Dr. David Altchek, a pioneering figure in sports medicine and innovator in elbow surgery, has passed away.
Dr. Altchek, who graduated from the Medical College of cornell University in 1982, made significant contributions to the field of sports medicine, particularly in elbow reconstruction. His work with residents and fellows led to the development of an “coupling procedure” that proved highly effective and remained largely unchanged for over two decades.
Glenn S. Fleisig, director of Biomechanics Research at the American Institute of Sports Medicine, remembered dr. Altchek not only for his professional achievements but also for his personal qualities. “Although Dr. Altchek’s intelligence and innovations certainly benefited his patients – since sports medicine in general – his greatest impact was his warm, friendly and affectionate personality,” Fleisig stated.
Altchek completed his internship at The New York Hospital and his residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). He performed his first Tommy John surgery in 1993, a procedure he described as taking two and a half hours and leaving him weary, in an interview with The Associated Press in 2024.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Salmson, whom he married in 1981, his sons Charles and Christopher, and his daughters Chloe and Sophie.
