Seattle Orthopaedic and Fracture Clinic is by far the longest-standing orthopaedic clinic in the Seattle area.

In 1926 Dr. Charles Eikenberry, then the Chief of Staff at Spokane's Shriner Hospital, was brought to Seattle to be Chief of Staff at the brand-new Children's Orthopaedic Hospital. Because this was a non-paying position, Dr. Eikenberry also established a private practice which became Seattle Orthopaedic and Fracture Clinic. Within a few years he was joined by Dr. John LeCocq, who went on to a long and illustrious career as a Seattle orthopaedic surgeon, including being Chief of Orthpaedics at the University of Washington School of Medicine when the school was founded. Dr. Eikenberry, unfortunately, died at a very young age of an infected finger--a problem which would be dealt with very simply today.

By the start of World War II, the office had expanded to four orthopaedic surgeons. All but John LeCocq served during the war, making him one of the few remaining orthopaedic surgeons in Seattle during those years. After the war, the office slowly expanded and occupied a one-level office on the corner of Madison and Summit, near Swedish Hospital for many years.

In 1970, we moved to our present location in the Heath Building at 801 Broadway, continuing our strong relationship with Swedish Medical Center.

Surgeons from the Clinic have been in the forefront of various forms of orthopaedic treatment over the years. For a period of time the Clinic was called Seattle Orthopaedic, Fracture and Rehabilitation Clinic because of an active physical therapy and rehabilitation program for patients afflicted with polio. Our physicians were among the first to do total joint replacements and to perform arthroscopy. They have been innovative in treatments of ankle problems, some children's surgery and treatments for back problems such as uses of enzyme injections (chymopapain) for ruptured disks.

Doctors from the Clinic have served at various times over the years as President of the Western Orthopaedic Association, President of the King County Medical Society, Chief of Staff at Swedish Hospital, multiple terms as Chief of Orthopaedics at Swedish Hospital and President of the local orthopaedic society. Many of the Clinic physicians serve as clinical instructors or professors of orthopaedics at the University of Washington.

We are now in our 80th year of existence and are very proud of our long and distinguished history.