Holly J. Benjamin, MD, FACSM, FAMSSM is a specialist in sports medicine and non-surgical musculoskeletal injuries. She has been regionally and nationally recognized for expertise in treating all types of athletic injuries. Dr. Benjamin treats athletes for all types of acute and overuse sport related injuries. She also coaches athletes at the high school and collegiate level in strength and conditioning, sport rehabilitation, endurance exercise, and sport biomechanics. Her coaching philosophy is promoting safe and speedy return to play post-injury and injury prevention.
She is currently Chair of the Committee on Sports Medicine & Fitness (COSMF) for the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP), and a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) & the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine (AMSSM). She served in leadership roles on multiple boards for sports medicine governing societies. Dr. Benjamin is the inaugural Director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine Program at UChicago Medicine Student Wellness Center.
Dr. Benjamin has been invited to present dozens of lectures on sports problems in child, adolescent, & collegiate athletes at the local, regional, national and international levels. She is serving as the Head Medical Team Physician for the WNBA Chicago Sky and a medical officer for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, US Soccer, and USA Triathlon. In addition, she is head team physician for the University of Chicago Lab School, and a team physician for the NCAA Division III UChicago Maroons. She is one of only a few sports medicine specialists in the country to offer diagnostic and procedural musculoskeletal ultrasound in her office.
Primary Care Sports Medicine Lutheran General Hospital
Park Ridge, IL
Fellowship - Clinical Associate, Department of Pediatrics
1998
The University of Chicago Children’s Hospital
Chicago, IL
Residency, Pediatrics
1997
Kent State University
Kent, OH
B.S - Integrated Life Sciences
1994
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Rootstown, OH
Medical School - combined BS/MD
1994
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Rootstown, OH
MD
1994
Case Western Reserve School of Medicine
Cleveland, OH
Pre-doctoral Fellowship - Molecular Biology
1992
Training activities associated with lumbar pain exacerbation in competitive swimmers with prior lumbar spine injury: a cross-sectional survey.
Training activities associated with lumbar pain exacerbation in competitive swimmers with prior lumbar spine injury: a cross-sectional survey. Res Sports Med. 2026 Aug 27; 1-9.
PMID: 42656138
The Adolescent Athlete and the Team Physician: A Consensus Statement. 2025 Update.
The Adolescent Athlete and the Team Physician: A Consensus Statement. 2025 Update. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2026 Feb 01; 25(2):59-90.
PMID: 41642578
An Update to the Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine (CAQSM) Certification Blueprint.
An Update to the Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine (CAQSM) Certification Blueprint. J Am Board Fam Med. 2026 Jan; 39(1).
PMID: 42215048
The Adolescent Athlete and the Team Physician: A Consensus Statement. 2025 Update.
The Adolescent Athlete and the Team Physician: A Consensus Statement. 2025 Update. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2026 02 01; 58(2):371-402.
PMID: 41529152
Lumbar spine injuries among high-school and college-aged competitive swimmers associated with various training methods and stroke specialties.
Lumbar spine injuries among high-school and college-aged competitive swimmers associated with various training methods and stroke specialties. Res Sports Med. 2026 May-Jun; 34(3):276-284.
PMID: 41021363
The interaction between neck pain and known determinates of delayed return to play among NCAA student-athletes: a CARE consortium study.
The interaction between neck pain and known determinates of delayed return to play among NCAA student-athletes: a CARE consortium study. Brain Inj. 2025 12; 39(14):1262-1267.
PMID: 40873050
Optimizing Concussion Care Seeking: Using Machine Learning to Predict Delayed Concussion Reporting.
Optimizing Concussion Care Seeking: Using Machine Learning to Predict Delayed Concussion Reporting. Am J Sports Med. 2024 Jul; 52(9):2372-2383.
PMID: 39101733
Latent Profiles of Acute Symptoms, Cognitive Performance, and Balance in Sport-Related Concussions.
Latent Profiles of Acute Symptoms, Cognitive Performance, and Balance in Sport-Related Concussions. Am J Sports Med. 2024 Jul; 52(8):2110-2118.
PMID: 38857057
Association of Premorbid Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Concussion Recovery in Collegiate Student-Athletes.
Association of Premorbid Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Concussion Recovery in Collegiate Student-Athletes. Sports Health. 2025 May-Jun; 17(3):498-511.
PMID: 38835137
The Prevalence and Influence of New or Worsened Neck Pain After a Sport-Related Concussion in Collegiate Athletes: A Study From the CARE Consortium.
The Prevalence and Influence of New or Worsened Neck Pain After a Sport-Related Concussion in Collegiate Athletes: A Study From the CARE Consortium. Am J Sports Med. 2024 Jun; 52(7):1845-1854.
PMID: 38742422
Interview - Naperville Sun article, “Big spike in Naperville District 203 concussion numbers tied to
2017
Common Pediatric Medical Procedures Videos, AAP.
2015
Interview –“Safe Bee Water Intoxication” for the AMSSM Weekly Digest, Columbia, AM
2015
Fitness and Health: Expert opinion on Menstruation and distance running, for Runner’s World.
2015
Common Pediatric Medical Procedures video, American Academy of Pediatrics. http://pedia
2015
Ankle Sprains in Youth Sports. AAP News Today, Orland, FL.
2014
AAP Digital Medical Solutions: Pediatric Orthopedic Emergencies. Video CME Production.
2014
Invited to serve as a volunteer physician for the Olympic Training Center. Colorado Springs
2008
Elected Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (2nd female pediatrician ever elected fell
2003
Distinguished Alumni Award, The New Aurora High School Alumni
1999