Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke University Medical School and a leading voice in sports medicine and women’s musculoskeletal health. A former collegiate gymnast at Cornell University, she earned her medical degree from East Carolina University and completed her orthopaedic surgery residency and fellowship training in shoulder and sports medicine at Duke.
Dr. Wittstein’s work is at the forefront of understanding how joint health evolves across a woman’s lifespan. Her research spans ACL injury prevention, rotator cuff repair, meniscus healing, and post-traumatic arthritis, with a growing focus on the impact of hormonal changes and menopause on musculoskeletal health, including bone density, arthritis, and conditions such as adhesive capsulitis. She is a co-investigator on multiple NIH R01-funded studies examining injury risk, cartilage resilience, and long-term joint preservation.
A prominent advocate for advancing women’s health in orthopaedics, she serves as President of The Forum: Women in Sports Medicine and contributes to national initiatives dedicated to improving outcomes for women at every stage of life. She is also the author of The Complete Bone and Joint Health Plan (2025).
