For all publications, please see the PubMed listing
About Dr. Wyss
Dr. James Wyss is a Physiatrist, also known as a Doctor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), who specializes in sports medicine. His initial area of study was physical therapy (PT), and he completed his graduate degree in PT at the University of Scranton. He returned to New York and practiced PT in sports and orthopedic setting for three years before pursuing a degree in medicine. Dr. Wyss attended New York Medical College and graduated with medical school honors (AOA). He completed his residency in PM&R at Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation and a fellowship in Interventional Spine and Sports Medicine at Hospital for Special Surgery. He is board certified in both PM&R and Sports Medicine.
He maintains a clinical practice on Long Island and NYC. Academics are very important to him, and he spends time daily teaching and conducting research. He was the Director of Education for more than 10 years and remains involved in an advisory role. He is very passionate about sports medicine and currently serve as the Medical Director for both Brooklyn Nets G-League team, the Long Island Nets and St. John's University; where he oversees sports medicine care for all student athletes, and is the team physician for men’s basketball, women’s soccer and softball.
He is the Founder and Co-Director for the Athlete's Spine Injury Program (ASIP) at HSS, and treats high school, collegiate and professional athletes with lumbar spine injuries.
Dr. Wyss evaluates and treats sports injuries (knees, shoulders, hip and lumbar spine), musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoarthritis (hip, knee and shoulders) and tendinopathy (hips, knees, shoulders, golfers/tennis elbow, Achilles tendinopathy and planter fasciitis). His approach as a sports physiatrist focuses on restoring function, improving quality of life, and getting individuals back to sports. The foundation of treatment includes patient education, exercise counseling and physical therapy. Specialize Treatments may include image-guided injections, hyaluronic acid (AKA joint lubricants), PRP (platelet- rich plasma) injections, or shockwave (ESWT) treatment.
Special Expertise
Sports medicine
Spine care
Rehabilitation
Exercise counseling
Interventional spine procedures
Ultrasound guided procedures
Procedures
Ultrasound guided joint, muscle and tendon injections
Fluoroscopic guided lumbar spine epidural and facet injections
Hyaluronic acid or joint lubricant injections
PRP (platelet rich plasma) injections
Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)
Patient ratings for Dr. Wyss
Insurance
If your insurance is not listed, please call our office if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage. If you have out-of-network benefits, then your insurance may reimburse you for a portion of your office visit.
Credentials
Appointments
Attending Physiatrist, Hospital for Special Surgery
Advisor to the Director of Education for Physiatry Dept, Hospital for Special Surgery
Founder and Co-Director, HSS Athletes Spine Program, Hospital for Special Surgery
Associate Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College
Affiliations
American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM)
Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)
North American Spine Society (NASS
Certifications
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Sports MedicineAwards
Foundation for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (FPM&R)/PM&R Best Original Research Award, 2023
Castle Connolly Top Doctor—5 Years
Castle Connolly Top Doctors in New York Metro Area, 2017–2026 Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor: 2017–2020
New York Magazine: Top Doctors, 2019–2025
Super Doctors—Super Doctor 2017, Rising Star 2016, Rising Star 2015 James P. McLean Resident Teaching Resident Award, 2010
Most Outstanding Preliminary Intern, Winthrop University Hospital, 2007 Alpha Omega Alpha, NYMC, 2005
Newsday — Top Doctors on Long Island: 2020–2025
Education
Medical: New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York
Internship: Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York
Residency: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 2007–2010
Chief Administrative Resident: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, 2009
Fellowship: Hospital for Special Surgery, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sports and Spine Fellowship, 2010–2011
State Licensure
New York
Languages
EnglishFor My Patients
Welcome Letter for Dr. James Wyss' Patients
Thank you for choosing Dr. James Wyss as your physician! Below you will find important information that should be read prior to your appointment.
What is a Physiatrist?
Physiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in nonsurgical physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). They diagnose, treat injuries and conditions, and direct your expanded treatment team using nonsurgical methods. The most common methods are physical therapy, minimally invasive injections and certain medications.
Academic Medicine Practice
Dr. Wyss' practice is not a private practice; it is an academic sports medicine practice. This means that he works with an Athletic Trainer Certified (ATC); trains and teaches residents (post-medical school graduates), fellows and physical therapists. Your care will be provided by his team and, in his opinion, this improves the quality of your care. Integrating teaching and research into a practice takes extra time. This may increase the time needed for each visit, and for new patients will increase the time you should expect to be here for your initial visit (approximately 2 hours).
Services Provided
Dr. Wyss evaluates and treats sports injuries (knees, shoulders, hip and lumbar spine), musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoarthritis (hip, knee and shoulders) and tendinopathy (hips, knees, shoulders, golfers/tennis elbow, Achilles tendinopathy and planter fasciitis). His approach as a sports physiatrist focuses on restoring function, improving quality of life, and getting individuals back to sports. The foundation of treatment includes patient education, exercise counseling and physical therapy. Specialize Treatments may include image-guided injections, hyaluronic acid (AKA joint lubricants), PRP (platelet- rich plasma) injections, or shockwave (ESWT) treatment.
Patient Forms
New Patient Forms
Patient Follow Up Visit Form
Article featuring Dr. Wyss
When to Call In a Physiatrist - Women's Voices for Change
Presentation by Dr. Wyss
Why Healthy Muscles Matter - 17 min
Podcasts by Dr. Wyss
Dr. Wyss joins St. John’s Volleyball Head Coach Joanne Persico to discuss the team’s 2024 season and how HSS cares for St. John’s athletes and the greater New York community.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Publications by Dr. Wyss
Editorial Appointments
Contributing Editor, Rehab in Review, Feb-June, 2009
Loading journal articles, please wait.
Selected Journal Articles
Selected Presentations
Common Sports Medicine Injuries of the Knee, Shoulder and Lumbar Spine. Update Your Medicine. NYC- Weill Cornell Medical College. 6/13/11.
Spine injuries in Sports and Pre-Participation Examination. Resident's & Fellows Workshop at Association for Academic Physiatrists annual meeting. Phoenix, AZ. 4/13/11
'Intra-articular applications of Platelet Rich Plasma,' HSS Sports Core (3/2011)
'Physical Examination of the Lumbar Spine - workshop,' Cornell Medical School (3/2011)
'Platelet Rich Plasma Update,' HSS Physiatry Grand Rounds (2/2011)
'Adolescent Disc Herniations: Update,' HSS Physiatry Grand Rounds (11/16/10)
'Lumbar Spondylolysis in the athlete,' Stony Brook Neurosurgery Grand Rounds (9/17/10)
'Shoulder Anatomy and Physical Examination,' NS-LIJ Physiatry Dept. (12/29/10)
Resident/fellows program, Fellowship Panel, and Medical Student Roundtable Session at AAP annual meeting (4/2010)
'Physical Therapy Prescription Writing,' Kessler Conference Center (2/2010)
'Teaching Gross Anatomy to Medical Students via the use of Injured Athletes' New Jersey Medical School (9/3/09)
'Home Exercise Program: Clinical Applications for Physiatrists,' Kessler Conference Center (4/15/09)
'Clinically Relevant Shoulder Anatomy and Biomechanics,' Kessler Conference Center (3/18/09) and North Shore-LIJ (12/29/10)
Resident Electrodiagnostics Course: Co-coordinator/Instructor, UMDNJ PM R Residency Program. (8/2008-12/2008)
'Posture Training for Medical Students,' New York Medical College (10/2002)
Research
LBP in athletes
LBP (including stress fractures) and disc herniations in adolescent athletes
Tendinopathy of the hamstrings, gluteal tendons and others
Musculoskeletal ultrasound as a teaching tool
Sports injury prevention programs
LBP (including stress fractures) and disc herniations in adolescent athletes
Tendinopathy of the hamstrings, gluteal tendons and others
Musculoskeletal ultrasound as a teaching tool
Sports injury prevention programs
Industry Relationships
HSS has a long history of supporting appropriate relationships with industry because they advance HSS's mission to provide the highest quality patient care, improve patient mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all, and to advance the science of orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and their related disciplines through research and education.
Below are the healthcare industry relationships reported by Dr. Wyss as of March 9, 2026.
- BICMD, Inc. — Consultant
- Springer — Royalties
HSS and its physicians make this information available to patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy prohibits physicians from collecting royalties on products they develop that are used on patients at HSS. Patients should feel free to ask their HSS physicians questions about these relationships.