Dr. Zehms, a graduate of the prestigious sports medicine fellowship program at Steadman Philippon Research Institute, was a trauma consultant for the Green Bay Packers and provided coverage for the US Olympics Women’s Ski Team.

Chad T. Zehms, MD, has joined the team of renowned surgeons at Optim Orthopedics and will be treating patients at Optim’s new South Carolina locations in Bluffton and Hilton Head this fall.

Dr. Zehms is a board certified, fellowship-trained surgeon specializing in orthopedic sports medicine surgery for musculoskeletal injuries. His procedures include hip arthroscopy with advanced techniques in labral repair and reconstruction. Notably, Optim has the only two surgeons between the Low Country, Atlanta and Jacksonville who perform hip arthroscopy.

His key services also include arthroscopic ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair and transplantation; arthroscopic rotator cuff repair; sports arthroscopy of the hip, shoulder, knee, elbow and ankle; cartilage restoration and replacement; and advanced trauma/fracture repair.

Recent experience includes chairman of the sports medicine department at Prevea Health in Green Bay, Wis., as well as chairman of sports medicine at the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center. In addition, Dr. Zehms served as the trauma consultant for the Green Bay Packers from 2014 – 2017 seasons and, from 2008 – 2009, provided coverage for the US Olympics Women’s Ski Team.

Dr. Zehms received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
An officer in the U.S. Navy, he completed his surgical internship and orthopedic residency at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. Dr. Zehms proudly served in the U.S. Navy for 12 years and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He served as battalion surgeon for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Force Service Support Group in Okinawa, Japan, and deployed with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Konduz, Afghanistan.

“My military orthopedic experiences serving our active duty marines and sailors, both at home and in Afghanistan, have given me a very unique understanding and perspective treating complex fractures and sports related injuries in our elite special forces,” he said. “After a life changing accident or injury, I hope that this experience will bring comfort to patients and their
families during a very difficult time in their lives.”

Dr. Zehms is a graduate of one of the most prestigious sports medicine fellowship programs in the world, the Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colo., where he trained under one of the pioneers in hip arthroscopy, Dr. Marc Philippon. The institute is globally recognized for its pioneering research in osteoarthritis, healing, surgery, and injury prevention and rehabilitation.

A passionate sports enthusiast, Dr. Zehms enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Marci, and five children. He is an avid runner and has competed in several marathons.