Form & Function Orthopaedics

Call Directions Website

Form & Function Orthopaedics Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Form & Function Orthopaedics, Medical and health, 9555 SW Barnes Road, Suite 275, Portland, OR.

Joint preservation for shoulders and knees

Orthopaedic surgery & regenerative care for active adults

Guided by the JointSpanMDℱ approach

Founded by Dr. Nancy Yen Shipley

Portland, OR

Your bones are not just holding you up. They're in conversation with the rest of your body. 🩮🧠A new study in Nature Neur...
10/08/2026

Your bones are not just holding you up. They're in conversation with the rest of your body. 🩮🧠

A new study in Nature Neuroscience found that rhythmic compression of the shin bone (tibia) helped brain-injured mice and pigs recover. They had less neuron loss, less inflammation, and better performance on movement and maze tests. When researchers removed a pressure-sensing protein in bone cells called PIEZO1, the benefit disappeared. Blood from the loaded animals even protected the brains of untreated ones.

Now the reality check. This was animal research, the animals were all male, and nobody should be treating a head injury with a leg squeeze. TBI is an emergency. Go to the ER.

The bigger lesson is the one I talk about every day: bone is a living, signaling organ. In midlife, as estrogen drops and bone density follows, loading your skeleton with impact and strength work isn't just about avoiding fractures. It's about keeping the whole system talking.

Curious where your joints and bones stand right now? Take the free JointSpan Quiz at f2ortho.com/jointspan-md-quiz/ 🔗

Follow for more

10/07/2026

It's my birthday month, I'm 53, and my team decided the best gift was to prank me.

Lovingly. Mostly.

If you've ever wondered whether my staff knows me, this is your answer. They went straight for my love language: humor. Balloons celebrating anything but my birthday, and a whole team in anything but normal shoes. And red velvet cake, my favorite, because they know me.

Here's the part that matters. The people who greet you at the front desk, answer your calls, walk you back to the exam room, perform your injections and remember your dog's name are a huge part of your care. A team that laughs together listens better, slows down, and actually likes taking care of people. You feel that the second you walk in.

So thank you, team. For the jokes, the chaos, and for showing up every day for our patients like they're family. I'd go to happy hour with every one of you. Highest compliment I've got.

Want to see what care feels like when the whole team is in your corner? Book a visit at Form & Function Orthopaedics, link in bio. And follow for more joint health, real talk, and the occasional birthday ambush.

10/06/2026

Female orthopedic surgeons have nearly FOUR TIMES the rate of breast cancer compared to women overall - occupational radiation exposure is one reason why.

Because of that, radiation safety isn’t just a checklist item for me. It’s personal.
Every quarter, I send off my radiation badge, and every quarter, it comes back the same way: Nondetectable.

The MC2 X-ray zeroes in on only the specific joint we’re evaluating, with minimal scatter. Bottom line? Less radiation for you, and less radiation for me.

With Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, I wanted to share a little behind-the-scenes look at how tech helps protect both doctors and patients. But more than anything, consider this your gentle reminder to prioritize your own
health. If you’re due for your breast cancer screening or haven't talked to your doctor about what schedule makessense for you, put it on your to-do list this week. đŸ©·

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9126513/



Filmed in collaboration with

09/29/2026

There has always been a gap in knee care.

On one side: physical therapy, injections, bracing, activity changes. On the other: total knee replacement. And if you're active, in your 40s, 50s or 60s, with arthritis on the inner side of your knee, you've probably felt stuck in the middle. Too much pain to ignore. Not ready to replace.

The MISHA Knee System lives right in that gap. It's an implantable shock absorber placed on the inside of the knee, outside the joint itself. It shares the load that's been hammering your worn medial compartment, while your own bone, cartilage and ligaments stay in place. For the right patient, that means less pain, more movement, and more years with the knee you were born with.

This isn't new medicine. The orthopaedic principles are the same ones I've used for 15 years. What I trained on this weekend were the instruments, implant handling, and best practices, because precision matters when it's your knee on the table.

And this October, I'll be the first surgeon to offer MISHA commercially in Greater Portland. I'm proud to bring this option home.

Not yet, not never. That's joint preservation.

Also: 20 hours in Philadelphia and I still made it to the Italian Market, my go-to from my Drexel med school days. And yes, there was a cheesesteak. Some things are non-negotiable. đŸ„©đŸ§€

Wondering if you're a candidate? Book a consult at f2ortho.com.

09/26/2026

Knee hurts and suddenly you're walking on your tiptoes? You didn't pick that gait. Your knee did.

Here's what's going on behind it:

đŸŠ” Swelling. When fluid builds up in the knee, the joint gets tight. It has the most room when it's slightly bent, so your body keeps it there because it hurts less. A knee that stays bent can't let your heel land, so you end up on your toes.

đŸ”„ Inflammation. An irritated joint lining (synovitis) makes the knee sensitive every time it goes fully straight. Your body steers you away from that position without asking.

đŸ§© Meniscus tears. Sometimes a torn flap of meniscus gets caught in the joint and physically blocks the knee from straightening. If your knee feels locked or stuck and just won't go straight, get it checked sooner rather than later.

📈 An arthritis flare. Arthritis doesn't always announce itself. A long walk, a new workout, or one bad twist can flare up arthritis that was already there, bringing swelling, stiffness, and that same bent-knee, tiptoe pattern.

⚡ Your quad shuts off. Swelling and pain send signals that turn the quadriceps down (arthrogenic muscle inhibition). Without a strong quad locking the knee straight, you stay bent.

🔒 Protective guarding. The hamstrings and calf tighten to protect the joint, and that tightness pulls the knee further into a bend.

Why it matters: the longer you walk bent, the stiffer the back of the knee gets. Your hip, your back, and your other knee start picking up the slack. Getting that knee straight again is step one in almost every recovery plan I write.

The good news is that most of this is very treatable once we know which of these is driving it.

📍 Book an evaluation at Form & Function Orthopaedics in Portland: f2ortho.com
Follow for more

09/24/2026

Fifteen years as an orthopaedic surgeon, and I had never had an ACL reconstruction denied. This month I had two, from the same insurer.

One wasn’t even a denial of the surgery. It was a denial of my implant choice. There’s more than one way to reconstruct an ACL well, and choosing the right one for the patient in front of me is my job, not a reviewer’s.

Then, while we were appealing, our appeal was resubmitted by their rep with codes for the wrong body part. Not the knee. Not the ACL. We only found out because a third representative told us. So I filed a formal complaint with the state.

Here’s why this matters to you. A knee that gives way when you turn a corner affects whether you can work, exercise, and stay independent. Meanwhile premiums keep climbing and approvals keep shrinking. Someone is coming out ahead. It isn’t patients, nor is it doctors.

This is also why independent practices are closing. Every denial takes more staff, more calls, and more time away from care. I built Form & Function Orthopaedics so decisions about your joints get made in an exam room, with you.

Link in bio to learn more about Form & Function Orthopaedics. Follow for more

09/20/2026

Nobody tells you the real test of confidence in this job is strutting out in paper shorts like you own the place. They are not fashionable. They have never been fashionable. But they work, and honestly they’ve seen me through a lot of exams that mattered more than they looked.

If you’ve ever felt a little silly walking into an appointment, you’re in good company. We see you, paper shorts and all. Follow for more of what actually happens behind the exam room door.

09/19/2026

These mailers have been out around the clinic since the day we opened Form & Function Orthopaedics. I picked one up the other day and read it slow for the first time in a while.

It still says exactly what I’d say today. “Where surgical precision meets fierce empathy.” That was true on day one and it’s just as true now, even as the practice has grown into so much more than it was back then.

If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been around a while, thank you for growing with us. Follow along for more of what building this actually looks like.

09/07/2026

One year ago I opened the doors to Form & Function Orthopaedics. I still remember standing in that empty space before it had furniture, before it had patients, before it had a name that meant anything to anyone but me.

A year later I am overwhelmed. Not by the growth, though that has been real. By the people who made it possible.

To my team, thank you for believing in a vision before it was proven. You show up every day for patients who need more than a quick fix, and that takes heart.

To my friends and family, thank you for the late nights, the pep talks, and for never once telling me to play it safe.

To my mentors, thank you for teaching me that being a good surgeon and being a good human are not two different jobs.

To my colleagues across this field, thank you for the collaboration and the mutual respect. Preservation minded care works better when we work together.

And to my patients, thank you for trusting me with your joints, your stories, and your time. You are the reason this exists.

Here is to year one. Year two is going to be even better.

Want to be part of what is next? Take the JointSpan quiz and see where your joint health stands today, link in bio. Follow for more

Address

9555 SW Barnes Road, Suite 275
Portland, OR
97225

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 3pm

Telephone

+19719714325

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Form & Function Orthopaedics posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Sponsored

Share

Category