Tom Novacheck, MD

About Tom Novacheck, MD

Tom Novacheck, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with an international reputation, has been instrumental in the growth of orthopedics and cerebral palsy care for more than 30 years at Gillette Children’s. He serves as Chair of the Cerebral Palsy Institute and Medical Director of Integrated Care Services at the Saint Paul, Minnesota based specialty health care system. Founded in 1897, Gillette Children’s was the nation’s first pediatric hospital focused on children with disabilities. 

Dr. Novacheck served a term as president of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) in 2021. He has been involved in more than 150 academic papers, research studies and presentations in his tenure. He is a professor of orthopedics at the University of Minnesota.   

Additionally, he’s an active member of the American Orthopedic Association, the Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society and the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America.   

Research and Teaching Focus 

• Motion analysis testing methods and reporting 
  
• Normal and pathological gait 
  
• Cerebral palsy pathology 
  
• Cerebral palsy gait management, treatment, and outcomes assessment 
  
• Annual gait course teaching faculty since 1991 
  

Education 

• Fellowship in Orthopedic Surgery, Newington Children’s, now Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford 
  
• Orthopedic Residency, Penn State University 
  
• Medical School, University of Wisconsin 
  

Conditions:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Gait Disorders
• Hip Dysplasia
• Lower Extremity Alignment Concerns