02/27/2026
MRI first… or not always? 🤔
One of the most common things I hear in my office:
“Should I get an MRI before we start?”
And here’s my answer…
Not always.
In sports & lifestyle medicine, a thorough history and physical exam are often more powerful than imaging alone. How it started. What makes it worse. How you move. What your goals are. That information matters.
Many musculoskeletal injuries can be diagnosed clinically and treated right away, without delaying care or adding unnecessary cost. 💡
Now, imaging absolutely has its place.
I’ll order an MRI or X-ray when:
• There’s significant trauma
• Symptoms aren’t improving as expected
• I’m concerned about a fracture or major tear
• We’re considering surgical planning
But here’s the part most people don’t realize 👇
MRIs frequently show “abnormalities” that are completely asymptomatic. Disc bulges. Tendon changes. Mild tears. We see these findings all the time in people who have zero pain.
So we don’t treat a picture.
We treat a person. 👤
Your symptoms, your function, your goals… that’s what drives the plan.
If you’re dealing with knee, shoulder, or back pain and wondering whether you need imaging, let’s start with a real evaluation and go from there. 💪
