About Chris
Clinical Director of Musculoskeletal Spine & Sports Rehabilitation Medicine
Einstein Spine Institute, Co-Chair, Einstein Healthcare Network
Visit Chris at MossRehab
Christopher Plastaras, MD is MossRehab’s Clinical Director, Musculoskeletal Spine & Sports Rehabilitation Medicine and Co-Chairs the Einstein Spine Institute. Dr. Plastaras received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his internship at Albert Einstein Medical Center and his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine / Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago / (now Shirley Ryan AbilityLab) where he also served as Chief Resident. He practiced for 9 years at Northwestern University/Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago’s Spine & Sports Rehabilitation Center. He returned back home to Philadelphia and worked in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania as Assistant Professor. He was the Director of the Penn Spine Center. He directed the Spine, Sports, & Musculoskeletal Medicine Fellowship while at Penn. He has held board certified in Sports Medicine & Electrodiagnostic Medicine until 2019. He maintains board certification in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
Dr. Plastaras specializes in Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine. His clinical interests are the non-surgical management of musculoskeletal conditions including spine related pain, shoulder/hip/knee/foot/ankle pain, and running injuries. His practice includes fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures treating peripheral joints, “facet” joints, epidurals, and radiofrequency ablation.
Education
Chief Residency
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Northwestern University Medical School
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Residency
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Northwestern University Medical School
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Internship
Department of Medicine
Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
Doctor of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Arts
Physics Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Board Certifications
Board Certified
American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Certification of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine
American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2009-2019
Board Certified
American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine 2009-2019
Administrative Positions
Telehealth Committee Member – 2020-present
Einstein Healthcare Network
Einstein Spine Institute – 2019-present
Co-Chair
Einstein Healthcare Network
Clinical Director – 2018-present
Musculoskeletal Spine & Sports Rehabilitation Medicine
MossRehab
Director, Penn Spine Center 2009-2015
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Physician Co-Lead, Penn Spine Center 2015-2018
University of Pennsylvania Health System Spine Service Line
University of Pennsylvania Health System Neuroscience Service Line
Director of the Penn Spine
Sports Musculoskeletal Clinical Fellowship – 2009-2018
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Chief, Division of Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation – 2009-2011
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Opioid Prescription Reduction Workgroup Member – 2016-2017
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Co-Director of the Kaiser-Freedman Spine & Sports Clinical Fellowship – 2002-2009
RIC / Northwestern University
Northwestern University Medical School
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Academic Positions
Clinical Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine (2019-present)
Jefferson University
Assistant Professor (2009-2018)
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Assistant Professor (2003-2009)
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Clinical Instructor (1999-2003)
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Northwestern University School of Medicine
Hospital Staff Positions
Attending Physiatrist 2018-present
MossRehab
Einstein Healthcare Network
Attending Physiatrist 2009-2018
Clinical Practice of University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Associate Medical Staff Member 2000-2009
Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Attending Physician 2000-2009
Spine & Sports Rehabilitation Center
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Memberships
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
North American Spine Society
Spinal Intervention Society
Association of Academic Physiatrists
TLG Research Associates
Achilles Tendonitis
Ankle Pain
Ankle Sprain
Ankle Tendonitis
Arthritis
Back and Spinal Rheumatoid Arthritis
Back Pain
Bursitis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Dance Injuries
Introdiscal Procedures, Disc Nucleoplasty, Percutaneous Discectomy
Discogram (Diskogram)
Elbow Pain
Elbow Tendonitis
Exercise and the Elderly
Flat Foot (Pes Planus)
Fluoroscopy Guided Injection
Foot Pain
Foot Tendonitis
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Hand and Finger Weakness
Hand Pain
Heel Pain
Hip Arthritis
Hip Pain
Joint Aspiration (Arthrocentesis)
Joint Injections
Knee Cap Instability
Knee Cartilage Tear
Knee Tendonitis
Leg Pain
Lumbar Radiculopathy
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Musculoskeletal Pain
Neck Pain
Nerve Blocks
Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS)
Neuropathic Pain
Minimally Invasive Techniques
Non Surgical Back and Neck Herniated Disc Repair
Non-Operative Ankle Injury
Non-Operative Sports Injury
Occupational Rehabilitation
Osteoarthritis (OA) / Osteoporosis
Pain – Non-Pharmacological Treatment
Post-Traumatic Arthritis
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for spine pain
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for knee pain
Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
Shoulder and Upper Arm Pain
Shoulder Tendonitis
Spinal Stenosis
Spine – Ankylosing Spondylitis
Spine Decompression
Spine Discography
Spine Pain
Spondylolisthesis
Sports Rehabilitation
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (TTS)
Tendonitis
Tenotomy
Thoracic Pain
Ultrasound Guided Injection
Wrist Tendonitis
