Interview with Dr. Jason Thompson

Topic: Total Joint Replacement – Hips and Knees

Guest Name: Dr. Jason Thompson, M.D.

Guest Credentials: Dr. Thompson accomplished Orthopaedic Residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio. Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery ​ Fellowship Trained: Orthopaedic Surgery Division Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario at London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario

Discussion Details:

Coastal Bend Spotlight Series – Dr. Jason Thompson, M.D. Spotlight Series – Avila Physical Therapy

From MLS Champion to Orthopedic Surgeon: Dr. Jason Thompson’s Journey

In this episode of the Coastal Bend Spotlight Series, Dr. Anthony Avila DPT sits down with Dr. Jason Thompson M.D., a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacements and a former professional soccer player. Dr. Thompson shares his inspiring journey from winning the 2004 MLS Cup with DC United to transitioning into a career in orthopedics. They discuss the parallels between sports and surgery, the importance of persistence, advancements in surgical techniques such as the anterior hip approach, and the role of physical therapy in recovery. This episode offers valuable insights for anyone considering joint replacement surgery and those looking to learn about the intersection of sports and medical careers.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview
00:43 Dr. Jason Thompson’s Soccer Journey
01:33 Transition from Soccer to Orthopedic Surgery
04:24 Parallels Between Sports and Surgery
08:54 The Importance of Support Systems
14:19 Advancements in Hip and Knee Replacements
19:41 Debunking Common Misconceptions
31:07 The Role of Robotics in Surgery
33:45 Patient FAQs and Final Thoughts

Address of Guest’s Business: 5917 Crosstown Expressway SH 286, Corpus Christi, TX 7841

Anthony Avila: Hey guys, Anthony Avila, Doctor of Physical Therapy, owner of Avila Physical Therapy, your host of the Coastal Bend Spotlight Series. Today I’m joined by Dr. Jason Thompson, a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee reconstruction and a former professional soccer player who won the 2004 MLS Cup with DC United. From pro athlete to elite surgeon, his story is all about discipline, persistence, and excellence. Let’s dive in with Dr. Jason Thompson.

Dr. Jason Thompson: Hey there, man. Thank you. Nice introduction.

Anthony Avila: All right, so let’s get it. Wow, that’s quite a foundation. We’d absolutely love to hear more about your background story. So, you know, soccer life, orthopedic surgeon — how do the two connect? And if you’re willing to share any deeper soccer stories. I know Corpus Christi and South Texans in general are huge fanatics when it comes to soccer.

Dr. Jason Thompson: Yeah, I’m originally from Dallas and so a big soccer bed in itself. It’s all I knew growing up was soccer. Came from a pretty humble upbringing and so just learned to cut my teeth working hard and put my sights on a goal and worked hard to get towards them. So I initially had started soccer, went to college to play ball, and was able to leave school a little early to turn pro. Unfortunately, injuries, like it is for a lot of people, were my demise. And after a four-year career, I was at a crossroads trying to decide what I wanted to do. I had always thought I wanted to be a doctor and decided that I was going to go for it. It was a bit tougher as a second career, but was able to overcome a bunch of different things and made it to orthopedics.

I think it seems cliche, but a lot of orthopedic surgeons are former athletes and it just seems to fit. But coming from a — my dad was a plumber and a carpenter, so I was always using my hands growing up. So I was able to marry my athletic endeavors with my background and settled in quite nicely with orthopedics. As far as arthroplasty, I really like the instant gratification, I guess in some ways, with replacing a joint that’s been worn out, so to speak. And so that’s what drove me towards arthroplasty.

As far as sports, I spent most of my life in sports and I thought it was a good transition to watch them rather than be involved in them. So a lot of people ask me why I didn’t go into sports medicine, but that’s kind of a quick how I got there.

Anthony Avila: So, what position did you grow up playing in soccer? Did you move around, or where did you excel most in soccer — at what position?

Dr. Jason Thompson: I was a forward, and always a forward. You score goals and they find a place for you. I think not only that got me to where I got, but probably in the end got me where I was no longer playing also. You score goals and they love you. You stop, and for different reasons — injuries or other things — you stop scoring goals, and it’s harder to stay on the field. But yeah, I played forward, more of a target forward. Growing up in Dallas, certainly a lot of South Texas and Mexican flair as far as the style of soccer, but more direct also being the American. Very much what we called in soccer “two-touch.” Kind of small touches combined with a bigger, stronger, physical body build — it allowed me to excel.

Anthony Avila: You know, I’m so happy to hear that part of your story because you have such a great foundation, and I’m sure that relates to what you do on a day-to-day basis today. Are there any parallels that you see from the hard work you put in back in the day to kind of where you’re at and what it took to become an orthopedic surgeon today?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Yeah, that’s a great question. I think like anything worth going after is worth putting — you mentioned the word earlier — persistence and hard work. Getting to being a professional athlete and playing for the under-23 national team to then becoming an orthopedic surgeon, it’s really very similar as far as putting your mind to something and working hard. People use the term “luck,” but I think luck is really just persistence and hard work, becoming opportunistic, putting yourself in the right place at the right time.

I think that comes with just being the term “Johnny on the spot.” You’re just ready. You work hard. It wasn’t easy, but to retool after a career and get back into a different career, there’s a big challenge, a big unknown, and a big leap of faith — and it’s certainly been worth it.

Anthony Avila: Wow, that’s amazing. I wanted to dive into that transition there because that’s probably relatable to a lot of patients that you see on a day-to-day basis. They’re going through this surgery, and they were living one lifestyle before. There’s a transition phase there where they’re not maybe able to carry out everything that they were doing previously until they get through recovery. You mentioned you had an injury. How did that go for you? And how did that rebound look? Were you able to quickly dive into your new career?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Yeah, absolutely. I can kind of relive the day of injury. I was drafted 15th overall by Dallas — they were Dallas Burn at the time. They’ve since changed their name to FC Dallas — but in 2003, two days after I was with the U.S. under-23 national team playing in Portugal, we were playing Russia and I consistently would get the nod. We were preparing for the 2004 Olympics qualifiers and were supposed to play Mexico the next month in Mexico City — winner goes to the Olympics. I tore my ACL, MCL, meniscus two days after one of the biggest days of my life.

So yeah, I can definitely relate. Even though the pathology I deal with now is osteoarthritis or post-traumatic arthritis or other end-stage joint disease, there’s still recovery and mindset that it takes. Recovery from an ACL isn’t overnight — it can be 6 to 12 months or longer. I was able to excel because it was my job; I worked with trainers and physical therapists every day. It took six months before I was even close to what I was before.

Even still, years later, you can tell — like taking a new car off the lot and wrecking it, you put it back together and it just never quite runs the same. Even though I was still top-notch, you could tell there was a percentage gone. That injury allowed me to dig deep, figure out who I was, and come back. It changed my trajectory, but it also benefited me in this career because I can relate to recovery and mindset — that’s helped my transition and connection with patients.

Anthony Avila: Yeah, that’s such an important recall. The support system around going through one of those phases is super important. And we see it oftentimes with the baby boomer generation — they’re going through a major transition phase into retirement, looking for ways to stay active. Do you pull deeper meaning from what you do now — helping that generation get back to doing the things they love, like traveling or being active with family?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Yeah, what a good question. More and more hip and knee replacements are being done because people are living longer and being more active for longer. The days of retiring and just sitting in a chair are done. People want to stay active, keep up with grandkids — and I get a lot of satisfaction helping people not only return to what they love but improve, because they often live with a bad joint far longer than they admit.

Sure, it’s not the joint God gave you, but neither was the one we just replaced. It’s sort of addition by subtraction, and there’s a lot of satisfaction in that. My mentors taught me: give every patient an option other than surgery and let them decide. I talk people out of surgery until they talk me into it. My role is to guide them through it, whether with injections, therapy, or surgery if needed. Life’s too short to be limited by something we can fix.

Anthony Avila: That’s such an awesome statement. And I know you can probably relate to those baby boomers — that same persistence and grit you mentioned earlier. You also mentioned your parents’ blue-collar work and coaching patients, helping them through decisions rather than dictating. That’s awesome to hear.

Dr. Jason Thompson: Yeah, exactly. Parenting, coaching, teaching — not everyone fits the same mold. You find the best way to approach each patient. Some patients need very little direction, others need a lot of coaxing. My wife once had shoulder problems, and she realized she needed help staying accountable. So, you tailor treatment to each individual, figure out what works best for them, and support them however you can.

Anthony Avila: Great points there. That’s definitely something we see in our clinic too. I wanted to dive into what kind of conditions or cases you most frequently see. We talked about knee and hip — and I wanted to confirm, you’re exclusively doing anterior hip approaches, correct?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Correct. I’m exclusively an anterior hip replacement guy. I do approximately about a thousand hip and knee replacements a year. Of the hips, it’s all anterior. Occasionally, for revisions or complex cases, I may need to go through the side, but first-time hips are always anterior. It’s a muscle-sparing approach — a smaller incision, faster recovery, and less muscle trauma. That’s what makes it more modern and preferred in many cases.

Anthony Avila: Just to clarify for those listening — anterior means coming from the front, lateral from the side, and posterior from the back, right?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Exactly. The front approach avoids cutting through muscles. Instead, we go between two muscles, which preserves strength and typically helps with pain and quicker recovery. By three months to a year, results equalize among approaches, but the anterior method often gets people moving faster initially. It’s beneficial for all ages, but especially active people.

Anthony Avila: That’s awesome to hear — medical advancements are making such a difference. And less muscle trauma means faster strength return.

Dr. Jason Thompson: Yes, and another benefit is a slightly lower dislocation rate. Most anterior hip patients have virtually no movement restrictions post-surgery. That’s great for both patients and therapists like you — less limitation in rehab and greater confidence in movement.

Anthony Avila: That’s great insight. Are there any common misconceptions about your specialty or role you’d like to address?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Yes — one is that patients think once I tell them they have “bone on bone,” they have to get surgery. Not true. It’s elective. I always emphasize that. There are injections, therapy, and conservative care options. Also, “minimally invasive” joint replacement is often used as marketing — it’s misleading. Any joint replacement is significant. The anterior approach is muscle-sparing, not “minimally invasive.”

Another misconception is about stem cells or PRP. Those have a place, but once the joint is truly worn down, they can’t reverse that. They might buy time, but they can’t restore what’s gone. Unfortunately, some companies overpromise, which misleads patients.

Anthony Avila: Great points. It’s elective, so educate yourself and choose the right time. It’s great that you guide patients rather than rush them.

Dr. Jason Thompson: Exactly. A knee replacement is painful and demanding. You have to be ready for it mentally and physically. Patients who struggle most often weren’t ready for the commitment. It’s not a sprint — it’s a marathon. Surgery is one part; recovery is the real work.

Anthony Avila: Absolutely. And what’s one simple step someone could take today, even before seeing you, to improve their joint health?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Stay active. Movement protects joints. You don’t have to run marathons — just maintain mobility and strength. Keep your quads, core, and back strong. A healthy weight helps, too. Those who stay active tend to delay surgery longer and recover better if they ever need it.

Anthony Avila: Always easier said than done, but true. Staying active is key. Even with degenerative changes, inactivity worsens things.

Dr. Jason Thompson: Exactly. Sometimes pain isn’t the biggest issue — instability or weakness is. And when activity becomes limited because of the joint, that’s usually when it’s time to consider surgery.

Anthony Avila: Makes perfect sense. Have you seen cases where patients uncover other issues — like spine or nerve pain — after addressing a hip or knee?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Absolutely. The hip and spine are connected. Sometimes people think it’s their back when it’s really their hip, or vice versa. Fixing one can reveal or change symptoms in the other. The body’s connected in more ways than we think.

Anthony Avila: We’ve covered so much today. Anything else you’d like to share?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Just that it’s a journey. We’re all human, and recovery is a team effort. With good preparation, counseling, and teamwork — between surgeons, therapists, and patients — outcomes are almost always great.

Anthony Avila: Thank you for that. You mentioned robotics earlier. Can you touch on that before we wrap up?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Sure. Robotics in joint replacement is modern and useful. I use robotics in total knee replacements. It doesn’t necessarily change overall outcomes, but it reduces outliers and improves surgical precision. It gives me more data before and during surgery to ensure accuracy. It’s a great tool, though not required.

Anthony Avila: Does robotics speed things up?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Not really — efficiency comes from experience. Robotics adds precision and planning. It lets me fine-tune alignment and balance before placing components, which gives me confidence and helps patients long-term.

Anthony Avila: I know my patients would kill me if I didn’t ask this one: should patients watch a video of a total knee or hip replacement before seeing you?

Dr. Jason Thompson: (Laughs) Great question. It depends on the person. Some want to know everything — that’s fine. Others get overwhelmed. Those videos can look pretty rough to the untrained eye — we’re basically carpenters working with bone. I say: get informed, but do it in a way that doesn’t scare you.

Anthony Avila: Good point. Another common one — clicking and popping. Should patients worry?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Clicking and popping, before or after surgery, if it doesn’t hurt, don’t worry. After surgery, it’s common — there’s metal and plastic now, and soft tissue that needs to settle. Over time, it usually smooths out. If it’s painful, we’ll check it, but most of the time, it’s normal.

Anthony Avila: There you have it. Clicking and popping — pay attention, but don’t panic.

Dr. Jason Thompson: Exactly.

Anthony Avila: Anything else on your mind today?

Dr. Jason Thompson: Just that strength and endurance after surgery are critical. Patients need to lean on physical therapy and continue at home. You guys work with them multiple times a week, I do surgery for about 45 minutes — but it’s their joint for life. Commitment is everything.

Anthony Avila: Couldn’t agree more. Every patient’s journey is unique, and working as a team helps set them up for long-term success.

Dr. Jason Thompson: Absolutely. It’s rewarding to see patients do well. These surgeries are tough, but the results are life-changing when the effort’s there.

Anthony Avila: Thank you so much, Dr. Thompson. We talked about so much today — from your early soccer career to your journey into orthopedic surgery, your approach to care, and the importance of teamwork and persistence. Give back is a core value here at Avila Physical Therapy, and you’ve embodied that perfectly today.

Thank you to everyone following along — stay tuned to find out who will make the next guest appearance on the Coastal Bend Spotlight Series.