Dr Simon Elix

Dr Simon Elix is the founder and Director of Nautilus Orthopaedics in his hometown of Darwin and expanded his practice nationally with the establishment of Nautilus Orthopaedics in Hervey Bay, Queensland in 2016.

Dr Elix completed his medical degree at Flinders University in Adelaide followed by Advanced Orthopaedic training in Queensland. He trained in Queensland’s major trauma and subspecialty centres form 2004-2008 and was fortunate to learn from the best surgeons in the country.

Dr Elix completed his Orthopaedic Sports Fellowship Training in Canada in 2009, at the University of Alberta and gained valuable skills and experience in surgical management of complex joint injuries, particularly knee and shoulder.

Dr Elix has memberships at AOA and RACS and was the Secretary of the RACS NT Regional Committee in 2012-13. He is a member of the QLD Shoulder Society as well as the St Stephens Hospital Medical Advisory Committee.

Areas of interest include: Joint Replacement (including hip, knee and shoulder) Sports Surgery (including complex knee and shoulder surgery), General Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery.

He is a keen runner and was awarded a gold and silver medal in the Australian Masters Games 200m/100m sprint in 2013. He participates regularly in the Hervey Bay Park Run on Saturday mornings with his 3 sons and regularly participates in the Noosa Triathlon. He is a very keen sailor and crossed the Pacific Ocean with his wife and young boys in a sailing catamaran on 2010.

He has previously been team doctor for the NT Thunder AFL team and is a volunteer member of the AUSMAT team, providing medical assistance in disaster situations.

Dr Elix has a particular interest in Anatomic ACL reconstructions and multi ligament knee surgery. He is experienced in complex arthroscopic shoulder surgery including all arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. He performs a large number of joint replacement surgeries in QLD and NT and focuses on the use of safe, modern bearing surfaces, including large volume ceramic hip replacements.

He works very closely with his medical and allied health team to ensure smooth post operative recovery with employment of new blood loss minimisation techniques, multi-site local anaesthesia and nerve blocks. He prides himself on the use of less invasive, small incision surgery with early post surgical mobilisation. He is focussed on improving outcomes based on technological and scientific advances but is very careful to avoid ‘fad’ surgery that is more driven by marketing than science.

Dr Elix also employs a number of non surgical modalities to help patients deal with painful orthopaedic conditions. Examples of these include arthritic joint visco-supplementation and Platelet Rich Plasma Injections to heal damaged tendons. He has recently included a Tendon Shockwave device on site in Hervey Bay, delivering a safer and more effective alternative to traditional therapies.