Skip to main content
 
Notice: Users may be experiencing issues with displaying some pages on stanfordhealthcare.org. We are working closely with our technical teams to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience.
Stanford Health Care

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Division

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 

The Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) offers a wide spectrum of services dedicated to managing various disabilities and assisting patients to reach their maximal functional outcome.

As a part of Stanford Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, our team helps you to build up your strength, flexibility, and range of motion to restore your body's function and quality of life after an injury or surgery. 

Map image
Our Locations
Make an appointment

Our Doctors

Our Advanced Practice Providers

Care and Treatment

Treatments

Surgical procedures 

Percutaneous discectomy

Surgery used to remove portions of a herniated disc that are pressing onto nerves or the spinal cord.

Vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty

Surgical procedures where bone cement is injected into the fracture or fusion procedures to stabilize the area of injury.

Pain management procedures 

Epidural steroid injections

Types of injections of corticosteroid medications into the area around the spinal nerves (epidural space) to reduce inflammation of the nerve and disc. Options include caudal epidural, interlaminar epidural, transforaminal epidural, and translaminar epidural.

Facet joint injections

Injections of medications into the spinal facet joints, which are located between each set of vertebrae in the spine from the neck to the tailbone.

Sacroiliac joint injection

A nerve block primarily used either to diagnose or treat low back pain and/or sciatica symptoms associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

Discography

An injection technique used to evaluate patients with back pain for surgery who have not responded to nonsurgical care.

Intradiscal therapy

A minimally invasive treatment for spinal disc-related chronic low back pain, in which a catheter is used to slowly heat the outer layer of the disc, destroying nerve fibers, and sealing any small tears.

Hip joint aspiration

A procedure in which a sterile needle and syringe are used to drain fluid from the joint, used to obtain joint fluid for analysis, or to relieve joint swelling and pain.

Hip joint steroid injection

An injection of a steroid or other medication into a joint to reduce the inflammation and/or swelling of tissue in the joint space.

Coccygeal injection

Injection of anesthetic into the tissues around the coccyx to eliminate pain and discomfort in the tailbone area.

Ganglion impar

A nerve block procedure to reduce some of the symptoms of chronic pain by blocking nerve impulses in sacral/coccyx region.

Selective, sympathetic and medial branch nerve blocks (lumbar, thoracic, cervical, ilioingual, suprascapular)

Depending on the location of the pain, a nerve block is used to diagnose and/or manage pain for a variety of conditions.

Shoulder joint injections

Injections in the should joint to reduce inflammation and/or swelling.

Neurotomy

A type of injection procedure used to treat facet joint pain or sacroiliac joint pain caused by arthritis or other degenerative changes, or from an injury.

Frozen shoulder protocol

Chronic frozen shoulder is a condition that can be treated with medication, physical therapy, steroid injections, and other therapies.

Occipital nerve block

An intravenous procedure to administer medication into the back of the head.

Peripheral joint procedures 

Carpal tunnel nerve block

A peripheral nerve block can be used for individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Lateral epicondyle

An pain medication injection used to treat elbow inflammation and pain caused by injury, overuse or arthritis.

Shoulder/knee steroid injections

A series of steroid injections into the knees or shoulder joints to reduce inflammation and/or swelling caused by injury, arthritis or overuse.

Synvisc/hylvan for osteoarthritis

A long-term pain relief injection used to treat knee pain and inflammation caused by osteoarthritis.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture

A procedure that involves inserting needles in specific points on the body to manipulate and stimulate those areas.

Rehabilitation

Cancer rehabilitation

A physical, psychological, and social rehabilitation program to enable cancer patients to regain control over many aspects of their lives and remain as independent and productive as possible during and after cancer treatment.

Cardiac rehabilitation

A rehabilitation program that improves physical function in patients with cardiac disease or recent cardiac surgeries, includes nutritional therapies, weight loss programs, blood pressure control, diabetes management, and stress management and more.

Musculoskeletal rehabilitation

A focused rehabilitation program to help individuals recover from musuloskeltal injury or chronic conditions, including traumatic injury and illness, hip fractures, and joint surgery.

Neurological rehabilitation

A rehabilitation program designed for people with diseases, trauma, or disorders of the nervous system to improve function, reduce symptoms, and improve the well-being of the patient.

Pulmonary rehabilitation

An integrated rehabilitation program to help people with chronic pulmonary disease improve their quality of life and capabilities through education, exercise training, psychosocial assistance, and disease prevention.

Stanford Health Care Now

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials.

Open trials refer to studies currently accepting participants. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.

Open Trials Closed Trials

For Patients

PREPARE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT

Bring your completed New Patient Questionnaire to your appointment.

For new patient appointments, call 650-498-7555.

For returning appointments or medical questions, call 650-723-5643.

To request an appointment with Dr. Ming Kao, call 650-723-6238

To request an appointment with Dr. Kara Flavin, call 650-723-6469

International Patients
Phone: +1 650-723-8561
Email: IMS@stanfordhealthcare.org

Los Gatos

408-866-6651

Redwood City

650-723-5643

Pleasanton

925-272-2860

RESOURCES

For Health Care Professionals

PHYSICIAN HELPLINE

Phone: 1-866-742-4811
Fax: 650-320-9443
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Stanford Health Care provides comprehensive services to refer and track patients, as well as the latest information and news for physicians and office staff. For help with all referral needs and questions, visit Referral Information.

You may also submit a web referral or complete a referral form and fax it to 650-320-9443 or email the Referral Center at ReferralCenter@stanfordhealthcare.org.

 

HOW TO REFER

Fax a referral form with supporting documentation to 650-320-9443.

  • Send referrals online
  • Place radiology and lab orders
  • View referral status
  • Access medical records

Learn More About MedLink

Log in to MedLink
Make an Appointment

To schedule an appointment in Redwood City, please call:

New patients:
650-498-7555

Returning patients or medical questions:
650-723-5643

Dr. Ming Kao (appointments):
650-723-6238

Dr. Kara Flavin (appointments):
650-723-6469


To schedule an appointment in Pleasanton, please call:

New and returning patients:
925-272-2860