We have created an extremely protective and comforting atmosphere for family, friends and anyone in need of podiatric, general orthopedic or sports medicine care and/or assistance. We have done this by ensuring that each patient is well taken care of, educated and assisted throughout every aspect of their care. We believe in “sheparding” our patients every step of the way. Having an injury or ailment can be scary, stressful or overwhelming. We make it our mission to assist you at every step; from scheduling of appointments, billing and insurance concerns, understanding treatments, coordinating physical therapy or any obstacles we may encounter together, our staff has been trained in how best to direct and guide you through the entire process.

The ability to provide X-ray diagnostic services and ultrasound guided procedures on-site are examples of the patient focused approach and designed specifically to obtain the best possible care of our patients. Another way we have insure our patients receive the best possible outcome is by coordinating their physical therapy. Our providers, in cooperation with a dedicated team of Physical Therapy professionals, also provide convenient on-site physical therapy services. Being in direct communication allows our providers to work more closely and efficiently with the therapists to enable our patients regain and return to the greatest level of function possible, as quickly as possible. This patient focused approach is designed to improve your level of health and ability as seamlessly as possible.

We also provide onsite insurance and billing assistance in addition to a fully automated electronic medical record system with patient internet access. This allows you to manage your account easily, schedule appointments more efficiently, etc.; freeing up your time to focus on your healing process and concentrate on returning to your desired level of participation, whether it be at work, sports, leisure or merely climbing stairs without constant pain and/or suffering.

We provide Work Conditioning programs. Work Conditioning is a highly structured, goal oriented, individualized treatment program designed to maximize your ability to return to work. Work conditioning programs are multi-disciplinary in nature with the capability of addressing the functional, physical, behavioral and vocational needs of the person served.

In summary, we specialize in sports medicine, podiatry, general orthopedics, adolescent sports medicine, injury prevention for athletes of all ages and at all skill levels, as well as shoulder and knee orthopedic expertise, occupational health, and foot and ankle health. We also provide treatment of many additional conditions such as bursitis, tendonitis, sprains, strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, tennis/golfers elbow, fractures and industrial and overuse conditions.

We are here to care for you and to help you reach your maximum physical potential through a multi-faceted patient focused caring environment with professionals that aggressively seek to teach, train, repair and support you as you “get back in the game.”

Our Mission

To provide the highest quality health care as efficiently as possible with the goal to return the patient to his or her previous level of function, to provide a safe and friendly environment for patients and their families, and to maintain the highest ethical standards.

Our History

Dr. Keith Pitchford is the founder, CEO, and president of Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. He is a proud native of Lansing, IL. He studied undergrad at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After that he completed medical school as well as residency in Orthopedics at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) in Chicago, Illinois (Currently Midwestern University in Downers Grove, IL.) He completed a Fellowship in Sports Medicine from 1995-1996 at the University of Illinois at Peoria, IL. Following the completion of his Fellowship, he started his career in the western suburbs of Chicago. He was married and soon he and his wife, Shelley, found themselves beginning their family. While expecting their second child, they decided to move back closer to family. Shelley was born and raised in the Region and they both wanted to return to the area to be near family and friends and to be able to serve the people they held dear.

Early in 2000, Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports Medicine officially opened their doors. First, in a small rental suite in Crown Point and shortly after that, they were able to open another rental suite in Dyer, IN. Quickly they expanded to a much larger office in Crown Point where they added their own physical therapy department for the ultimate benefit of their patients. Finally in 2006 they were not renting anymore. Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports Medicine was extremely proud to open their very own 20,000 square foot state of the art professional building in St. John, IN. The Great Lakes professional building, which stands at 9615 Keilman St., houses the corporation’s main office, billing department, 11 exam rooms, digital x-ray department, ultrasound guided procedures, physical and occupational therapy departments as well as its new work conditioning program. It is a wonderfully centralized location, between Crown Point and Dyer, while being large enough to accommodate all of our patients and all of our services, that we were able to condense our resources and efforts to serve all of North Lake County in one location much more efficiently.

Since that time, Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports Medicine has expanded to south Lake County. We enjoy meeting our new friends from in and around Lowell that visit us in our satellite office at 1020 E. Commercial Ave, Lowell, IN. At our satellite office we have 5 exam rooms and we have duplicated our high quality services of digital x-ray, ultrasound guided procedures and our outstanding physical therapy department.

Having all of these complementary and synergic services under one roof, in 2 locations, with a focused shared vision to return the patient to their fullest state of health while providing convenience for the patient, brings to life another dimension of the philosophy of Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports Medicine P.C. which is to serve the greater Northwest Indiana region, cherished home of Dr. Keith Pitchford and his family, with outstanding patient care.

To offer complementary patient care options for the foot and ankle, Dr. Curt Martini, Podiatrist, joined the group in April, 2021.

Kristen Giacomin, DNP, NP-C, ENP-C, RNFA, a wonderful Nurse Practitioner, joined GLO in December of 2023 to help assist our ever growing practice.