Dr Tan Chyn Hong

Dr Tan Chyn Hong is an orthopaedic specialist practising at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Singapore. He has a special interest in the treatment of shoulder, knee and elbow problems.

Dr Tan pioneered the technique of implantless arthroscopic rotator cuff shoulder surgery in Singapore. He was the first surgeon in Singapore to perform the keyhole rotator cuff repair without using any metal or plastic implants.

He was the Head of the Division of Sports Medicine in National University Hospital before moving on to private practice. He led a team comprising orthopaedic surgeons, a sports physician and a sports therapist in providing comprehensive medical care to athletes. His patients included national athletes (for sports like basketball, netball, canoeists, judo and taekwondo) and professional footballers.

In 2007, Dr Tan was part of the workgroup appointed by the Ministry of Health to develop the national clinical practice guidelines in the treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee. In the same year, he was awarded the inaugural College of Surgeons Gold medal from the Academy of Medicine Singapore for being the most outstanding candidate in the fellowship examination of the Royal College of Surgeons (Orthopaedic Surgery) Edinburgh.

He completed a fellowship in Australia where he received further sub-specialty training in the shoulder, knee and elbow. His work in Australia involved the treatment of professional athletes with sports injuries as well as patients with degenerative conditions like rotator cuff tears and arthritis of the shoulder and knee.

Dr Tan’s love for sports started when he joined the Raffles Institution Judo Club in 1987. He was a 1991 SEA games national representative for Judo and continues his involvement with sports by treating athletes with injuries and getting athletes back on their feet. He took on further training in Australia and underwent subspecialty training dealing with shoulder, knee and elbow injuries where he worked with professional athletes, as well as ordinary people with an extraordinary love for their sport.