Submitted By Gregory Strock, M.D.
02.22.2010

As a board-certified physiatrist, I am delighted to join Methodist Sports Medicine / The Orthopedic Specialists.
If this is your first time hearing about physiatry, you may be wondering, “What is it, and how can it help me?”
Physiatry – also known as physical medicine and rehabilitation – is a growing medical specialty designed to decrease pain and improve function, non-operatively.  This may involve improving a patient’s range of motion, physical ability and independence where possible, without surgery.
Physiatrists are medical doctors, who have participated in a required four year training program after medical school, and who have passed a written and oral board certification exam. Through this training, physiatrists become experienced in treating patients with a wide range of problems, such as back and neck pain or extremity or joint pain related to arthritis or nerve compression.  They can also diagnose and treat patients who have been disabled as a result of musculoskeletal or nervous system disorders or injury, using various diagnostic tests, physical therapy, medications and sometimes injections.
Working with a team of medical professionals, physiatrists design and carry out a holistic, individualized rehabilitation and therapy program for patients. For those patients that choose to consult a physiatrist early on, many are able to avoid further injury and experience a quicker and more complete recovery. 
A frequent reason for seeing a physiatrist includes low back pain with sciatica (pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg). This is often a good starting point for treatment with the goal of avoiding surgery, if possible.
However, in some cases, surgery may be the best route to recovery.  If and when this course of action is determined, we will refer you to a fellow physician who specializes in orthopedic surgery.