Matthew Tao, MD
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Medical Honoree
 Dr. Matthew Tao, an orthopaedic surgeon at UNMC, specializes in Sports Medicine and values a team-oriented approach to care. His clinical focus is on athletic injuries to the knee for patients of all ages. Along with the holistic Sports Medicine team, his hope is to partner with patients to accomplish their goals and get them back to being healthy and active. Dr. Tao’s clinical interests include ACL tears, multi-ligament injuries, cartilage defects, meniscal tears, patellar instability, knee malalignment and biologic injection therapy. His research, in partnership with Dr. Liz Wellsandt, focuses on post-traumatic arthritis following ACL injuries. Their team hopes to advance the field with regard to safe and efficient return to activities as well as reducing the risk of arthritis in the future.
Join or support Dr. Tao and team, ACL-Arthritis Can't Last. |
Amy Birkel is a dynamic and results oriented leader with a proven track record in operations and management. As the Chief Operating Officer at Heritage Communities Amy oversees a diverse portfolio of senior living communities spanning four states.
Dr. Wellsandt is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Physical Therapist and Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy Program at UNMC. She directs the Clinical Movement Analysis Lab where her research team in collaboration with Dr. Matt Tao studies how physical activity and movement patterns of the knee contribute to early knee osteoarthritis and other outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. She is currently the co-Principal Investigator of the UNMC site within a 5-year, multi-center clinical trial investigating new treatments to prevent early knee osteoarthritis after ACL injury. Her research has also been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Rheumatology Research Foundation. She completed her PhD in Biomechanics and Movement Science from the University of Delaware. She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy from UNMC.
Mylissa started having pain in 2019 in her legs and joints. After many visits to numerous doctors, she was finally diagnosed in February 2020. After being given the diagnosis, she had concerns and questions. She tried to get into many rheumatologists. Appointments were nine months out and Covid was setting in. As time went on and being on medications that did not agree with her, part of studies and having virtual appointments during Covid, nothing worked. Finally, she found the help she needed after switching again, and has found that RA can be tolerable. She is thankful for advancing science and treatments so that all of those with arthritis can get more of our lives back. 
Chloe was diagnosed September 2021 after a difficult diagnostic process. Having seen numerous doctors she hopes to be on a path to feeling better and finding the medication that will help her. Going through a lot of pain physically and mentally, she is still proud of her ability to advocate for herself, which has made her stronger. She has hopes to be a doctor someday.