Carissa Tripi, DO

Carissa Tripi, D.O. joined San Luis Valley Health in 2012 and brings a strong passion for sports medicine and community care to her orthopedic practice. One of the aspects she values most about caring for the San Luis Valley is Adams State University. She feels privileged to work closely with the PRO Therapy team to support ASU athletes by providing timely, top tier orthopedic care that helps them safely return to the sports they love.
As a former athlete herself, Dr. Tripi understands firsthand the physical and emotional toll injuries can take. “I know what it’s like to have an injury that slows you down or takes you out of your sport,” she says. “That experience is what truly motivated me to pursue the sports medicine side of orthopedics.”

Dr. Tripi grew up in Montrose, Colorado, and earned her undergraduate degree in Boulder. She attended medical school in Kansas City, Missouri, completed her orthopedic residency at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, and went on to finish a sports medicine fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Returning to Colorado allowed her to reconnect with the active lifestyle that defines so many of the state’s communities.

After completing her sports medicine fellowship, Dr. Tripi was initially drawn to practicing in the Valley because of the high number of sports related injuries and athletes she could help. Her sports medicine training allows her to offer the latest in joint preservation techniques and minimally invasive treatments designed to keep athletes moving with minimal downtime.

Over the years, however, she has discovered that some of her favorite “athletes” are the farmers and ranchers of the San Luis Valley. Whether they are candidates for joint preservation therapies or require full shoulder, knee, or hip replacements, Dr. Tripi has found the agricultural community to be among the most motivated and mentally tough patients she treats.

Dr. Tripi is particularly enthusiastic about how sports medicine has evolved to focus on joint preservation. “In the past, we often had to wait until arthritis progressed enough to require joint replacement,” she explains. “Now, there are many innovative options that allow us to preserve or improve joint function, helping patients avoid or delay total joint replacement at a young age.”