Dr. Dane Hansen’s Approach to Care
“Arthritis patients have high expectations for their activity level. With advanced training in minimally invasive surgical techniques and quick-recovery joint replacement, I strive to help my patients return to their fully active lifestyle as quickly as possible.”
Dr. Dane Hansen may have left Minnesota to pursue his medical studies and fellowship in hip and knee arthritis and joint replacement, but he’ll be the first to tell you that the Twin Cities are home. “I grew up playing sports here in Roseville, and played baseball while attending college at Bethel,” he smiles. “My wife grew up in Mahtomedi, and we are delighted to be back in Minnesota. I think that my straightforward approach to medicine reflects my personality. I take the time to educate my patients about their condition, so we can identify treatment options and decide together what needs to be done, and how I can help them through the process.”
A practice focused on arthritis care for patients of a wide range of ages
Dr. Hansen’s practice is focused on hip and knee arthritis and joint replacement for patients ranging in age from teenagers to active grandparents. “When I started my training, I thought I would go into sports medicine,” he remembers. “But as a resident, I had a rotation in joint replacement that opened my eyes and broke down my own stereotype about arthritis as an old-age disease. In my residency, I saw how arthritis can affect active people in their 30s and 40s. I treated marathon runners, downhill skiers, and other dedicated athletes. This was not the patient population I expected to see with arthritis—and that piqued my interest.”
A conservative-first approach before surgery
The challenge of treating arthritic conditions led Dr. Hansen to a fellowship in adult hip and knee reconstruction, where he learned minimally invasive surgical techniques to limit tissue and joint trauma, and gained extensive experience treating complex cases. “My fellowship was a great experience,” he explains. “To give people the best care, you want to offer a depth of expertise. My goal is always to treat patients conservatively with medication and other therapies before considering surgery. Some people can function adequately with arthritis for decades, and may not ever need surgery. For others, if they can’t ride their bike 50 miles a week, they want to know about surgical options that will help them stay on their bike. My job is to help patients understand all of their options so they can make choices that will get them back to the life they love.”
Additional resources from Dr. Dane Hansen on surgical choices for hip and knee pain:
Empowering patients through education
Education is at the center of Dr. Hansen’s approach to patient care. “Patients are intelligent and want to make their own decisions,” he says. “They want to find the doctor who will do the best job at making them feel comfortable. My job is not to convince people that they need surgery. My job is to educate my patients about their condition, so they understand what arthritis is, what the prognosis is, and what their options are.
“It all comes down to quality of life. Everyone has different lifestyle goals. No matter how old or young we are, all of us have something we are passionate about. Getting my patients to the point where they can do the things they love? That is what’s rewarding for me.”
Check out more helpful educational articles from Dr. Dane Hansen
Helpful Basics for Hip and Knee Care:
Cortisone Injections:
Arthritis Medication and Opioids:
Education
Undergraduate Studies
Bethel University — St. Paul, MN
Medical School
Des Moines University | College of Osteopathic Medicine — Des Moines, IA
Residency
Ohio University |Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine | Doctors Hospital — Columbus, OH
Fellowship
Adult Joint Reconstruction
Rush University Medical Center — Chicago, IL
Professional Memberships
- American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
- American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics (AOAO)
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
- International Congress of Joint Reconstruction (ICJR)
- American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS)
Awards
- Mpls St.Paul Magazine Rising Star recognition: 2023-2024
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Knee Animated Conditions and Treatments Library
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Publications
Peer-reviewed Journals
- Hansen DC, Moon WK, Kusuma SK. Prophylactic free flap for chronic lower extremity soft tissue defect prior to total knee arthroplasty: a case report. JBJS Case Connector. 2013 Jul 24; 3(3):e75 1-6.
- Gaski G, Hansen D, Willis LM, Bos GD, Kean JR. Intramedullary rod fixation of fibrous dysplasia without use of bisphosphonates. J Child Orthop. 2013 Oct; 7(4): 277–283.
- Madsen AA, Taylor BC, Dimitris C, Hansen DC, Steensen RA, Gaines ST. Safety of bilateral total knee arthroplasty in morbidly obese patients. Orthopedics. 2014 Mar 37;3:e252-e259.
- Hansen DC, Kusuma SK, Palmer RM, Botkin KB. Robotic Guidance Does Not Improve Component Position or Short-Term Outcome in Medial Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty, J Arthroplasty. 2014, Sep; 29(9):1784-9.
- Taylor BC, Hansen DC, Harrison R, Lucas DE, Degenova D. Primary retrograde tibiotalocalcaneal nailing for fragility ankle fractures. Iowa orthopedic Journal. 2016, Volume 36:75-78.
Abstracts/Meeting Proceedings
- Hansen DC, Palmer RM, Botkin K, Wasielewski RC, Kusuma SK. Comparison of outcomes of robotic and manually implanted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Reconstructive Review. 2012 Oct; 2(3)suppl:32.
- Hansen DC, Palmer RM, Botkin K, Wasielewski RC, Kusuma SK. Comparison of outcomes of robotic and manually implanted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Bone Joint J. 2013 95-B:(Supp 34) 112.
National/International meetings
- Vardaxis VG, Hansen DC, Meier B, Mahoney C. Gait co-activation patterns in terminal osteoarthritis knee patients. International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology, Bi-annual Meeting, June 2008. Niagara Falls, Canada. “Poster”
- Hansen DC, Palmer RM, Botkin K, Wasielewski RC, Kusuma SK. Comparison of outcomes of robotic and manually implanted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. International Congress of Joint Reconstruction, 13th Annual Insall Scott Kelly Institute Sports Medicine and Total Knee and Hip Course, October 2012. New York, NY. “Poster”
- Hansen DC, Palmer RM, Botkin K, Wasielewski RC, Kusuma SK. Comparison of outcomes of robotic and manually implanted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. 13th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Computer Assisted Orthopaedic Surgery, June 2013. Orlando, FL. “Podium”
- Hansen DC, Palmer RM, Botkin K, Wasielewski RC, Kusuma SK. Comparison of outcomes of robotic and manually implanted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. 26th Annual Congress of the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty, October 2013. Palm Beach, FL. “E-poster/short talk”
- Hansen DC, Palmer RM, Botkin K, Wasielewski RC, Kusuma SK. Comparison of outcomes of robotic and manually implanted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. 2013 American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics Annual Meeting, October 2013. San Diego, CA. “Poster”
- Hansen DC, Taylor BC. Ankle fragility fractures treated with primary retrograde tibiotalocalcaneal nail: early clinical and radiographic outcomes. 2013 American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics Annual Meeting, October 2013. San Diego, CA. “Poster”
- Hansen DC, Lucas D, Taylor BC. Ankle fragility fractures treated with primary retrograde tibiotalocalcaneal nail: early clinical and radiographic outcomes. 2014 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting, March 2014. New Orleans, LA. “Paper/Podium”
Dr. Hansen is currently studying the effect of lidocaine spinal anesthesia in outpatient total joint arthroplasty with Dr. Richard Berger at Rush University.
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