High Jump Athlete Wins National Title After Knee Surgery With Dr. Bart McKinney

In 2017, board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon Bart McKinney, M.D., performed a medial and lateral partial meniscus removal for Glenn Irion. Irion has spent the past four years working his way back to being competitive at the national high jump level.

"I promised you a photo of me having won the national championship after you performed [my surgery] four years ago," Irion said to Dr. McKinney in a message late July. "I won the high jump championship this past Friday."

After spending a few years in recovery mode, Irion made his long-awaited breakthrough in the ages 65-69 high jump event in the 2021 USA Track & Field Masters Outdoor Championships in Ames, Iowa, on July 23, 2021. With a world-leading high jump record of 1.60m, Irion earned the top spot in the national championship for high jump. The world record for his age group is 1.67m. Furthermore, Irion earned second place in the triple jump event later that afternoon.

“It took a great deal of work to get back to that level,” Irion says. Despite the highs and lows of the journey, Dr. McKinney and Irion were dedicated to seeing success land on Irion’s shoulders once again.  

“After spending years of training in sports medicine care and arthroscopic surgery, I am passionate about seeing my patients return to the sports they love and perform at a high level without hindrance,” says Dr. McKinney. “I feel privileged to have walked beside Glenn on his knee recovery path. Hearing about Glenn’s improvement and high achievement reminds me why I do what I do.”  

For more information on Appalachian Orthopedics or to schedule an appointment with Dr. McKinney, please call (423) 844-6450.