When you’re in pain, your first instinct might be to stop moving. It feels safer to rest, avoid activity, and wait for the pain to fade. But what if movement, not stillness, is actually the key to long-term relief?
As a sports physiatrist, also known as a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) doctor, I help people reconnect with their bodies through safe and purposeful movement. The goal isn’t just to eliminate symptoms – it’s to restore your ability to live life fully, whether that means getting back to your job, the golf course, or simply walking without discomfort.
Training That Prioritizes Recovery, Not Just Relief
PM&R is often misunderstood or lumped in with sports medicine or interventional pain specialties. While we share some tools and techniques, PM&R is unique in its whole-person, function-focused approach. After a one-year internship, we complete a three-year residency focused on neuromuscular rehabilitation, movement science, and restoring function. I then took it a step further and completed a 1-year sports medicine fellowship to further hone my interventional skills.
Our approach goes beyond asking, “Where does it hurt?” We ask, “How can we help you move better with what you already have?” Research shows that maintaining physical activity and restoring movement—even in the presence of chronic pain—leads to improved quality of life, less disability, and better long-term outcomes (Geneen et al., 2017; O’Connor et al., 2015).
What Makes PM&R Different
Pain isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a signal that something needs attention. Our job is to help patients understand that signal and respond in ways that promote healing. That often means encouraging movement, even when it feels counterintuitive. In fact, movement-based therapy has been shown to improve function, reduce reliance on medication, and even help with mood and sleep in people with chronic pain (Ambrose & Golightly, 2015).
At Entira, our PM&R specialty fills an important gap in care. We combine our rehab-focused philosophy with advanced procedures that support your recovery, including:
- Spinal injections for back and disc-related pain
- Ultrasound-guided joint and tendon injections
- Botox injections for chronic migraines
- EMG and nerve conduction studies for nerve-related issues like pinched nerves
These are powerful tools, but they’re always part of a bigger plan centered around movement and long-term function.
Common Conditions We Help With
- Low back pain from disc issues, joint inflammation, or muscle dysfunction
- Pinched nerves, often confirmed with diagnostic testing like EMG
- Arthritis and joint pain, supported with guided injections and strength planning
- Muscle and tendon injuries, such as rotator cuff tears or chronic strains
- Chronic migraines, often treated with Botox alongside lifestyle support
My Journey into PM&R
Growing up, I learned from experiences like choir and wrestling that giving back to your community matters. Those values stayed with me, and medicine became the most meaningful way to live them out.
What drew me to PM&R wasn’t just the science—it was the chance to see people regain their independence. I’ve seen patients go from barely walking to thriving again. That’s what PM&R is about: not just stopping pain but helping people reclaim their lives through movement and meaningful recovery.
References
- Geneen LJ, et al. Physical activity and exercise for chronic pain in adults: an overview of Cochrane Reviews.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;4(4):CD011279.
- O’Connor SR, et al. Factors associated with outcome following multidisciplinary rehabilitation for chronic musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review. Clin J Pain. 2015;31(6):475–486.
- Ambrose KR, Golightly YM. Physical exercise as non-pharmacological treatment of chronic pain: why and when.Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2015;29(1):120–130.
