Division of Sports and Spine Medicine

Our physiatrists focused on musculoskeletal care are board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and most have additional certification in sports medicine, electrodiagnostic medicine, and/or pain medicine. Whether it is back pain from spinal stenosis, effects of a sports injury, arthritis, or tendonitis, we have experts in diagnostic techniques and advanced treatment procedures to help patients regain strength and return to a level of activity that is as close as possible to previous levels.

Our services include:

  • Musculoskeletal ultrasound, also called sonography, uses soundwaves to produce pictures of joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It can show tissue damage such as tendon and muscle tears, inflammation, arthritis, and nerve entrapments.
  • Interventional spine procedures using fluoroscopy. This technique uses real time x-ray to guide the delivery of medication.
  • Platelet-rich-plasma and Prolotherapy are two types of regenerative therapy used to speed healing in damaged tissue such as tendons and ligaments. PRP is an injection of the patient’s platelets, called a graft, that have been mechanically manipulated to accelerate the natural healing process. PRP graft contains at least six times the amount of platelets and growth factors. Prolotherapy is an injection of a glucose solution into damaged tissue causing inflammation that stimulates the body’s healing process.
  • TENEX tendon reduction is a procedure that targets injured, hard tendon material and removes it using a minimally invasive procedure in an outpatient setting.
  • Chronic pain treatments such as peripheral nerve blocks and radio-frequency ablation are also available for pain related to disease and injury of the spine.
  • Orthobiologics, a new and advancing field in regenerative medicine that uses cells and proteins to stimulate healing of bone, muscle, and tendon.

Our doctors work alongside other physicians, therapists, and other specialists to provide patients with a comprehensive treatment plan that includes all members of the medical team.

Some of our outpatient locations have on-site imaging services and procedure suites that are often available for same day appointments. Our locations include the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex and UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, where we have dedicated space and access to advanced imaging technology, rehabilitation services, and trainers. Other clinics for sports and spine services can be found here.