Mr Ian Al’Khafaji
Orthopaedic Surgeon | Knee, Hip, Shoulder
Sports and Joint Reconstruction Orthopaedic Surgeon in Melbourne | Knee, Hip, and Shoulder
Mr Ian Al’Khafaji is a U.S.-trained, American board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He has undertaken advanced fellowship training in knee and hip surgery, sports medicine, and joint replacement, with a particular focus on joint preservation and the management of sports injuries.
Originally from Tampa, Florida, Mr Al’Khafaji completed his medical degree at the University of South Florida before undertaking orthopaedic residency training at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. During his training, he completed extended rotations focusing on complex ligament and patellofemoral management of the knee at the Lyon School of Knee Surgery in France and the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center in Norway. He went on to complete a world-renowned sports medicine fellowship at the Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, where he cared for elite and professional athletes and developed expertise in cartilage restoration techniques such as meniscal and cartilage transplantation.
His passion for hip and knee surgery brought him to Melbourne, where he trained at OrthoSport Victoria with a focus on complex ligament injuries and knee replacement. He later completed a specialised hip fellowship with Mr John O’Donnell, gaining expertise in anterior hip replacement and hip arthroscopy. Further subspecialty training at the Melbourne Orthopaedic Group expanded his skills in hip preservation and robotic-assisted knee replacement. Before settling in Australia, he also practised in Phoenix, Arizona, at the state’s busiest trauma centre, managing complex sports-related and joint injuries.
Mr Al’Khafaji holds leadership roles in several international orthopaedic organisations, including the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS), the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA), the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), and the International Society for Hip Arthroscopy (ISHA). He also serves as an orthopaedic consultant for professional surfers competing in the World Surf League.
Outside of orthopaedics, Mr Al’Khafaji is a passionate surfer, swimmer, and traveller, and enjoys spending time with his young family.
Research & Publications
Alongside his clinical practice, Mr Al’Khafaji is a committed researcher and educator. He has published widely in leading orthopaedic journals, presented at international meetings, and frequently moderates sessions at scientific conferences. His current research focuses on ACL injury, hip arthroscopy, and femoroacetabular impingement. He is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne and a Research Associate at the OrthoSport Victoria Institute.
