Cris Barnthouse, MD
Board Certified & Fellowship Trained Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. Barnthouse is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He also holds a Subspecialty Certificate in the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine issued by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Clinical experience and interests include the treatment of the shoulder, upper extremity and comprehensive treatment of knee disorders.
Areas of Specialty
- Sports Medicine
- Shoulder/Elbow Surgery
- Knee Surgery
- Joint Replacement
Professional Roles
- Co-Director of the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship Program through the University of Missouri- Kansas City.
Education
- Fellowship: Harvard School of Medicine
- Residency: University of Kansas School of Medicine
- Doctor of Medicine: University of Kansas
Memberships
- Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
- Fellow, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
- Fellow, Arthroscopy Associate of North America (AANA)
- International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery & Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS)
- American Medical Society
- Metropolitan Medical Society of Greater Kansas City
- Kansas Medical Society
- National Orthopaedic Education Society
Fun Fact
Dr. Barnthouse played basketball at the University of Kansas, where he was an academic All-American.
More About Dr. Barnthouse
Dr. Barnthouse graduated as valedictorian of Winfield High School in 1973 and then pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas, where he excelled as an academic All-American basketball player for the Kansas Jayhawks. Following his undergraduate studies, he continued his education at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he also completed his orthopaedic residency. After residency, he completed a clinical and research fellowship in orthopaedic sports medicine at Harvard School of Medicine.
For nearly 30 years, Dr. Barnthouse served as the team physician for the Kansas City Chiefs (1989-2016). He also held the position of team physician for the NFL Pro Bowl during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Additionally, Dr. Barnthouse has been a consultant for the U.S. Tennis Association and Cirque du Soleil. In recognition of his significant contributions to orthopaedic sports medicine, he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Dr. Barnthouse is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and holds a subspecialty certificate in orthopaedic sports medicine. He currently serves as a clinical assistant professor at both the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Kansas.
Dr. Barnthouse’s research interests encompass clinical and basic science studies focusing on sports-related injuries of the shoulder and knee. His clinical expertise includes the treatment of shoulder and upper extremity injuries, as well as comprehensive management of knee disorders.
Dr. Barnthouse's Publications
Techniques for arthroscopic partial-thickness and full-thickness RTC repairs continue to advance. When selecting an RTC repair technique, it is important to identify the tear pattern and adhere to the fundamentals of tendon mobilization and footprint preparation. Partial RTC tears greater than 50% in thickness can be reproducibly repaired with tear completion or transtendinous techniques with good clinical outcomes.
The Jones fracture, defined as a proximal junctional metaphyseal/diaphyseal fracture of the fifth metatarsal, presents a challenge to the orthopaedic surgeon, especially in the competitive athlete. The purpose of this study is to characterize the Jones fracture in the elite athletic community and review the variety of treatments for these fractures in the National Football League (NFL).