Orthopedics: The medical and surgical specialty dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Translation: If you experience pain or physical limitations in your neck, back, shoulders, elbows, hands, wrists, knees, hips, ankles or feet – Northern Orthopedics can help.
Our mission is to provide quality health care to each patient that we have the opportunity to treat. We care about our patients and each other and will strive to help one another attain and maintain their full potential.
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, May 11, 5 p.m.
Arthritis & Joint Replacement Seminar
Lakewood Health System, Just east of Staples
This free event is open to the public to learn more about arthritis and the new joint replacement program at Lakewood Health System called Joint Connection. At 5 p.m., attendees will enjoy refreshments, free chair massages and tours of patient rooms, physical therapy and Joint Connection activity areas. At 5:30 p.m., a free dinner will be served, after which Dr. Christopher Metz of Northern Orthopedic will present “Arthritis: Restoring Your Mobility, Restoring Your Life.” At 6:30 p.m., a panel question and answer discussion will take place, inviting attendees to ask questions of any of the panelists including: a Joint Connection patient, Dr. Metz; Jennifer Strickland, RN; Ron Murray, Director of PT; Rob Schmieg, CRNA; and Stacy Willgohs, social worker. Please RSVP by calling Gayle at 218-894-8623.
Saturday, May 15th
Arthritis Walk at Paul Bunyan Trail 9:00am
Call Karen at 218-829-7812 with any questions.
Friday, June 11th
Lakeside Sports Medicine Conference. Madden's Resort, Brainerd, MN.
For details, download this PDF.
Register online at www.brainerdlakeshealth.org
Save Your Knees
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has launched a website dedicated to giving you information on how your knees work, what problems you can encounter and how you can protect yourself from injury. To learn more about knee arthritis, knee replacement and knee safety for young athletes as well as seniors who exercise, visit: www.saveyourknees.org
AAOS and OTA launch campaign to stop texting while driving.
AAOS and the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) are working together on a public service campaign designed to warn drivers of the dangers of sending text messages while driving. The U.S. National Safety Council estimates that about 1.6 million automobile crashes a year can be attributed to cell phone talking and texting while driving, and a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that drivers who are texting are 23.2 times more likely to be involved in a serious vehicular crash than nontexting drivers. Additional materials and information can be accessed through companion Web sites set up by AAOS and OTA. Read more...
As the first orthopedic surgeon in the Brainerd Lakes area Dr. Schmitz founded Northern Orthopedics, Ltd. in 1975.A graduate of... 
Dr. Robert Brown joined Northern Orthopedics, Ltd. in 1986. A graduate of the University of... 
Dr. Paul Rud joined the practice of Northern Orthopedics, LTD. in 1993. Dr. Rud is a graduate of the University of... 
Dr. Christopher Metz joined the practice of Northern Orthopedics, LTD. in the summer of 1998. Dr. Metz is a graduate of the University of... 
Dr. Paul Thompson joined the practice of Northern Orthopedics, LTD. in 2001. Dr. Thompson is a graduate of the University of... 
Dr. Benjamin Robertson joined the practice of Northern Orthopedics, LTD. in February of 2007. Dr. Robertson received his medical degree from... 
Dr. Amy Lelwica joined the practice of Northern Orthopedics, LTD. in 2008. Dr. Lelwica is a graduate of the University of Minnesota... 
