Schedule an Appointment
Robert Keller, MD
4.9 of 5 Stars
Specialties:
  • Elbow
  • Hip
  • Knee
  • Shoulder
  • Sports Medicine
Fellowship Trained:
  • Sports Medicine

Biography

  • Dr. Keller's experience in sports medicine has helped athletes from high school to professional. He has published and presented research in the fields of Tommy John surgery, ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repair, and shoulder replacement surgery. 

Head Team Physician for the Hickory Crawdads

 
Clinic Locations
Boone, NC | Orthopedics
Boone 950 State Farm Rd.
200
Boone, NC 28607
OrthoCarolina Hickory Logo
Hickory 214 18th St., SE
Hickory, NC 28602
Education
  • Washington University in St. Louis - Bachelor of Arts in Biology 
  • Michigan State University College of Human Medicine - Doctor of Medicine
  • Henry Ford Hospital Orthopaedic Surgery - Residency, Orthopedic Surgery
  • Kerlan-Jobe Orthopeadic Clinic - Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship
Practice
  • Specializes in Sports Medicine  
  • Specializes in all aspects of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery
  • Specializes in Arthroscopic Knee Surgery: cartilage, ligament reconstruction, repair 
  • Specializes in Orthopedic Trauma Surgery

    • Mid-America Orthopaedic Association (2016-present)
    • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery (2011-present)
    • Michigan Orthopaedic Society (2011-present)
    • Detroit Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2011-present)
    • American Medical Association (2007- present)

    TEAM COVERAGE: Professional and College:

    Hickory Crawdads (2022-present)

    • Head team physician
    • Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers

    PGA Tour, Orthopaedic Consultant (North Carolina)

    • Presidents Cup |  The International Team Competition September 2022 (Charlotte, NC)

    PGA Tour, Orthopaedic Consultant (Michigan)

    • Rocket Mortgage Classic 2019 (Detroit, MI)
    • Ally Challenge 2018, 2019 (Grand Blanc, MI)

    Los Angeles Dodgers (2016-2017)

    • Assistant team physician

    Los Angeles Rams Football (2016-2017)

    • Assistant team physician
    • *NFL Combine physician participant 2017

    Los Angeles Kings Hockey (2016-2017)

    • Assistant team physician

    Anaheim Ducks Hockey (2016-2017)

    • Assistant team physician

    Los Angeles Sparks WNBA (2016-2017)

    • Assistant team physician

    Rochester University

    • Medical Director/Head Team Physician (2017-2021)

    Oakland Community College

    • Team Physician (2018-2020)

     Oakland University

    • Team Physician (2017-2018)

    University of Southern California Football (2016-2017)

    • Assistant team physician

    Loyola Marymount University (2016-2017)

    • Assistant team physician (men’s and women’s soccer and basketball)

    Fullerton College Men’s Football (2016-2017)

    • Assistant team physician

    West Los Angeles College Men’s Football (2016-2017)

    • Assistant team physician

    Wayne State University (2015-2016)      

    • Men’s Football, Baseball                    

    In the News:

    Certifications

    Board Certified :

    • American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (2020) 
    • ABOS Subspecialty Certification in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, 2020 
    • Diplomate, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons (ABOS), Part II, 2019
    • Diplomate, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons (ABOS), Part I, 2016
    • American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Part 1 Exam, July 7th, 2106
      Awards
      Clinical: 
      • Winner of the 2016 Henry Ford Hospital Medical Alumni Association System-Wide  Peter Coggan MD Outstanding Resident Teaching Award  
      • 2015 Selected as the Administrative Chief Resident 
      Research: 
      • 2019 T. David Sisk Research Award – Best paper submitted to the Sports Health 
      • The Journal of Arthroscopy 2016 Resident/Fellow Research Award 
      • 2016 American Orthopedic Associate (AOA) Annual Meeting- Top 10 Poster Award  Winner
      • 2016 16th Annual Harold Frost Research Award- Best Original Research
      • 2016 13th Annual Henry Ford Medical Group Research Symposium- Best Clinical  Research 
      • 2015 15th Annual Harold Frost Research Award- Best Original Research 
      • 2015 Michigan Orthopedic Society Annual Meeting Poster Award Winner - Best  Original Research 
      Sports:
      • 2001-2005 Washington University in St. Louis Men’s Basketball
      • 2002 & 2003 UAA Conference Champion
      • 2004-2005 Team Captain
      • 2004-2005 Leading Scorer
      • 2004 & 2005 All-Conference Team Member
      • 2001 San Diego CIF 1st Team All-Academic Men’s High School Basketball
      • El Capitan High School Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee 2018
      Research
      PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

      Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts: 

      1. Robert A Keller MD, Matt Steffes BA, David Zhou BA, Michael Bey PhD, Vasilios  Moutzouros MD, The Effects of Ulnar Collateral Reconstruction on Major League Pitching Performance. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2014 Aug 30. pii: S1058-2746(14)00335-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2014.06.033.  
      2. Robert A. Keller MD, Nathan E Marshall MD, Nima Mehran MD MS, Vasilios Moutzouros  MD Pitching Speed and Glenohumeral Adaptation in High School Pitchers Orthopedics. 2015 Aug 1;38(8):e668-72. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20150804-52 
      3. Robert A. Keller MD, Nathan E Marshall MD, Michael J Bey PhD, Hafeez Ahmed MD,  Courtney Scher DO, Marnix vanHolsbeeck MD, Vasilios Moutzouros MD Pre- and Post-Season Dynamic Ultrasound Evaluation of the Pitching Elbow Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery 31 (2015) pp. 1708-1715
      4. Nathan E Marshall MD, Robert A. Keller MD, Jonathan Lynch MD, Michael J Bey PhD,  Vasilios Moutzouros MD, Pitching Performance and Longevity After Revision Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction in Major League Pitchers.  Am J Sports Med. May; 43(5):1051-6. DOI: 10.1177/0363546515579636. 
      5. Nathan E Marshall MD, Robert A. Keller MD, Marnix van Holsbeeck MD, Vasilios  Moutzouros MD Ulnar Collateral Ligament and Elbow Adaptations in High School Baseball Pitchers Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach published online before print September 2, 2015,  DOI:10.1177/1941738115604577 
      6. Robert A. Keller MD, Nima Mehran MD MS, William Austin BA, Nathan E Marshall MD,  Vasilios Moutzouros MD NFL Combine Performance after ACL Reconstruction Am J Sports Med: October 22, 2015 DOI:10.1177/0363546515608482  
      7. Robert A. Keller MD, Nathan E Marshall MD, Kelechi Okoroha MD, Edward Jung MD, John Michael Guest BA, Vasilios Moutzouros MD.  Major League Pitching Velocity and it’s Risk for UCL Reconstruction J Shoulder Elbow Surg. April 2016 Volume 25, Issue 4, Pages 671–675. DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2015.12.027 
      8. Nima Mehran MD, Phil N Williams MD, Robert A. Keller MD, Stephen J Lombardo, Daniel  Kharrazi MD  Athletic Performance at the National Basketball Association Combine after Anterior Cruciate  Ligament Reconstruction Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. May 2016 4: 2325967116648083, first published on  May 25, 2016 DOI:10.1177/2325967116648083 
      9. Kelechi Okorha MD, Robert A. Keller MD, Nathan E Marshall MD, Jonathan Lynch MD,  John-Michael Guest BA Terrance Lock MD, Brian Rill MD Patient Perceptions of Reimbursement for Arthroscopic Meniscectomy and ACL Reconstruction Orthopedics. 2016 Jun 30:1-7. DOI: 10.3928/01477447-20160623-03. 
      10. Kelechi Okorha MD, Jonathan Lynch MD, Robert A. Keller MD, Patricia Kolowich MD, Brian  Rill MD, Stephanie Muh MD Liposomal Bupivicain vs Peripheral Nerve Block for Post-Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Pain  Control: A Randomized, Control Trial Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. DOI

      Click here for a complete list of presentions, book chapters, abstracts, poster and podium presentations

      My Team
      Sarah Riley, MMS, PA-C