Brian R. Wolf, M.D., M.S., is Professor and Vice- Chairman in the University of Iowa Department of Orthopedic Surgery. He is the John and Kim Callaghan Chair and Director of Sports Medicine at the University of Iowa. Dr. Wolf practices orthopedic sports medicine and treats disorders of the shoulder, elbow, and knee. Dr. Wolf is very active in providing care for athletes and serves as the Head Team Physician for the University of Iowa athletics.  Academically, Dr. Wolf's research interests center on clinical outcome studies and multi-center collaborative research. His research has resulted in more than 260 peer-reviewed publications, in addition to over 30 textbook chapters. He has an h-index of 59. Dr. Wolf has given more than 250 invited lectures around the world. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) and a member of the American Orthopedic Society for Sport Medicine (AOSSM), the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the American Shoulder and Elbow Society (ASES). Dr. Wolf currently serves on the Board of Directors and/or the presidential line for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS), AOSSM, Mid-American Orthopaedic Association (MAOA), and the Association of Clinical Elbow and Shoulder Surgeons (ACESS). His honors include being elected to the American Orthopedic Association (AOA), the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons (ABJS) and the Herodicus Society.

MD, MS

Recent Shoulder / Elbow publications

1.        Galvin JW, Milam RJ, Patterson BM, Nepola JV, Buckwalter JA IV, Wolf BR, Say FM, Free KE, Yohannes E. Periostin Identified as a Biomarker for Anterior Shoulder Instability after Synovial Fluid Lavage Proteomic Analysis.  Am J Sports Med 2024 Jun;52(7):1719-1727. PMID: 38702960

2.        Jacobs CA, Ortiz SF; MOON Shoulder Group; Baumgarten KM, Bishop JY, Bollier MJ, Bravman JT, Brophy RH, Cvetanovich GL, Feeley BT, Frank RM, Jones GL, Kuhn JE, Lansdown DA, Ma CB, Mair SD, Marx RG, McCarty EC, Seidl AJ, Wright RW, Zhang AL, Wolf BR, Hettrich CM. Development and Validation of a Short-Form Version of the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Scale (Short-WOSI). Am J Sports Med. 2023 Sep;51(11):2850-2857. doi: 10.1177/03635465231188975. PMID: 37584514

3.        Freshman RD, Zhang AL, Ma CB, Feeley BT, Ortiz S, Patel J, Dunn WR, Wolf BR, Hettrich CM, MOON Shoulder Instability Group, Lansdown DA. Factors Associated with Humeral Avulsion of Glenohumeral Ligament (HAGL) Lesions in Patients with Anterior Shoulder Instability: An Analysis of the MOON Shoulder Instability Cohort.  Orthop J Sports Med. 2023 Oct 27;11(10):23259671231206757. doi: 10.1177/23259671231206757. PMID: 37900861

4.        Hettrich CM, Magnuson JA, Baumgarten KM, Brophy RH, Kattan M; MOON Shoulder Group; Bishop JY, Bollier MJ, Bravman JT, Cvetanovich GL, Dunn WR, Feeley BT, Frank RM, Kuhn JE, Lansdown DA, Benjamin Ma C, Marx RG, McCarty EC, Neviaser AS, Ortiz SF, Seidl AJ, Smith MV, Wright RW, Zhang AL, Cronin KJ, Wolf BR. Predictors of Bone Loss in Anterior Glenohumeral Instability. AM J SPORTS MED 2023 Apr;51(5):1286-1294.  PMID: 36939180.

5.        Nichols MS, Jacobs CA, Lemaster NG, Magnuson JA, Mair SD, Ortiz SF, Hettrich CM, MOON Shoulder Group (Wolf BR). Psychosocial Factors Play a Greater Role in Preoperative Symptoms for Patients with Atraumatic Shoulder Instability: Data from the MOON-Shoulder Instability Group.  Submitted J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2023 Mar;32(3):533-538. PMID: 36179960

6.        Brophy RH, Dunn WR, MOON Shoulder Group, Wolf BR, Hettrich CM.  Factors associated with shoulder activity level at time of surgery and two year follow up in patients undergoing shoulder stabilization surgery.  AM J SPORTS MED. 2022 May;50(6):1503-1511 PMID: 35442106.

7.        Giri A, Freeman T,  Kim P, Kuhn JE, Garriga G, KhazzamM, HigginsLD, MatzkinE, Baumgarten K, Bishop JY, Brophy RH, Carey JL, Dunn WR Jones GL, Ma CB, Marx R, McCarty EC, Poddar SK, Smith MV, Spencer EE, Vidal AF, Wolf BR, Wright RW, Jain NB.  Obesity and Sex Influence Fatty Infiltration of the Rotator Cuff: The ROW and MOON Cohorts.  J Shoulder Elbow Surg, J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2022 Apr;31(4):726-735PMID: 35032677

8.        Baron JE, Westermann RW, DeMik DE, An Q, Wolf BR.  Trends in Medial Ulnar Collateral Ligament Repair and Reconstruction From 2007 to 2016: A Population-Based Study of a Large Private Insurance Database.  HSS J. 2022 Feb;18(1):116-121. PMID: 35087341

9.        Wolf BR, Tranovich MA; Marcussen B, Powell KJ, Fleming JA, Shaffer MA. Team Approach: Treatment of Shoulder Instability in Athletes. JBJS Rev 2021 Nov 10;9(11). PMID: 34757979

10.     Cronin KJ, Magnuson JA, Wolf BR, Hawk GS, Thompson KL, Jacobs CA, Hettrich CM, MOON Shoulder Group.  Male Sex, WOSI Score, and Sport as Predictors of Large Labral Tears of the Shoulder: A Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) Shoulder Instability Cohort Study.  Arthroscopy. 2021 Jun;37(6):1740-1744. PMID: 33460709

11.     Baron JE, Duchman KR, Hettrich CM, Glass NA, Ortiz SF; MOON Shoulder Group, Wolf BR. Beach Chair Versus Lateral Decubitus Position: Differences in Suture Anchor Position and Number During Arthroscopic Anterior Shoulder Stabilization. Am J Sports Med. 2021 Jul;49(8):2020-2026. doi: 10.1177/03635465211013709. Epub 2021 May 21. PMID: 34019439

12.     Hettrich CM, Zacharias A, Ortiz S, Cronin K, MOON Shoulder Group, Wolf BR, Jacobs C.  Are there Racial Differences between Patients Undergoing Surgery for Shoulder Instability? Data from the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) Shoulder Instability Group.  J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2021 Feb;30(2):229-236. PMID: 33166646

13.     Negaard M, Hall MM, Wolf B, Hogrefe C.  Ultrasound-aided Diagnosis of a Symptomatic Bennett Lesion in a Collegiate Baseball Pitcher. CURRENT SPORTS MEDICINE REPORTS 2020 Nov 19(11); 454-6. PMID: 33156030

14.     Houck DA, Dunn RH, Hettrich CM, Wolf BR, Frank RM, McCarty EC, MOON Shoulder Group, Bravman JT. Estimation of Location and Extent of Labral Tear Based On Pre-operative Range of Motion in Patients Undergoing Arthroscopic Stabilization for Anterior Shoulder Instability. Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil. 2020 Nov 16;2(6):e711-e721. PMID: 33364609

15.     Agha O, Rugg CM, Lansdown DA, Ortiz S, Hettrich CM, Wolf BR, Feeley BT.  Surgical Stabilization of Shoulder Instability in Patients With or Without a History of Seizure: A Comparative Analysis.  Arthroscopy 2020 Oct;36(10):2664-2673.e3. PMID: 32540371

16. Gulbrandsen TR, Khazi ZM, Shamrock AG, An Q, Duchman K, Marsh JL, Westermann RW, Wolf B. The Impact of Resident Involvement on Postoperative Complications After Shoulder Arthroscopy: A Propensity-Matched Analysis. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2020 Sep 14;4(9):e20.00138. doi: 10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-20-00138. PMCID: PMC7494138.

17.     Rojas EO, Khazi ZM, Gulbrandsen TR, Shamrock AG, Anthony CA, Duchman K, Westermann RW, Wolf BR. Preoperative Opioid Prescription Filling Is a Risk Factor for Prolonged Opioid Use After Elbow Arthroscopy.  Arthroscopy. Arthroscopy. 2020 Aug;36(8):2106-2113. PMID: 32442710

18.     Beason AM, Koehler RJ, Sanders RA, Rode BE, Menge TJ, McCullough KA, Glass NA, Hettrich CM; MOON Shoulder Group, Cox CL, Bollier MJ, Wolf BR, Spencer EE, Grant JA, Bishop JY, Jones GL, Barlow JD, Baumgarten KM, Kelly JD, Sennett BJ, Zgonis M, Abboud JA, Namdari S, Allen C, Kuhn JE, Sullivan JP, Wright RW, Brophy RH, Smith MV, Dunn WR.  Surgeon Agreement on the Presence of Pathologic Anterior Instability on Shoulder Imaging Studies.  ORTHOP J SPORTS MED. 2019 Aug 9;7(8):2325967119862501. 2019 Aug.  PMID: 31448299

19.        Bishop JY, Jones GJ, Hettrich CM, Wolf BR. MOON Shoulder Instability Group.  Factors influencing surgeon's choice of procedure for anterior shoulder instability: A multicenter prospective cohort study.  ARTHROSCOPY  2019 Jul;35(7):2014-2025. PMID: 31208919

20.        Wagstrom E, Raynor B, Jani S, Carey J, Cox CL, Wolf BR, Gao Y, Kuhn JE, Hettrich CM.  Epidemiology of Glenohumeral Instability Related to Sporting Activities Using the FEDS (Frequency, Etiology, Direction, and Severity) Classification System: A Multicenter Analysis.  ORTHOP J SPORTS MED 2019 Jul 31;7(7):2325967119861038. doi: 10.1177/2325967119861038. PMID: 31392240

21.        Day M, Westermann RW, Bedard N, Glass N, Wolf BR.  Trends Associated with Open versus Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair. HSS J, 2019 HSS Journal, 15(2), 133-136.  PMID: 31327943

22.        Rojas EO, Glass N, Owens J, Anthony CA, Bollier M, Wolf BR, Hettrich C.  Performance of the PROMIS in Patients Undergoing 3 Common Elbow Procedures.  Orthop J Sports Med. 2019 Jun 17;7(6):2325967119852595. eCollection 2019 Jun.  PMID: 31245430

23.        Magnuson JA, Wolf BR, Cronin KJ, Jacobs CA, Ortiz SF, Bishop JY, Baumgarten KM; MOON Shoulder Group, Hettrich CM. Sex-related differences in patients undergoing surgery for shoulder instability: a Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) Shoulder Instability cohort study.  J SHOULDER ELBOW SURG (2019) 28, 1013–1021.  PMID: 31003889.

24.        Trinh TQ, Naimark MB, Bedi A, Carpenter JE, Robbins CB, MOON Shoulder Instability Group, Grant JA, Miller BS, Ortiz S, Bollier MJ, Kuhn JE, Cox CL, Ma CB, Feeley BT, Zhang AL, McCarty EC, Bravman JT, Bishop JY, Jones GL, Brophy RH, Wright RW, Smith MV, Marx RG, Baumgarten KM, Wolf BR, Hettrich CM, Miller BS.  Clinical Outcomes After Anterior Shoulder Stabilization in Overhead Athletes: An Analysis of the MOON Shoulder Instability Consortium.  AM J SPORTS MED. 2019 May;47(6):1404-10.  PMID: 31042440

25.        Wolf BR, Uribe, B, Hettrich CM, Gao Y, Johnson M, MOON Shoulder Group.  Shoulder Instability: Inter- and Intra-Observer Agreement in Assessment of Labral Tears.  ORTHOP J SPORTS MED, 2018 Sep 6;6(9): 2325967118793372.  PMID:30202768.

26.        Duchman KR, Hettrich CM, Glass N, Westermann RW, MOON Shoulder Instability Group, Wolf BR.  The Incidence of Glenohumeral Bone and Cartilage Lesions at the Time of Shoulder Instability Surgery: A Comparison of Primary and Revision Surgery Patients.  AM J SPORTS MED, 2018 Aug;46(10):2449-2456.  PMID: 29985051.

27.        Buckwalter V JA, Wolf BR, Glass N, Bollier M; MOON Shoulder Group, Kuhn JE, Hettrich CM.  Early return to baseline range of motion and strength after anterior shoulder instability surgery: a Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) shoulder group cohort study.  J SHOULDER ELBOW SURG 2018 Jul;27(7):1235-1242 PMID 29576339.

28.     Day M, Westermann RW, Duchman KR, Bollier MJ, Wolf BR.  Short-term Complications after Rotator Cuff Repair: Should We Still Perform Open Surgery?  ARTHROSCOPY 2018 Apr; 34(4):1130-36.  PMID 29305290.

29.     Rugg CM, Hettrich CM, Ortiz S, Wolf BR, MOON Shoulder Instability Group, Zhang AL.  Surgical Stabilization for First-time Shoulder Dislocators: A Multi-center Analysis.  J SHOULDER ELBOW SURG 2018 Apr; 27(4):674-85.  PMID 29321108.

30.     Krautler M, McCarty E, Belk J, Wolf BR, Hettrich CM, Ortiz S, MOON Shoulder Instability Group, Bravman J.  Descriptive Epidemiology of the MOON Shoulder Instability Cohort.  AM J SPORTS MED 2018 Mar; 46(4):815-25.  PMID 29505730.

31.     Brophy RH, Hettrich CM, Ortiz S, MOON Shoulder Instability Group, Wolf BR.  Patient Undergoing Shoulder Stabilization Surgery Have Elevated Shoulder Activity Compared with Sex- and Age-Matched Healthy Controls.  SPORTS HEALTH, 2017; 9(1): 59-63PMID: 27807259

32.     Anthony CA, Glass N, Hancock K, Bollier M, Hettrich CM, Bollier MJ, Wolf BR Preoperative Performance of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System in Patients With Rotator Cuff Pathology. Arthroscopy. 2017 Oct;33(10):1770-1774.e1. PubMed PMID: 28655475.