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University of Washington

John W. O'Kane, M.D.

Associate Professor
UW Head Team Physician
Adjunct Associate Professor for Family Medicine
Specialty: Sports Medicine John W. O'Kane, M.D.
College: B.A. in Biology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 1989
Medical School: M.D., University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 1993
Internship: Family Medicine, University of Washington Family Medicine, Seattle, WA, 1994
Residency: Family Medicine, University of Washington Family Medicine, Seattle, WA, 1996
Fellowship: Primary Care Sports Fellowship, University of Washington, Department of Orthopedics, 1996-1997
Board Certification: Board Certified in family medicine with certificate of added qualification in sports medicine

 

About Dr. O'Kane

I seek to partner with my patients to help them stay healthy and active and achieve their competitive goals, from a run around Green Lake to the highest levels of competitive sport. As an avid athlete and head team physician at the University of Washington, I have a great deal of interest and expertise working with athletes from weekend warriors to Olympic medalists and over 15 years experience caring for NCAA athletes.  My past and current research focuses on injuries in youth soccer, rowing, and gymnasts. 

As a primary care sports physician, I employ non-surgical interventions and rehabilitation to overcome and prevent injuries, returning athletes of all ability to peak form . When the need for surgery arises, I feel fortunate to be partners with some of the best orthopaedic surgeons in the country.

Appointments:

UW Medicine Sports Medicine Clinic
Phone: (206) 543 - 1552
Fax: (206) 543 - 6573
Email: sportsmd@u.washington.edu
Address:
Hec Edmundson Pavilion
3950 Montlake Boulevard NE
Room 148
Seattle, WA 98195

Patient Stories

"Obviously I am a big dreamer. But I don't think you should just dream your dreams. Go out and fight for them. Make them happen!" says UW Huskies Gymnast and Senior Kylie Sharp. Diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and an overlapping condition, primary sclerosing cholangitis, the 22-year-old has faced seven medical procedures over the last dozen years.
"I called doctors all over the country, and no one had ever heard of a gymnast in college - no one had heard of any athlete - that had autoimmune hepatitis with this overlap," said Dr. John O'Kane, UW Associate Professor of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine and the Huskies' head team physician. "The desire to do this and the strength to do this despite all the different ways that has made this hard for you is tremendously impressive," O'Kane said to Sharp.
Read the entire article here: "Unleashed: Sharp Delays Transplant For UW Gymnastics" By Gregg Bell, 1/23/2013, on gohuskies.com.

Honors

  • “Top Doc” in the Seattle Magazine and the Seattle Met Magazine multiple times from 2005 to 2011
  • Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, University of Vermont College of Medicine 

Memberships & Publications

Memberships:

  • American Academy of Family Physicians
  • American College of Sports Medicine
  • American Medical Society for Sports Medicine

Publications:

  • Scientific Publications (PubMed Listing)

  • Dr. O'Kane has had multiple listings as a Top Doctor in the category of Sports Medicine in both Seattle Magazine and Seattle Metropolitan.

  • Dr. O'Kane was featured in the Summer 2002 Breakthrough article, Sports medicine - a health-care philosophy

  • Dr. O'Kane was quoted in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer article, Living Well: How much is too much in youth sports? 

  • O’Kane JW, Wojtys E, Griffen L, Taylor D, Mandelbaum BR, Arendt L, Hame S, Teitz CC. Round Table: Female athletes and their particular injuries.  Orthopedics Today 2005; 25(7): 28-40.
  • O’Kane JW, DeMaio M, Hame SL, Teitz CC.  Special concerns about the Female Athlete, Part 2.  Orthopedics Today 2005; 25(8): 58-65.
  • Butler-Hall I, O’Kane JW. Injury Trends Among Helmeted and Non-Helmeted Skiers and Snowboarders.  2004 UW Orthopaedic Research Report.
  • O’Kane JW, Schiff M.  Injuries in Youth vs. College Soccer.  2007 UW Orthopaedic Research Report

Research

Current projects included a 5 year federally funded study of girls soccer injuries.  I have recently published a paper on club gymnastic injuries and prior research has focused on injuries in rowing, the use of helmets in skiing, and other medical issues affecting athletes.  I have written book chapters on fracture care and sports medicine.

Surgeries & Diagnosis

Diagnosis:

  • Musculoskeletal injuries in athletes and active adolescents and adults.
  • Medical issues secondary to and affecting sports performance.
  • Pediatric Sports Medicine.