About me
Dr. Kenneth Means, Jr. is an orthopaedic hand surgeon who sees patients in Baltimore and Ellicott City. He is the Vice Chief and Clinical Research Consultant at the Curtis National Center at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Means is a fellowship-trained, board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, and holds the Certificate of Added Qualification for Surgery of the Hand from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is the hand/upper extremity consultant for multiple sports teams including the Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Orioles, Towson University, Morgan State University, Stevenson University, and many other local and regional schools.
Dr. Means specializes in hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow conditions, including fractures, dislocations, and nerve/tendon/ligament/blood vessel injuries; upper extremity nerve compression, including carpal and cubital tunnel syndromes; Dupuytren's contracture; trigger finger; and arthritis and other issues affecting these areas. Dr. Means uses both nonsurgical and surgical treatment options for patients.
At the Curtis National Hand Center, Dr. Means is involved in academic activities including research, grants acquisition, lecturing, book and journal publication, and education of fellows and residents from MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He has received Golden Apple teaching awards from the MedStar Union Memorial Hospital Orthopedic Surgery Residency and from the Curtis National Hand Center Hand/Upper Extremity Surgery Fellowship. Dr. Means was also part of the inaugural international hand mission with Operation Smile.
Dr. Means attended a 7-year accelerated B.S./M.D. program at TSC-UMDNJ-NJMS, now TCNJ-Rutgers-NJMS, and then completed his Orthopaedic Surgery residency at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He did additional fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery at the Curtis National Hand Center.
Dr. Means has been named an annual Top Doc by Baltimore magazine for Hand Surgery since 2017, most recently in 2023.
Clinical areas of focus
- Carpal Tunnel Release
- Club Hand Reconstruction
- Cubital Tunnel Release
- Distal Radius Fracture Fixation
- Dupuytren's Contracture
- Ganglion Cysts
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Radial Nerve Entrapment
- Scaphoid Fracture Treatment
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Trigger Finger
- Wrist And Hand Tendon Injury
- Wrist Instability Reconstruction
- Wrist Instability Treatment
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acantholytic Disorders
- Acquired Absence Of Limb
- Acquired Finger Deformity
- Amputation Of Fingers
- Areola Deformity
- Arm Fracture
- Arthritis
- Arthritis Of The Wrist
- Arthropathy
- Benign Neoplasm Of Bone And Articular Cartilage
- Benign Tumor
- Bone Discontinuity
- Bone Disorders
- Bone Infection (OSTEOMYELITIS)
- Bone Nonunion
- Boutonniere Deformity
- Boxer's Fracture
- Bursopathy
- Chronic Gout
- Congenital Hand Deformities
- Congenital Malformations Of Limb
- Contact With Powered Hand Tools And Household Machinery
- Crush Injury Of The Hand
- Cutaneous Abscess, Furuncle And Carbuncle
- Dupuytren's Contracture
- Elbow And Forearm Injury
- Elbow Arthritis
- Elbow Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Enteropathic Arthropathies
- Finger Arthritis
- Finger Injury
- Finger Joint Dislocation
- Finger Laceration
- Finger Sprains
- Finger, Hand, And Wrist Open Wound
- Flexor Tendon Rupture
- Forearm And Elbow Joint Instability
- Forearm Fracture
- Forearm Tendon Injury
- Ganglion Cysts
- Gout
- Hand And Wrist Arthritis
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Hand Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Hand Tendon Injury
- Head Injury
- Joint Derangement
- Joint Disorder
- Laceration Of Hand
- Lateral Meniscus Injury
- Limb Deformity
- Lower Leg And Ankle Fracture
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Connective And Soft Tissue
- Mallet Finger
- Mononeuropathy Of Upper Limb
- Muscle Disorders
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis Of First Carpometacarpal Joint
- Osteochondropathies
- Osteonecrosis
- Osteonecrosis Of The Hand
- Polyosteoarthritis
- Radial Nerve Entrapment
- Radial Nerve Injury
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of Hand
- Rheumatoid Arthritis With Rheumatoid Factor
- Scaphoid Fracture
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Muscle, Fascia, And Tendon Injury
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Tendon Injury
- Shoulder Fracture
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Swan Neck Deformity
- Syndactyly
- Synovium And Tendon Disorder
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
- Tendinous Disorders
- Tendon Damage In The Hand
- Tendonitis Of The Hand
- Thumb Synovitis
- Trigger Finger
- Trigger Thumb
- Wrist And Hand Amputation
- Wrist And Hand Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Wrist And Hand Laceration
- Wrist And Hand Tendon Injury
- Wrist Blood Vessel Injury
- Wrist Joint Dislocation
- Wrist, Hand, And Finger Crushing Injury
Procedures I perform
- Amputation With Direct Closure
- Arthrocentesis
- Articular Fracture Treatment
- Bennett Fracture Treatment
- Bone Density Scan
- Bone Graft
- Bone Repair
- Boutonniere Deformity Correction
- Boxer's Fracture Treatment
- Capsulotomy Of Wrist
- Carpal Bone Fracture Treatment
- Carpal Scaphoid Fracture Fixation
- Carpal Tunnel Release
- Carpectomy Of All Bones Of Proximal Row
- Carpectomy Of One Bone
- Carpometacarpal Dislocation Treatment
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Club Hand Reconstruction
- Cubital Tunnel Release
- De Quervain Tenosynovitis Treatment
- Distal Phalangeal Fracture Treatment
- Distal Radius Fracture Fixation
- Distal Radius Fracture Treatment
- Dupuytren Contracture Treatment
- Electromyography
- Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release
- Excision Of Bone Cyst Or Tumor Of Radius Or Ulna
- Excision Of Tendon
- Excision Of Tendon Sheath Or Joint Capsule Lesion
- Excision Of Tumor Or Vascular Malformation
- Excision Or Curettage, Radius Or Olecranon Process
- Excision, Tumor, Soft Tissue, Or Vascular Malformation, Of Hand Or Finger
- Extensor Tendon Grafting
- Extensor Tendon Sheath Incision
- Facial Nerve Repair
- Fasciectomy Of Palm
- Fasciectomy With Release Of Single Digit
- Femoral Nerve Reposition
- Femoral Nerve Transfer
- Finger Arthroscopy
- Finger Contracture Release
- Finger Joint Replacement
- Foot Subcutaneous Tissue Diagnostic Drainage
- Ganglion Cyst Excision
- Hand Drainage
- Hand Fracture External Fixation
- Hand Replantation
- Hand Tendon Excision
- Hand Tendon Repair
- Hand Transplantation
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Intercarpal Arthroplasty
- Interphalangeal Joint Arthroplasty
- Interphalangeal Joint Capsulectomy
- Joint Arthroscopy
- Joint Drainage
- Median Nerve Conduction Studies
- Median Nerve Release
- Metacarpal Fracture Treatment
- Metacarpal Joint Arthrodesis
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint Arthroplasty
- Microsurgery
- Muscle Flap
- Nail Biopsy
- Nail Plate Avulsion
- Nerve Block
- Nerve Graft
- Neuroma Excision, Digital Nerve
- Neuroplasty
- Opponensplasty
- Orthopedic Physical Therapy
- Osteotomy
- Partial Excision Of Bone
- Phalangeal Fracture Treatment
- Phalangeal Shaft Fracture Treatment
- Phalanx Bone Excision
- Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome Treatment
- Radial And Ulnar Shaft Fracture Fixation
- Reconstructive Surgery
- Removal Of Implant
- Scaphoid Fracture Treatment
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Skin Graft
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Splinting
- Stenting Of Blood Vessels
- Surgical Repair Of Flexor Tendon
- Tendon Excision
- Tendon Lengthening
- Tendon Sheath Drainage
- Tendon Transplantation
- Tendonitis Treatment
- Tenolysis
- Tenotomy
- Trigger Finger Treatment
- Ulnar Nerve Compression Treatment
- Wound Repair
- Wrist Instability Reconstruction
- Wrist Instability Treatment
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- IH-HMO
- Optimum Choice
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- IH-Open HMO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Student Resources
- UHC Passport
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CareFirst EPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CIGNA Indemnity
- First Health PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- HighMark
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Choice Fund PPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-POS Plus
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna HMO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- POS OA
- Choice POS
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Network OA
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Sentara Health
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- TRICARE for Life East
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Medicare FFS
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-EPO Plus
- Medicare Direct
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- TRICARE East Select
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- OA Plus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- IH-Open POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- IH-PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- TRICARE East Prime
- Navigate
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Hand Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Fellowship: MedStar Union Memorial Hospital at Baltimore (2006)
Residency: MedStar Union Memorial Hospital at Baltimore (2005)
Medical School: University Of Medicine & Dentistry Of New Jersey (2000)
Awards
- Annual Baltimore magazine Top Doc 2017, 2025
- Golden Apple Teaching Awards 2016, 2010, and 2008
- American Association for Hand Surgery Annual Best Research Paper Award 2017
- Roger H. Michael/Johnson & Johnson Resident Research Award
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Educational Media:
WMAR ABC TV 5 O’Clock News Interview - “Frostbite” – 2015
About.com - “Preventing wrist pain in cyclists” – 2014
CBS Radio Better Golf with Joe Plecker Interview - “Hamate hook fractures” – 2012
CBS Radio Public Service Message - “Lawnmower safety for your hands” – 2012
Baltimore Business Journal - “How Baltimore-area doctors cope with stress” – 2012
WBFF FOX45 News Interview - “Dupuytren’s disease” – 2011
WMAR ABC TV 11 O’Clock News Interview - “Thumb arthritis” – 2008
WYPR FM 88.1 Radio Commentary - “Cubital tunnel syndrome – the other carpal tunnel” – 2007
Baltimore Sun Newspaper Interview with Chris Emery - “Use caution to avoid common winter injuries” – 2007
WBAL AM 1090 Radio Interview with Bruce Elliott - “Distal radius fractures” – 2006
Retirement Living TV Healthline Program Interview with Kevin Soden - “Carpal Tunnel” – 2006