Chief, Department of Orthopaedics at Shriners Hospital for Children
Professor, Clinical Orthopaedic Research
Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery - Hand
Orthopaedic Surgery - Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery
Shriners Hospital for Children
2425 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Clinic Phone: 916-453-2180
Clinic Fax: 916-453-2373
I have cared for children with problems with hand and arm function for over 30 years. I focus on the child's function and performance, especially from their own perspective. My greatest professional joy is learning from a child or their parent that my intervention has improved their ability to accomplish a task that is important to them.
Dr. Michelle James is a pediatric hand surgeon who cares for children with congenital malformations, neuromuscular conditions including brachial plexus birth palsy and arthrogryposis, and post traumatic hand deformations.
Dr. James's research interest is children's hand and arm function outcomes, particularly the ability of children with hand problems to perform daily activities and participate in activities of their choice.
She has served as Principal Investigator for multiple funded multi-center studies of children's hand and upper extremity function, one funded single-site study of thumb function, and another funded single-site study of burned hand function and outcomes. She has published several prospective and retrospective studies of functional outcomes for children with hand problems.
Orthopaedic Surgery
Pediatric Orthopaedics
Hand and Upper Extremity
B.A., UC Berkeley, Berkeley CA 1979
M.D., UC San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla CA 1983
General Surgery, UC San Francisco, San Francisco CA 1983-1984
Orthopaedic Surgery, UC San Francisco, San Francisco CA 1984-1988
Hand & Microsurgery, Indianapolis Hand Center, Indianapolis IN 1988-1989
Golden Apple Award, Health Volunteers Overseas (for extraordinary contributions in support of educational activities at HVO training sites), 2011
Honorary Professor, La Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua, Managua, Nicaragua, 2010
Outstanding Clinical Faculty Member, UC Davis Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 2006
Leadership Fellows Program, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), 2002
Outstanding Clinical Faculty Member, UC Davis Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 1997, 1998
Goodell PB, Bauer AS, Oishi S, Arner M, Laurell T, Taylor SL, James MA. Functional Assessment of Children and Adolescents with Symbrachydactyly: A Unilateral Hand Malformation. JBJS. 2017;99(13):1119-1128.
Manske MCB, Roque JJR, Zelaya GR, James MA. Pediatric hand surgery training in Nicaragua: a sustainable model of surgical education in a resource-poor environment. Frontiers in public health. 2017;5(2017):75.
Valone LC, Chambers M, Lattanza L, James MA. Breast Radiation Exposure in Female Orthopaedic Surgeons. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2016;98(21):1808-1813.
Van Heest A, Bagley A, Molitor F, James MA. Tendon Transfer Surgery in Upper Extremity Cerebral Palsy is More Effective Than Botulinum Toxin Injections or Regular Ongoing Therapy. The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. 2015 Apr 1;97-A(7):529-36.
Sheffler LC, Lattanza L, Hagar Y, Bagley A, James MA. The prevalence, rate of progression, and treatment of elbow flexion contracture in children with brachial plexus birth palsy. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2012 Mar 7;94(5):403-9.
Sheffler LC, Lattanza L, Sison-Williamson M, James MA. Biceps brachii long head overactivity associated with elbow flexion contracture in brachial plexus birth palsy. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2012 Feb 15;94(4):289-97.
James MA, Seiler JG 3rd, Harrast JJ, Emery SE, Hurwitz S. The occurrence of wrong-site surgery self-reported by candidates for certification by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2012 Jan 4;94(1):e2(1-12).
James MA. Symposium introduction. Tech Hand Up Extrem Surg. 2010 Jun;14(2):77.
McCarroll HR Jr, James MA, Newmeyer WL 3rd, Manske PR. Madelung's deformity: diagnostic thresholds of radiographic measurements. J Hand Surg Am. 2010 May;35(5):807-12. Epub 2010 Mar 27.
James MA. Symposium introduction. Tech Hand Up Extrem Surg. 2010 Mar;14(1):21.