Hidden Gems: Meet Sunil Jani of Longmont Orthopedics

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sunil Jani.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In graduate school I injured my knee, at the time I was a world-ranked freestyle footbag (hacky-sack) player preparing for the World Footbag Championships. I had an amazing orthopedic surgeon who helped me through surgery and rehabilitation, and that experience eventually changed my path from academic research and science writing to clinical orthopedic sports medicine. This doctor also became my mentor and supported me throughout my journey to becoming an orthopedic surgeon myself.

I started my career as a scientific researcher and science writer, but I was so inspired by my orthopedic surgeon that I decided to go to medical school and become a doctor. Sports have always been a big part of my life—I have competed in and ranked at U.S. and World freestyle footbag events—so orthopedics and sports medicine felt like the right path.
I went to medical school in New Jersey, completed my orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and did a fellowship in sports medicine in Taos, New Mexico. There my family and I fell in love with the mountains, and we were excited to settle in Longmont, Colorado. I spent 10 years working for a large health system in Longmont before opening my own practice.

At Longmont Orthopedics, our small family-run clinic allows me to spend more time with patients and offer them more than just surgery, including advanced treatments like PRP and stem cell therapy. My goal is to help people get back to the activities they love with the most natural and effective options available.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Changing careers and going back to school later in life was tough, especially while starting a family. Residency and fellowship were extremely demanding.

Starting my own practice was another challenge. There’s a lot to learn about business beyond healthcare, but together with my wife we’ve navigated those challenges and created a practice we love—where I can slow down and really focus on patients.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At Longmont Orthopedics, we’re a small, family-run practice, so patients get a much more personal experience. I specialize in surgical and non-surgical sports medicine and non-surgical including options like PRP and stem cell treatments—ways to help the body heal itself and often avoid surgery.

One of the big issues in U.S. healthcare is that the system isn’t really designed around the best interests of individual patients. In orthopedics, surgeons are often under pressure to push surgery, while non-operative sports medicine doctors are pressured to focus only injection-based procedures. Because I specialize in both, I take a can step-back, spend more time with patients, make the right diagnosis, and offer the full range of options—from surgery when it’s needed to orthobiologic therapies when that’s the best path. That balance allows me to create treatment plans that truly fit each individual.

Orthobiologics in particular has come a long way. The research is stronger, and I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it can be for people who want to avoid surgery and get moving again.

What really sets us apart is the time I can spend with patients and the choices we offer. Surgery is always an option if it’s indicated, but our focus is on helping people get back to what they love with the least invasive approach possible.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
The best way I’ve found mentors is by staying in touch with the people who taught me and the people I’ve taught throughout my journey to becoming an orthopedic surgeon. My own orthopedic sports medicine surgeon was my first mentor and inspiration to become a doctor.

I also connect with other physicians who share my interests, and over time those relationships naturally turn into mentorship and opportunities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.longmontorthopedics.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/longmont_orthopedics
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Longmont-Orthopedics-Dr-Sunil-Jani-61566932814279/