. 43rd Annual Orthopaedic Trauma, Minneapolis, MNm Nov 2013

            Open Lisfranc treatment. Myerson Conference, Breckenridge, CO 2013.

            Men’s Health Magazine, Aug, 2012.

            NBC Charlotte Today, Nov 21, 2011

            NC Orthopaedic Technologist Annual Meeting, Oct 2, 2010

            My Team
            • Administrative Assistant and Surgery Scheduler -- Cierra Tamez, CCMA
            • CMA -- Nicole Norton, CST, CSFA  and Cierra Tamez, CCMA
            • Surgical Asst -- Nicole Norton, CST, CSFA
            Michael Buscema, PA-C
            Kelly Stafford, PA-C
            Testimonials

            This review is LONG overdue! Dr. Ellington has incredible knowledge when it comes to foot and ankle and amazing skill with surgery. He explained and took so much time helping me thru my ankle injury (fell down my own stairs). I am 100% going strong working and enjoying life pain free.

            - D. M.