David Kruse, MD, to Serve in Medical Role Supporting Team USA at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games

David Kruse, MD, a sports medicine specialist in the Department of Orthopaedics at Cedars-Sinai, will serve as Head Team Physician for the Team USA Milan Village Sports Medicine Clinic at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

In this role, Kruse will lead the medical infrastructure supporting Paralympic athletes in Milan—whose medical needs are often complex due to underlying health conditions—along with their coaches and staff.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will take place from March 6 to March 15, 2026. 

“Dr. Kruse’s deep understanding of elite sport and athlete-centered care makes him uniquely qualified to lead medical operations for Team USA’s Milan Village Sports Medicine Clinic at the Paralympic Games,” said Jonathan Finnoff, chief medical officer of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. “His experience supporting athletes with complex medical needs, combined with his leadership across multiple Olympic and Paralympic Games, will be invaluable in delivering world-class care.”

Kruse’s appointment reflects his two decades of experience caring for elite athletes and his deep roots in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement. A former competitive gymnast, Kruse competed on the U.S. Senior National Team for four years. He served as a team physician for USA Gymnastics from 2008 to 2024. He served as part of the Olympic Games medical staff in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. In 2020, he became USA Gymnastics’ medical director, overseeing athlete care through the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

At Cedars-Sinai, Kruse practices primary care sports medicine and non-operative orthopaedics, with clinical expertise in musculoskeletal injuries, sports concussion, ultrasound-guided procedures and the medical needs of athletes. He also brings specialized insight into treating gymnasts and dancers—experience informed by his collegiate athletic career as a six-time All-American, NCAA Team Champion and captain of the gymnastics team at the University of California, Berkeley.

Much of Kruse’s current work also focuses on preparations for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Alongside Casey Batten, MD, chief medical officer for LA28, Kruse serves as Senior Medical Advisor, helping the LA28 Organizing Committee plan medical services for athletes, staff, officials and spectators.

“Dr. Kruse brings an exceptional combination of clinical skill, firsthand athletic experience and medical leadership within the Olympic and Paralympic Movement,” Batten said. “His expertise will be essential in supporting Team USA at Milano Cortina 2026 and as we continue to build a world-class medical system for the LA28 Games.”

Kruse also is a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Medical Network, through which Cedars-Sinai provides care for Team USA athletes as they prepare for national and international competitions leading to the LA28 Games.

Kruse is available to speak to media about:

• Medical planning and operations for Team USA at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games
• Olympic & Paralympic athlete health, safety and performance
• Common injuries and medical challenges in Paralympic and adaptive sports
• Differences in care for Paralympic versus Olympic athletes
• Paralympic and adaptive sports medicine and emerging care models

To arrange interviews, contact Melissa Vizcarra at 719-502-5001 or [email protected].