David Rippe, M.D., is a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician who specializes in electrodiagnostic medicine.
Summit Orthopedics is delighted to welcome David Rippe, M.D., to the team. Dr. Rippe specializes in electrodiagnostic medicine, conducting muscle and nerve testing to diagnose a range of painful conditions. They include everything from carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar neuritis to pinched nerves in the neck or back.
“I got interested in physical medicine and rehabilitation because I enjoy working with the musculoskeletal and nervous systems,” Dr. Rippe said. “More broadly, the field is focused on helping people with a wide range of muscle and nerve problems by figuring out what is going on and improving their function.”
About Dr. Rippe
After graduating with an undergraduate degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, Dr. Rippe earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Then, he completed internships in internal medicine and neurology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He completed residency training in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Northwestern’s Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago before establishing his practice at Allina Hospitals and Clinics. His work has enabled him to help patients with everything from traumatic brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and amputations to sprained ankles and low back pain.
Dr. Rippe has been practicing medicine in the Twin Cities for the last 15 years. He has specialized exclusively in neurophysiology (EMGs and intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring) for the last 11 years. Over that period of time, he has performed more than 13,000 electromyography tests (EMGs). At Summit, he will be performing EMGs full time.
Solving the diagnostic puzzle is one thing Dr. Rippe particularly enjoys about his work. “Every patient who sees me has been referred by another doctor because there are still questions about their symptoms, whether they are having numbness, tinging, weakness, fatigue, or something else. They need to know whether a muscle or nerve problem is causing these symptoms, and if so, where is it? The information I can provide through diagnostic testing enables them to identify the precise problem and take that information back to their doctor so they can get better.”
No matter what the muscle or nerve problem is, Dr. Rippe’s favorite part of the EMG process is having the opportunity to connect with patients. “While we do the test, I get to hear people’s stories and get to know them as individuals. That’s probably the best part of my job: I am interested in diagnostic medicine, but I am even more interested in people.”
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Start your journey to a healthier, more active self. Find your orthopedic expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a consultation.
