Hi, I’m Dr. Danny Clark, the Director of Orthobiologics here at the new Protea Performance Center. I want to take a moment to talk about something that often gets overlooked but is absolutely vital to your healing journey: the importance of your first appointment, and specifically, the physical exam we perform during that visit.
Why the Physical Exam Is a Game Changer
Something that was emphasized during my residency, and continues to shape how I practice, is the value of a thorough hands-on physical exam. This lesson came from one of my mentors, and it is something I believe more patients should understand.
A common situation we see goes like this: A patient comes in with chronic low back pain. Their imaging, such as an MRI or X-ray, shows nothing concerning. They are told everything looks normal and are often referred to physical therapy. For some people, that helps. But for others, the pain continues. They go back to their doctor and are told there is nothing else to do. No diagnosis, and no clear treatment plan.
That is when they begin looking for other solutions. They try new therapies, follow online advice, or seek out different providers. Eventually, many of them find their way to a regenerative medicine practice like ours. This is where the initial physical exam becomes essential.
What Makes Our Exams Different
We always begin by reviewing your full history. We want to understand what you have tried, what worked, and what did not. But the real difference comes from the physical exam.
This is not a basic checkup. We are not just listening to your heart and lungs. We perform specific movements designed to isolate and evaluate individual joints, tissues, and structures. Our goal is to safely reproduce your pain so we can better understand it.
That may sound unusual, but it is a crucial step. If a particular test targets a specific structure, such as a ligament or joint, and it recreates your exact pain, then we have likely found a source of the problem.
This matters because most imaging cannot show pain. It can reveal structural issues, but it does not explain what actually hurts. If your scans look clean but you are still in pain, then something is being missed. A detailed physical exam helps us find it.
Identifying Pain Sources and Creating a Plan
Pain usually comes from more than one issue. It is often the result of several contributing factors. During your exam, we gather information to identify the most significant causes. From there, we can prioritize treatments. We ask questions like: What should we address first? What therapies will best support your recovery? Can we combine physical therapy, medication, supplements, or other tools?
Our treatment plans often include orthobiologic options such as platelet-rich plasma injections. Since there is only a limited amount of blood we can use per session, we have to be thoughtful. Sometimes we treat multiple areas at once. Other times we take a step-by-step approach.
What Comes After the First Appointment
Three months after your initial treatment, we bring you back for a re-evaluation. We repeat the physical exam and talk through your progress. What has improved? What is still causing discomfort? Based on that, we update your treatment plan.
If This Sounds Familiar, Let’s Talk
If this experience sounds like yours, if you have been told your scans are fine but you are still in pain, you are not alone. I would love to help.
You can schedule a free 15-minute Discovery Call with me to see if we are the right fit. If I believe we can help, we will move forward together. If not, I will do my best to guide you toward someone who can.
Let us find the root of your pain and begin your path toward relief.
Prefer to watch?
Dr. Clark explains it all in the video below.