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Meet Dr. Nelson
Dr. Johnny T. Nelson is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, dual fellowship-trained in both shoulder and hand surgery. He graduated magna cum laude and phi beta kappa from the University of Dallas, where he played flanker for the university’s rugby football club. He graduated at the top of his medical school class at the University of Texas and was inducted into the AOA medical honors society.  After medical school, Dr. Nelson devoted a year to research at the Laboratory for Regenerative Technologies in Orthopaedic Surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, which resulted in numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals.
After completing orthopaedic surgery residency at William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan, Dr. Nelson was selected from hundreds of competitive applicants for a fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh where he trained with the nation's premier hand and upper extremity experts. Finally, Dr. Nelson completed an international shoulder fellowship at the world-renowned Shoulder Unit of the Centre Orthopédique Santy in Lyon, France where he further sharpened his expertise in the fields of shoulder arthroscopy, shoulder instability, and shoulder replacement.
In 2022, Dr. Nelson was the first orthopaedic surgeon in the Raleigh-Durham area to perform ultrasound-guided micro-invasive carpal tunnel release, and in 2023 performed the first ultrasound-guided trigger finger release. He lectures at international meetings, his research is published in multiple peer-reviewed journals, and he provides patient-centered care to those living in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Clayton, and Garner.






Why Choose Us?
Johnny T. Nelson, MD is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder, elbow, hand & wrist surgery at the Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is qualified to manage any condition from the shoulder to the fingertips in all age groups, from small children up to end of life. Dr. Nelson is deeply patient-oriented and enjoys his time with each and every patient, not only treating their conditions and curing physical pain, but also learning their story and telling stories of his own.
It's important to keep in mind that not every visit with an orthopedic surgeon means that you're going to have surgery. There are methods and treatment options at our disposal to treat orthopedic and musculoskeletal problems without surgery. Surgery is a last resort. Contact us today to see how Dr. Nelson can help treat your condition.
Dr. Nelson Now Offering Micro-Ivasive Carpal Tunnel Release with Ultrasound Guidance
Latest Blog Posts
What's New?
Dr. Johnny Nelson Featured on CBS17’s My Carolina
Raleigh Upper Ex and The Bone & Joint Surgery Clinic Named Center of Excellence
When Can I Return to Work After Carpal Tunnel Release?
Do I Need Nerve Studies If I Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Dr. Nelson Now Offering Free Telephone Carpal Tunnel Screening!
Is It Normal To Have Pain After Carpal Tunnel Release?
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