Dr. COL (R) Kathleen A. McHale, MD, MSEd, FAAOS, FACS

Expert Publications

• Role of the peroneal tendons in the production of the deformed foot with posterior tibial tendon deficiency.
• A review of orthopedic injuries in three recent U.S. military conflicts.
• Measurement of isolated subtalar range of motion: a cadaver study.
• The effect of low intensity pulsed ultrasound applied to rabbit tibiae during the consolidation phase of distraction osteogenesis.
• Percutaneous pin fixation of a femoral neck fracture complicated by deep infection in a 12-year-old boy.
• The effect of low intensity pulsed ultrasound on regenerate bone in a less-than-rigid biomechanical environment.
• Efficiency in the pediatric orthopedic clinic and the effect on the parents: a comparison of military and civilian medical centers.
• A prospective evaluation of orthopedic patients evacuated from Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm: the Walter Reed experience.
• Treatment of infected tibial nonunions with debridement, antibiotic beads, and the Ilizarov method.
• Ilizarov external fixation salvage of failed intramedullary fixation of tibia with nail retention.
• Linear increase in axial stiffness of regenerate callus during limb lengthening.
• Quantification of the microstructural anisotropy of distraction osteogenesis in the rabbit tibia.
• Effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields on maturation of regenerate bone in a rabbit limb lengthening model.
• Case reports: treatment of subtrochanteric and ipsilateral femoral neck fractures in an adult with osteopetrosis.
• Compartment syndrome of the biceps brachii compartment following rupture of the long head of the biceps.

Media Releases

Get to know Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. COL (R) Kathleen A. McHale, who serves patients in Germantown and Rockville, Maryland & Washington, D.C.

Dr. McHale is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with special expertise in foot and ankle surgery and pediatric orthopaedics. She is in practice with The Orthopaedic Center, operating out of the offices in Germantown and Rockville, Maryland & Washington, D.C.

A part of The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, The Orthopaedic Center provides comprehensive musculoskeletal healthcare to Montgomery County and the suburban Maryland area. It offers a full range of services in the prevention, diagnosis, and rehabilitation of skeletal, joint, and muscular injury and disease.

After graduating from Villanova University, Dr. McHale went on to earn her medical degree from Drexel University School of Medicine (the former Medical College of Pennsylvania). She did two years of general surgery residency at Georgetown University, completed an orthopaedic residency at George Washington University, and pursued a pediatric orthopaedic fellowship at Childrens’ Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. 

The doctor is board-certified in orthopaedic surgery by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS). The ABOS is an organization with the goal of establishing educational and professional standards for orthopaedic residents and surgeons as well as evaluating the qualifications and competence of orthopaedic surgeons.

During a twenty-two-year Army career, COL (R) McHale served as the Chairman of Orthopaedic Surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Orthopaedic Residency Director, and the Orthopaedic Consultant to the Surgeon General of the Army. She deployed to Bosnia and Kosovo and led re-building teams with the USAID and the International Medical Corps to Iraq. 

Currently, she is active in the selection process for Congressionally funded Wounded Warrior research. She is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (FAAOS), a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), as well as a member of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS). She has been a regular participant in the AOFAS’s medical outreach project in Vietnam. 

Licensed to practice medicine in multiple states, Dr. McHale is affiliated with George Washington University Hospital, Inova Alexandria Hospital, Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, Inova Loudoun Hospital, Inova Fairfax Hospital, and HSHS St. John’s Hospital.

Orthopaedic surgery is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopaedic surgeons use both surgical and non-surgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders.

For the globetrotter, however, there is no place like home. Dr. McHale is married to her husband, Paul, a classmate from Villanova, and they have three grown and married sons. Cooking, gardening, and running are her past-times. Sports as a spectator—from T-ball to professional football—is her passion.

Recommended Articles

• What is Acute Bronchitis?

  What is Bronchitis?We often run under weather catching a flu or a cold that stays on for a couple of days to weeks, after which we normally get back to normal. However, sometimes even a small infection of cold or flu, could turn into a bronchitis infection causing much disturbance to your normal...

• The Most Common Misconceptions About Lupus

  IntroductionLupus is a chronic autoimmune disease. It is a complex disease characterized by inflammation and many other symptoms. In lupus, the body's immune system attacks its own healthy tissues and causes inflammation and swelling. It also damages other organs in the body. People with lupus tend...

• Super Foods to Save Life

  According to many scientific studies foods including quinoa, broccoli, beans, and almonds can be categorized as super foods that prevent diseases and increase longevity. Foods like these contain some powerful substances that may help to prevent diseases and improve overall health. As experts put it,...

• Questions You Should Be Asking Your Doctor

  IntroductionAlthough doctors have the best intentions, it does not always mean that they will perfectly recognize their patient’s greatest need. For this reason, patients also need to take an active role when it comes to communicating with their doctor.One of the best ways to make sure that...

• What Is Pyrexia: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

  Introduction Pyrexia is the medical term for fever, in which the human body temperature rises above the average normal (37 degrees Celsius or 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Pyrexia is one of the most common symptoms of numerous medical conditions.There are multiple factors can affect the normal body...

• Anemia Symptoms

  What is anemia?Anemia occurs when there are low levels of red blood cells (RBCs) in the body. Red blood cells are the ones that carry oxygen all over the body. So when a person's RBC count is lower than normal, it means that there is not enough oxygen in the blood, causing symptoms of anemia, such...