Dale A. Funk, MD

Clifford L. DePrang, M.D.

Dale A. Funk, MD

     Dale was born and raised in South Texas and attended The University of Texas at Austin while playing baseball for Coach Gustafson.  He attended medical school at The U T Southwestern in Dallas and completed his orthopedic residency at The U T Health Science Center at San Antonio.  Dale came to Abilene in August of 1998 after completing a fellowship in Sports Medicine and Joint Reconstruction at UTHSC in Houston.  He is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

     Since coming to Abilene, Dr. Funk has worked to establish a top-notch sports medicine organization to assist in the management of all athletes at all levels of competition, regardless of age.  This has culminated in the development of this clinic:  Abilene Sports Medicine & Orthopedics (A.S.M.O.).  Dale  has participated in the care of athletes from all three universities in Abilene, all three high schools in Abilene, and is the primary caregiver for approximately fifteen other local high schools in the Big Country.

     There are two licensed athletic trainers working with A.S.M.O., a fully-staffed physical therapy facility on-site that is affiliated with West Texas Rehab Center, and a staff that is second-to-none in service and friendliness.

    Dr. Funk continues to provide coverage in general orthopedics as well.  He has a busy total joint reconstruction practice, and continues to provide quality care in general fracture care, hand, foot and ankle, pediatric injuries, and all types of joint arthroscopy.   He is well versed in arthoscopy of the  knee, shoulder, ankle, elbow, wrist and hip.

    Dale and his wife Missi have three daughters:  Taylor, Emily and Rachel.  His interests include all sports, computers, church and family.  Dale and his wife are very supportive of several local organizations, with special interests in Young Life and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Clifford L. DePrang, M.D.

Dr. DePrang is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.  He is an Orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and total joint replacement.

Dr. DePrang graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University.  He worked at NASA Johnson Space Center as an engineer before pursuing his medical career.  After earning his Medical Doctorate and completing his orthopaedic residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, he was awarded an internationally recognized fellowship in orthopaedic sports medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio under Dr.’s Jesse DeLee and John Evans.  During his fellowship, Dr. DePrang provided team physician coverage for the San Antonio Spurs, the WNBA San Antonio Stars, the Summer Olympic Trials, Trinity University, and many High Schools.  After completing his fellowship, Dr. DePrang practiced in Houston  for two years and was the Head Team Physician for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. 

Dr. DePrang has advanced training in athletic, traumatic, and arthritic conditions of the shoulder, hip, and knee.  This includes rotator cuff repair, ligament reconstruction, cartilage restoration, and total joint replacement.  He uses minimally invasive techniques such as the uni-compartmental knee replacement, which minimizes scarring, reduces pain, and shortens recovery.

Always at the forefront of orthopaedics, Dr. DePrang, is constantly researching the latest orthopaedic advancements for his patients.  He has a special interest in Hip Resurfacing and the treatment of adults with early arthritis of the hip and knee.   He is one of the few Orthopaedic Surgeons in Texas that is certified to perform the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing procedure (BHR).  This is a procedure designed for younger or active patients considering hip replacement surgery for relief from hip pain.  A BHR was recently implanted in the right hip of 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis.

For more information about the different types of total joint replacements that Dr. DePrang uses, see the following links:

Birmingham Hip Resurfacing

 Partial Knee Replacement

Accuris Unicompartmental Knee Replacement

The Journey Knee Replacement

Total Joint Education Site

In 2005, Dr. DePrang began practicing in Abilene.  He is currently a team physician for Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University.  He is an orthopedic consultant for many of the Abilene and Big Country high school teams, and is one of the Justin Sports Medicine team physicians for the Abilene Rodeo.

Dr. DePrang and his wife, Rosanna, have two young children, Ava and David.  His personal interests include family activities, church, woodworking, fishing, and golf.