Specializing in sports medicine and total joint replacement- knee & shoulder, Mako Robotic Partial Knee, Mako Robotic Total Knee
Shreveport’s Own, Val Irion, MD, joined Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana and Specialists Hospital Shreveport in 2013. In addition to specializing in arthroscopic procedures of the shoulder and knee and total joint replacement-knee and shoulder, he is also fellowship trained in cartilage restoration procedures.
Growing up Dr. Irion gravitated towards being a physician, secondary to his love of sports. Irion says,” When I realized I probably wasn’t going to be a professional sports player- which is probably what I really wanted to be when I was really young- the easiest and best way for me to stay around sports and athletic endeavors was to be an orthopedic/sports medicine physician.”
As time went on, Irion maintained his interest in sports and medicine and went on to work for an orthopedic surgeon while in college at LSU in Baton Rouge. This time reaffirmed his desire to pursue medicine. As a lifelong athlete himself, he recognizes the importance of a healthy and consistent activity level throughout life and is committed to helping his patients maintain and pursue these goals. He understands and empathizes with a patient’s frustration to not be able to maintain their desired level of activity due to an injury, wear and tear, pain, and arthritic changes. Irion says, “I get what that means… by not being able to do what you want to do physically, it really impacts your lifestyle. It’s my job and what I want to do, is to get patients back to what they want to do-whether it be competitive sports or recreational activities.”
Dr. Irion and his wife, Blair, are the proud parents of three sons. In his spare time, you will often find him shuffling from one son’s sideline to another, as both dad and coach. He is an avid golfer and undeniably loyal LSU football fan.
TRAINING
- Sports Medicine Fellowship, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
- Residency – University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Medical school – LSU Health Sciences, Shreveport, Louisiana
- Undergrad: Louisiana State university, Baton Rouge
CERTIFICATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Arthroscopy Association of North America
- American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine
