WHAT WE TREAT

Acute muscle and tendon injuries

Carpal tunnel syndrome

ArthritisHerniated disks, spinal stenosis, spondylolithesis

Vertebral compression fractures and osteoporosis

Neck and lower back pain

Sacroiliac joint dysfunctions

Disorders of the shoulder, knee, hip and ankle

Children’s orthopedics and scoliosis

Motor vehicle accidents and whiplash

Work injuries

Services provided by PSSP

Comprehensive Osteoporosis Program
Cortisone Injections
Electrodiagnostic Medicine
Inpatient Rehabilitation
Motor Vehicle Injuries
Myotherapy
Occupational Medicine
Pain Management
Pediatric Rehabilitation
Percutaneous Disc Nucleoplasty, IDET
Physical Therapy / Rehabilitation
Prosthetic and Orthotic Prescriptions
Spinal Injections
Spinal Surgery
Sports Medicine

Comprehensive Osteoporosis Program
Osteoporosis affects a significant portion of the aging population. When associated with a fall, fracture of the spine, hip or other bones can occur with significant disability. Pioneer Spine and Sports has developed a comprehensive osteoporosis program in association with Dr. Mary Pat Roy (Endocrinology) and Orthotics and Prosthetics Laboratories. The program includes osteoporosis assessment and treatment, fall risk assessment and prevention, rehabilitation following fractures, bracing and vertebral compression fracture treatment with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty when needed.

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Cortisone Injections
Cortisone injections help in the diagnosis and treatment of many joint and peripheral musculoskeletal problems such as osteoarthritis, bursitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Although time tested and effective, these injections must be limited in frequency. Your consultant at PSSP can determine whether injections may be safe and effective for your condition.

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Electrodiagnostic Medicine
This state-of-the-art technology provides information on the function of nerves and muscles and can help to diagnose disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, pinched nerves, radiculopathy and peripheral neuropathies.

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Inpatient Rehabilitation
Our physicians serve as Medical Directors at these two facilities: Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital, part of Mercy Hospital in Springfield, MA, and Bronson Rehabilitation Center, part of Noble Hospital in Westfield, MA. We provide care for patients who have had strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neuromuscular disorders, burns orthopedic and rheumatologic conditions, congenital deformities , major multiple traumas, amputations, cardiac and pulmonary conditions, cancer and many other types of conditions.

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Motor Vehicle Injuries
Motor vehicle injuries can be traumatic both physically and emotionally. At Pioneer Spine and Sports Physicians, we streamline the medical treatment for patients by offering early examinations and rapid treatment towards a quick recovery. We offer comprehensive conservative treatment in each office locations which makes it easier for patients to concentrate on their rehabilitation program. Consultations for injuries requiring surgical intervention can be quickly facilitated. Correspondence with attorneys and insurance carriers is also addressed in a timely fashion. All of these factors make the experience from date of injury to date of discharge as painless as possible.

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Myofascual Pain
Muscular pain and dysfunction are alleviated through a systematized approach of muscle massage, stretching, corrective exercises and, when necessary, trigger point injections with and without botulinum toxin.

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Occupational Medicine
By virtue of our training in the area of functional rehabilitation, Pioneer physicians are particularly well suited for the treatment of occupational injuries. Our approach to these injuries is the same as it is towards other conditions – we establish a specific diagnosis rapidly, implement an appropriate plan of treatment, and emphasize rapid return to normal activity.

During treatment, injured individuals are sometimes unable to carry out their normal occupational duties. Our staff specifies as best possible exactly which activities are to be avoided or limited based on the established diagnosis. As the patient’s treatment progresses, these restrictions are liberalized and the patients are returned to their usual activities. Pioneer physicians work diligently with the injured employee to maintain daily work even when restrictions are necessary. Except in unusual cases, we are able to avoid keeping patients out of work.

The comprehensive treatment approach at Pioneer is particularly attractive to employers and case managers as well as our patients. This allows for diagnostic and therapeutic intervention in an efficient and timely manner which minimizes the period during which an employee is unable to do his/her usual job. We try to avoid the frustrating lapses between appointments and minimize unnecessary tests and treatments. Intervention is aggressive and targeted to address the patient’s diagnosis. Rehabilitation allows for a rapid return to function with an emphasis on safety and avoidance of re-injury.

Pioneer’s comprehensive approach to occupational injuries has been very effective and as a result the practice has developed relationships as a preferred provider for the treatment of occupational injuries with many of the areas best companies including Mass Mutual, Top Flite, American Saw, and Milton Bradley. Pioneer has an in-house full time Nurse Case Manager dedicated to monitoring and coordinating the treatment of occupational injuries to avoid lapses and serve as a liaison between the employer, the patient, and the treating physician.

For further information about the Occupational Medicine Program at Pioneer Spine and Sports Physicians, call Cindy Fleury, RN, Nurse Case Manager at 785-1153 ext. 122.

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Pain Management
The staff of Pioneer Spine and Sports Physicians treats many common painful conditions such as arthritis, musculoskeletal injuries, and painful spinal problems. For more complex pain conditions which are resistant to initial treatment efforts, Pioneer Spine and Sports operates a Comprehensive Pain Management Program (CPMP) in cooperation with Mercy Hospital. At the CPMP patients' need for additional spinal procedures, complex medication management, and/or psychological evaluation/treatment can be assessed. The CPMP provides these services in cooperation with the patients' primary care physician as an interim step towards patients resuming a more normal life. Once treatment has been optimized, medication management is often turned over to the primary care physician eliminating the need for indefinite follow-up at the pain clinic. After that point the CPMP staff will be available the primary care physician for ongoing guidance with the pain management regimen.

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Pediatric Rehabilitation
Children can develop musculoskeletal problems unique to their age. Pioneer Spine and Sports Physicians offers treatment to children with problems such as cerebral palsy, neurological disorder, muscular dystrophy and numerous orthopedic conditions. We provide both Orthopedic Surgical, and Physiatry physician staffing for the Cooley Dickinson Hospital multidisciplinary Children’s Orthopedic Clinic. We work in concert with pediatric Physical, Occupational and Speech therapists, as well as Orthotists to offer a comprehensive approach to the treatment of the pediatric patient.

Common services include:

Evaluation and management of scoliosis

Management of spasticity with oral and injectable medications (Botox & Phenol)

Bracing

Adaptive equipment and assistive device recommendations

Management of Intrathecal Baclofen

Management of joint contractures

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Percutaneous Disc Nucleoplasty, IDET
Percutaneous Disc Nucleoplasty is a state of the art, minimally invasive method for spinal disc decompression. This procedure is used to treat some painful disc problems, and often can be performed in as little as 30 minutes in the office. The Physicians at Pioneer Spine and Sports Physicians were the first in Western Massachusetts to perform this procedure.

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Physical Therapy / Rehabilitation
Pioneer Therapy Services (PTS) is comprised of highly trained and experienced experts in the are of osteopathic therapy as well as exercise-based treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. The underlying philosophy of PTS is reduction of pain, information, and muscle tone through hands on treatment with rapid transition to appropriate strengthening and stabilization exercises. The patients are discharged when they are comfortable and proficient at an appropriate program of home exercises designed for continued resolution of their injury.

The underlying goal of PTS is the reduction of pain through hands-on treatment with a rapid transition to appropriate strengthening and stabilization exercises. In addition, therapists emphasize the importance of patient education, especially in regards to the underlying pathology as well as activity modification and progression. Patients are discharged when they are proficient with a program of home exercises designed for continued recovery from their injury.

Pioneer therapists have extensive experience treating sports injuries and understand the special attention that athletes require. Many of the therapists are competitive or even professional athletes themselves. They recognize the importance of intensive, directed treatment with sports specific considerations for rapid and safe return to action.

The spine therapists at Pioneer are hand picked for their talent in the area of manual and osteopathic therapy. They have particular expertise in conditions involving spinal disorders, pelvic dysfunction, muscular pain, and disk-related pathology.

Pioneer therapists work extremely closely with Pioneer Spine and Sports physicians to treat patients using a team approach. Therapy is provided in the same physical location as the physician offices so that the therapists and physicians can communicate freely regarding the progress of their patients. A change in a patient's presentation, failure to progress, or other considerations can be discussed immediately so that changes in treatment can be discussed immediately so that treatment programs can be modified without delay.

Pioneer Therapy Services are located in the East Longmeadow, West Springfield, Northampton and Greenfield offices of Pioneer Spine and Sports Physicians.

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Prosthetic and Orthotic Prescriptions
As prosthetic and orthotic prescriptions as rehabilitation specialists, our Pioneer Spine and Sports physicians are specifically trained to prescribe braces and prosthetics to optimize a patient's biomechanical function.

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Spinal Injections
Anesthetic and cortisone injections help in the diagnosis and treatment of spinal disorders, such as radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, sacroiliac joint irritation, and facet arthropathy. PSSP physicians are extensively trained and experienced in performing these procedures to gain maximal value using state of the art facilities and with uncompromising safety.

All of the spinal injections done by Pioneer physicians are performed under x-ray with fluoroscopic guidance to ensure maximal utility and safety. Certain injections such as those into facet and sacroiliac joints are done largely for diagnostic purposes but can also provide considerable therapeutic value. Other procedures, such as epidural steroid injections, nerve root blocks, and transforaminal epidural injections are performed primarily for therapeutic benefit in hopes of reducing pain, tingling, and numbness. Your consultant at PSSP can help determine whether spinal injections may be of benefit for you and which procedure would be most appropriate for your condition.

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Spinal Surgery
When non operative treatment is unsuccessful, surgery may be recommended. Surgical consultation and treatment for all spinal disorders is available within Pioneer Spine and Sports when needed. Commonly treated disorders include disc herniation and degeneration, spinal stenosis, spinal deformity and scoliosis, tumors and vertebral compression fractures. We are skilled in the latest minimally invasive and micro-surgical techniques as well as total disc arthoplasty and kyphoplasty.

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Sports Medicine
Our physicians and physicians’ assistants have specialized training and interest in treating all types of sports related injuries. We serve as Sports Medicine Providers and Team Physicians for many local teams, from school age through college and professional levels. Regardless of age or skill level, we can offer a wide variety of non-surgical treatment alternatives, which may include physical therapy and exercise, diagnostic testing, medications and injection therapy as well as other options.

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