SUMMARY
Christopher L. Camp, M.D., conducts clinical and basic science research on injuries of the shoulder, elbow and knee. His work focuses on the biomechanics of throwing, injuries in overhead-throwing sports, the epidemiology of injuries in professional baseball and sports‑related injuries of other kinds.
Many of Dr. Camp's research efforts focus on preventing injuries, refining surgical techniques and optimizing return‑to‑play timelines. In addition to working in these clinical areas, he investigates strategies to enhance human performance and support people in staying active and engaged and performing at their highest levels.
Focus areas
- Shoulder and elbow injuries in throwers. Dr. Camp researches common injuries that occur in overhead-throwing sports. These injuries include shoulder instability, rotator cuff tears, biceps injuries, elbow ligament injuries and cartilage damage. His work focuses on understanding these injury patterns and improving athletic performance after treatment.
- Surgical techniques. Using arthroscopic and open surgical methods, Dr. Camp works to refine many techniques used to treat some of the most common injuries of the shoulder, elbow and knee.
- Elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. Dr. Camp has a particular interest in elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, commonly known as Tommy John surgery. He investigates new surgical techniques that may improve patient outcomes and help athletes return to sports sooner.
- Epidemiology of injuries in professional baseball players. Dr. Camp studies the epidemiology of injuries in professional baseball players to better understand injury trends over time, identify activities that most often lead to injury and evaluate treatment strategies that get players back on the field in a timely manner.
- Injury prevention. The best way to treat an injury is to prevent it. With this in mind, Dr. Camp conducts extensive research to identify risk factors such as excessive workload, abnormal movement patterns, limited joint range of motion and patient‑specific anatomical variations.
- Orthopedic education. As the associate program director of the Mayo Clinic Orthopedic Surgery Residency and the assistant fellowship director of the Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship, Dr. Camp optimizes orthopedic education and surgical skill acquisition using techniques such as surgical simulation, dedicated curricula and other evidence-based interventions.
Significance to patient care
Orthopedic injuries can have a big impact on athletes at any level, from recreational players to professionals. Some serious injuries can end a season or even a career. Care for athletes has improved in recent years, but there is still more to learn. Dr. Camp's research focuses on finding which athletes are at higher risk of injury, improving treatment options, and helping athletes recover and return to their sport more quickly.
Professional highlights
- Mayo Clinic:
- Individual Scholar Award, Richard M. Schulze Innovation Awards in Artificial Intelligence, 2025.
- Mayo Clinic People and Culture Committee Innovation Grant, 2025.
- Wendel Translational Research Award, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, 2023-2025.
- Novel Clinical Trials Award, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, 2023-2025.
- Foderaro-Quattrone Grant for AI Innovation, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, 2021-2022.
- Systematic Review of the Year Award, American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2025.
- Paper of the Year Award, MLB Winter Meetings Medical Research Forum, Major League Baseball, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023.
- Finalist, Richard B. Caspari Award, International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, 2021.
- Best Poster Award, MAOA Annual Meeting, Mid-America Orthopaedic Association, 2021.
- Herodicus Award, AOSSM Annual Meeting, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, 2020.
- Arthroscopy Association of North America:
- Basic Science Research Paper of the Year Award, Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, 2018.
- Runner-up, Clinical Research Paper of the Year Award, Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, 2017.
- Runner-up, Clinical Research Excellence Award, Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, 2017.
- Robert H. Cofield Award, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Fellow's Symposium, 2017.
- Hospital for Special Surgery:
- Russell F. Warren Research Award, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, 2017.
- Philip D. Wilson Award, Orthopaedic Surgery Research, 2017.