Spine & Sports Medicine
Doctor
Expertise in Non-Surgical Spine Care
TeleMedicine / TeleHealth / In-Office
Consults Evaluations Treatments
Second opinion

Therapeutic Approach
For each patient a specific complete and accurate diagnosis is made. Treatment is individualized – neck and back pain are not treated generically. Understanding the person is critical in regaining function. A holistic approach is emphasized. Kinetic chain biomechanical analyses and mind-body principles also are integrated into patient care with focus on return to function, work, and play. Fundamental concepts of the program are reliance on the judicious use of passive modalities, concentration on reactivation of the patient to the fullest extent possible using exercise, physical therapeutics, mind-body medicine, injection care, minimally invasive interventional techniques. Spine problems rarely require surgery so spine surgery consultations are made only when absolutely necessary. All rehabilitation and non-opioid medication treatment options are thoroughly explored.

Comprehensive Integrated Care
Dr. Plastaras coordinates sub-specialists from multiple disciplines including physiatry (PM&R), physical therapy, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, interventional radiology, anesthesia, internal medicine, rheumatology, psychology, neurology, and radiology to obtain a comprehensive assessment as appropriate to needs of the patient.

Testing and Imaging
Electrodiagnostic testing and radiologic imaging are independently viewed and interpreted in the context of the presenting functional problem. We treat the person, not the x-ray or MRI results.

Injection & Minimally Invasive Interventional Procedures
Interventional spine procedures through a needle include fluoroscopically guided spinal injections including zygapophysial (facet) joint injections, epidural injections, medial branch nerve injections, selective spinal nerve injections, sacroiliac joint injections, discograms, peripheral nerve injections, shoulder/knee/hip joint injections, radiofrequency ablation procedures and intradiscal procedures.

Christopher Plastaras, MD
Dr. Christopher Plastaras specializes in non-surgical treatments of low back pain, neck pain, sciatica, lumbar spinal stenosis, and other musculoskeletal injuries including shoulder pain, hip pain, knee pain, and foot/ankle pain.
He is the Fellowship Program Director of the Interventional Spine & Musculoskeletal Medicine and works closely with the Fellows to deliver patient care.
As part of Dr. Plastaras’ mission, he educates and empowers the next generation of physical medicine & rehabilitation doctors (physiatrists). This occurs with bedside teaching in the setting of comprehensive evaluation and management of the patients with hands-on teaching.
