For all publications, please see the PubMed listing
About Dr. Williams
Dr. Riley J. Williams III is Chief of the Sports Medicine Institute at HSS. He is a board certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee, shoulder and elbow surgery. He is also a Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College.
After graduating Yale University, Dr. Williams completed his medical degree at Stanford University. His clinical and research interests are focused on returning athletes to sport and include: articular cartilage repair & transplantation, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, meniscus repair & transplantation, arthroscopic shoulder stabilization & labrum repair, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and elbow ligament reconstruction. Dr. Williams also utilizes stem cells and biologics in the treatment of many musculoskeletal disorders and is the Director of the Institute for Cartilage Repair at HSS.
Dr. Williams is the Medical Director and Head Team Orthopedic Surgeon for the Brooklyn Nets (NBA) and New York Liberty (WNBA) professional basketball teams, and the New York Red Bulls (MLS) professional soccer team. In addition, Dr. Williams is the Director of the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence at HSS specializing in the care of soccer injuries. He has also worked with both the New York Mets and New York Giants sports clubs.
Dr. Williams is an avid cyclist, triathlete, and workout enthusiast.
Learn more about Dr. Williams on https://www.rileywilliamsmd.com/
Profile Video
Special Expertise
Knee:
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears
Articular Cartilage Restoration
Articular Cartilage Transplantation (Allograft)
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) tears
Athletic Knee Injuries (Basketball, Football, Soccer, Lacrosse, Skiing)
Partial Knee Replacement
Revision Surgery
Shoulder:
Instability
Dislocation
Labrum Tears
Rotator Cuff Tears
Frozen Shoulder
Arthritis
Revision Surgery
A-C Joint dislocation
Elbow:
Arthroscopy
Instability
Ligament Reconstruction
Tommy-John Surgery
Motion Loss
Throwers elbow
Videos
Insurance
If your insurance is not listed, please call our office if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage. If you have out-of-network benefits, then your insurance may reimburse you for a portion of your office visit. We will work with you and your insurance to minimize your out-of-pocket costs. Financial assistance may be available for patients in need.
Credentials
Appointments
Chief, Sports Medicine Institute, Hospital for Special Surgery
Director of the Institute for Cartilage Repair, Hospital for Special Surgery
Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery
Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Professor of Clinical Orthopedic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College
Affiliations
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS)
American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES)
International Cartilage Research Society
NBA Physicians Society
Professional Soccer Physicians Society
New York State Medical Society
Certifications
American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
Sports Medicine Certification, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
Awards
Castle Connolly America's Top Doctors, 2010-2020
Castle Connolly Top Doctors in New York Metro Area, 2007-2022
New York Magazine Top Doctors, 2010-2022
Aircast Award for Clinical Medicine, American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, 2005
Charles C. Neer Award for Excellence in Research, American Shoulder and Elbow Society, 2003
O'Donoghue Award for Sports Injury Research, American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, 1998
Philip D. Wilson Jr. Award for Excellence in Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, 1998
Ranawat Award for Excellence in Research, Eastern Orthopedic Association, 1998
Education
Medical:Stanford University School of Medicine
Residency:Hospital for Special Surgery
Fellowship:Hospital for Special Surgery, Sports Medicine Service
State Licensure
New York, Connecticut
Languages
EnglishFor My Patients
Publications by Dr. Williams
Patient Education
Selected Journal Articles
Research
Current projects:
- Cartilage Repair using Genetically Engineered Cells
- Prevention of Post-infectious Arthritis in an Animal Model
- Inhibition of Fibroblast Metabolism by the Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic, Ciprofloxacin
- Management of Posterior Instability of the Shoulder
- Management of the Arthritic, ACL Deficient Knee
Clinical Trials / Research Studies
Patient Registries
Dr. Williams is a principal investigator for these patient registries .
Industry Relationships
HSS has a long history of supporting appropriate relationships with industry because they advance HSS's mission to provide the highest quality patient care, improve patient mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all, and to advance the science of orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and their related disciplines through research and education.
Below are the healthcare industry relationships reported by Dr. Williams as of February 21, 2025.
- Arthrex, Inc. - Royalties
- BICMD, Inc. - Ownership Interest
- CyMedica Orthopedics, Inc. - Ownership Interest
- Gramercy Extremity Orthopedics - Ownership Interest
- HS2, LLC - Ownership Interest
- HSS ASC Development Network, LLC - Ownership Interest
- HSS West Side ASC, LLC - Ownership Interest
- NICE Recovery Systems, LLC - Advisory Board
- Overture Resurfacing, Inc. - Ownership Interest
- Pristine Surgical - Advisory Board; Ownership Interest
- Rehab Boost - Advisory Board
- Remote Health Ventures - Ownership Interest
- Temple Orthopedics - Advisory Board
- Tonal - Advisory Board; Ownership Interest
HSS and its physicians make this information available to patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy prohibits physicians from collecting royalties on products they develop that are used on patients at HSS. Patients should feel free to ask their HSS physicians questions about these relationships.