Our Leadership, Team & Philosophy

Helping you channel your full potential.

Working with his affiliate practice, FitMed Partners,
Dr. McConnell offers preventive age management,
bio-identical hormone therapy, and
medically-based fitness and nutrition programs.

Bright McConnell, III, MD

Charleston Sports Medicine’s founding physician, Bright McConnell, III, MD, is board-certified in orthopedic surgery and specializes in sports and regenerative medicine. He uses the latest treatments and technologies including minimally invasive procedures and surgical solutions to treat general orthopedic, sports injuries and degenerative diseases. He specializes in the treatment of knee and shoulder disorders. Dr. McConnell is also certified as a clinical densitometrist in the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. A long-standing proponent of orthobiologics, his Daniel Island-based practice is the orthopedic regenerative medicine leader in this area.

Dr. McConnell received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Georgia, followed by a surgical internship and orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Florida. As a senior resident, he completed a Travelling Resident Program in Europe, studying orthopedic medicine in the Netherlands, Italy, and Switzerland.

Dr. McConnell’s sports medicine fellowship training was completed at the National Athletic Health Institute/Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Inglewood, California. During his time in California, Dr. McConnell worked with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dodgers, and the LA Rams, amongst many other professional athletes. He was the team physician for the College of Charleston athletic teams and was a partner of Orthopaedic Specialists of Charleston for almost 20 years before establishing his current private practices.

He is active in many orthopedic and regenerative medicine societies and associations. His accolades and affiliations include “Best Doctors in America,” Member of American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Member of American College of Sports Medicine, Member of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry, and Fellow American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Dr. McConnell is married with three children and resides in McClellanville, SC. His interests include aviation and marine activities. He is an instrument-rated private pilot and recently obtained his US Coast Guard Captain’s License. He also enjoys his tractor time as a recreational farmer.

SHANE WOOLF, MD

Dr. Shane Woolf completed his undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology at Princeton University in 1994 and then earned his medical degree from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine in 1998. He completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina, then went on to complete a Sports Medicine fellowship at the Taos Orthopaedic Institute in Taos, New Mexico. While in New Mexico, Dr. Woolf served as a team physician for Highlands University, several high schools in northern New Mexico, and as a medical consultant to Taos Ski Valley and Angel Fire ski resorts. Dr. Woolf returned to Charleston in 2006 to join the faculty in the Department of Orthopaedics at the Medical University of South Carolina. In 2013, he was appointed Chief of Sports Medicine and Medical Director of the Sports Medicine Program and promoted to Professor in 2020. He was honored to serve in those roles until January 2022 before leaving MUSC to join the Charleston Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center.

Dr. Woolf is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and holds a certificate of added qualification in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. Dr. Woolf’s practice interests include injuries to athletes of all skill levels and ages, with particular interests in shoulder and knee problems in active and athletic individuals. His clinical practice includes knee and shoulder injuries, rotator cuff disorders, shoulder instability, throwing shoulder injuries, shoulder arthritis and replacement, knee instability, anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL), meniscus tears, cartilage injury, and non-arthritic hip pain.

Dr. Woolf resides in Charleston with his wife, two children, and a loyal old lab retriever.

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Amanda Riley, DPM, MPH

Amanda Riley, DPM, MPH, is a board-certified podiatrist who is passionate about helping patients overcome their foot and ankle issues. She completed her undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, where she graduated at the top of her class. This motivated her to utilize her engineering skills and apply them in a healthcare setting. Dr. Riley went on to receive her doctorate from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine as well as her Master of Public Health from Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine. Dr. Riley’s residency training as Chief Resident was completed at Mount Sinai South Nassau where she received extensive training in minimally invasive surgery, cosmetic surgery, diabetic limb salvage, wound care, and reconstructive foot and ankle surgery.

As a former soccer player, Dr. Riley loves the sports medicine aspect of podiatry. Each year she volunteers at various marathons and enjoys helping runners with sport-related injuries. Before joining the team at Charleston Sports Medicine, Dr. Riley was a Foot and Ankle Specialist in New York City. At the practice, her focus on orthobiologics and sports medicine strengthened.

Dr. Riley is an active member of several professional societies and associations including the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and the American Podiatric Medical Association.

Dr. Riley and her husband reside in Carolina Park and are excited to call Charleston their new home. In her free time, she loves to paddleboard, run, and travel with her friends and family. Her intelligence and extensive expertise in podiatry make Dr. Riley a valuable asset to our team at Charleston Sports Medicine.

Blake Ohlson, MD

Dr. Blake L. Ohlson is an orthopaedic surgeon with over 15 years of experience treating general orthopaedic and complex foot and ankle disorders. He is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated Cum Laude with a BS in Chemistry from John Carroll University in 1996. He worked as an analytical chemist before attending medical school in 1997. He was awarded a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio in 2001. He completed five years of orthopaedic surgery residency training at the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine, followed by a one-year foot and ankle reconstruction fellowship at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Ohlson relocated to Charleston in 2007 to begin practice. He served for several years as the Division Chief of Foot and Ankle Service within The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Roper St. Francis Healthcare as well as volunteer faculty Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at The Medical University of South Carolina. He is a published author and contributing reviewer for the journal Foot and Ankle International.

Dr. Ohlson joined Charleston Sports Medicine in 2022. His aim is to bring the most advanced and comprehensive treatment options to patients looking to regain mobility and maintain a pain-free active lifestyle. Dr. Ohlson utilizes traditional orthopaedic care along with the latest technology to assist in patient care. Non-surgical options include casting, shockwave technology, laser therapy, and ultrasound-guided application of PRP, stem cells, and amniotic allograft.

For patients requiring surgery, Dr. Ohlson specializes in treating a host of general orthopaedic and complex foot and ankle disorders. This includes orthopaedic trauma, arthroscopy, joint replacement, hallux valgus (bunion), and deformity correction.

Dr. Ohlson resides with his wife, Melissa, and their three children on Daniel Island. He is a professional musician and multi-instrumentalist. His band Steel Petals has recorded multiple albums and performed throughout the Lowcountry. Two of his songs were featured on a previous MTV reality series. He is an avid tennis player and enjoys yoga and Peloton. He is passionate about seeing athletes reach their fullest potential. He treats young people and aging athletes seeking to remain active and competitive.

Dr. Ohlson is a Fellow of The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Board Certified by The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is a member of The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society and the South Carolina Medical Association. He also serves as a member of the South Carolina LLR Orthopaedic/Podiatry Oversight Committee appointed by the Governor.

Eric Friedman, MD

Eric Friedman, MD is a board-certified sports medicine doctor who is passionate about helping patients become active again through non-operative, conservative measures. He completed his undergraduate studies in Health and Exercise Science at Wake Forest University, where he graduated with honors. He stayed at Wake Forest University for his medical degree, before going to emergency medicine residency at the University of Maryland/Shock Trauma program in Baltimore. After residency, he did a sports medicine fellowship at Duke University and served as a Team Physician for all of Duke University Athletics (yes, he worked with Coach K).

Dr. Friedman has lectured locally, nationally, and internationally on various sports medicine topics. Additionally, his research has been published in multiple peer-reviewed academic journals, and he has written numerous textbook chapters.

He has been a part of medical coverage for marathons, ultra-marathons, NCAA tournament games, and multiple professional sports. He recently became one of the physicians of the USA ski and snowboard team.

He uses orthobiologics as well as various other methods to help keep you out of the operating room and keep you active.

Dr. Friedman and his wife reside on Daniel Island and are excited to have moved to Charleston. They were even featured, along with Charleston Sports Medicine, in an episode of HGTV’s House Hunters. Originally from New York, Dr. Friedman is a big NY sports fan and enjoys spending time with his wife and dog.

Our Philosophy

Dr. Bright McConnell has practiced orthopedic surgery in Charleston, SC for over 30 years. He stays ahead of new technologies, processes, and treatment opportunities. Charleston Sports Medicine patients benefit from current treatment options for musculoskeletal problems that are less debilitating and proven in efficacy. Over the past decade, the science behind orthobiologics has exploded. Typically referred to in several different forms, orthobiologics was first utilized in oral surgery in the mid-1990s.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) Dr. McConnell worked with PRP for years as the team physician for the College of Charleston. PRP was used on injured athletes to achieve rapid recovery and healing. Referred commonly among athletes as “spinning blood”, PRP has progressed over the years into an effective, minimally invasive technique to increase regeneration and healing of osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease, and chronic tendon problems.

At the other end of the Orthobiologics spectrum is the growing interest in stem cell utilization as it relates to orthopedic or musculoskeletal medicine. While invasive treatments such as joint arthroplasty, total hip replacement, and total knee replacement remain appropriate solutions for the reduction of pain and the improvement of function for many patients, regenerative medicine therapies are a minimally invasive option for many patients. Determining whether a patient is a candidate for minimally invasive regenerative medicine treatments begins with an evaluation. If traditional treatments such as bracing or biomechanical optimization, and a treatment course with interarticular medication including corticosteroid injections and image-guided hyaluronate injections have occurred and failed to relieve pain, further options should be considered. Stem cell therapy has been a breakthrough therapy for knee osteoarthritis and joints and other issues that previously only had surgery as an option.

The recent literature supports the use of either bone marrow aspirate with or without adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells or “lipo-aspirate” either separately or in combination. Clinical studies support the orthobiologics and stem cell use in the orthopedic specialty. While downtime and price point are considerably lower than surgical treatments, insurance companies continue to deny coverage. Therefore, therapies are often “out of pocket”. Charleston Sports Medicine works hard to keep fees reasonable and competitive. In fact, we recommend strongly comparing experience, board certification, utilization, and price prior to committing to a regenerative treatment in orthopedics.

Also, there is the availability of amniotic allogra. An allogra tissue is a donation from someone else and may be derived from the amniotic tissue from the placenta obtained at the time of child delivery. It is important to note that the amniotic tissue has nothing to do with the controversial area of embryonic stem cell therapy, or utilizing fetal tissue. Typical harvesting occurs from previously screened mothers delivering healthy babies via C-section. e amnion tissue has immunologic protection. is means there is very little risk of the tissue being rejected by the recipient.

We are equally excited about subchondroplasty. Subchondroplasty is a less invasive alternative to knee replacement that allows instant stabilization of the failing bone structure and gives it immediate support. A simple cannula is placed into the affected area of the bone and calcium phosphate is injected. e surrounding bone will incorporate the calcium phosphate and grow into it.

The orthopedic industry continues to develop new and exciting treatments under the category of orthopedic regeneration or orthobiologics. Patients and practitioners alike look forward to the continued improvements and availability of technologies in the eld of orthobiologics as it relates to musculoskeletal medicine.

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