By: Jacqueline Gonzalez Photo by: Jarred Schuetze
Orthopedic surgery treats conditions of the musculoskeletal system. Dr. Dawn Grosser, a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon at South Texas Bone and Joint, brings her foot care expertise to the Coastal Bend. Grosser says, “The foot and ankle area is the foundation of everything. If you protect and support your feet, your knee, hip, and back pain gets better.”
Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Dr. Grosser earned her Bachelor’s degree in Pre-Med at Baylor University. She graduated from Yale Medical School in 2000, and then finished her orthopedic residency at Yale New Haven Hospital. She completed her fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in 2006. After a few interviews in Dallas and Houston, the feel of Corpus Christi, along with the people, ultimately stole her heart.
Her greatest achievement is breaking through the barrier of a male dominated field. Roughly eight years ago, the population of female orthopedic surgeons was a meager 8%, but her love for this field enabled her to push past the obstacles and achieve success. In addition to being a goal-oriented woman, Dr. Grosser is the only Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon in the Coastal Bend.
Some of the more common conditions treated by Dr. Grosser include hammer toes, bunions, nerve injuries, Achilles tendon, arthritis, and trauma to the foot or ankle. Industrial workers are especially prone to injury. “Many of them are in the oil industry, and they’re on concrete for 12-15 hours without good shoes or inserts. They tend to wait until the shoes wear out, which creates a whole other problem,” says Dr. Grosser.
According to Grosser, obesity is at an all-time high in the Coastal Bend, and the effects of obesity are accentuated in the feer. Nutrition and weight loss are an important part of decreasing foot and ankle pain. The extra weight causes increased stress on the joints, tendons, muscles, and ligaments, causing them to wear out more quickly.
As Dr, Grosser’s practice expands, she hopes to approach the issue of obesity in a more holistic manner. “You can’t get a knee replacement if you are over a certain BMI,” she explains. Her hope is to focus on helping patients understand and address the root of their problems.
When she’s not busy with her medical practice, she’s busy being a mom. She loves spending her free time with her children, ages 8 and 5. One of their favorite things about Corpus Christi is the water!
Whether she is spending quality time with her kids or working hard to improve her patients’ health, Dr. Grosser loves connecting with people. “People trust us with their lives. Some things you can’t fix, but once they feel they are understood, it changes the approach.” She makes an effort to get to know each of her patients and help them understand how to improve their health. The bonds created with each patient motivate her on a daily basis.
