Understanding Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

At Austin Sports Medicine, we focus on restoring movement, function, and confidence. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) is a specialty dedicated to improving how your body works after injury, illness, surgery, or chronic pain.

What Is Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R)?

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) a medical specialty focused on helping patients restore function, reduce pain, and improve mobility after injury, illness, surgery, or from chronic conditions. Rather than focusing solely on one body part, PM&R takes a whole-person approach to care — looking at how the body moves, heals, and performs in everyday life.

How PM&R Is Different?

PM&R physicians, known as physiatrists, specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the muscles, joints, nerves, and spine. Their goal is not just pain relief, but long-term function and recovery. Treatment is typically non-surgical and may include rehabilitation therapies, guided exercise, pain-relieving procedures, and coordination with physical therapy or other specialists.

Conditions PM&R Can Treat

PM&R can benefit patients of all ages and activity levels, including those experiencing:

Back, neck, or joint pain
Sports injuries and overuse conditions
Nerve issues such as numbness, tingling, or weakness
Post-surgical recovery challenges
Work-related or repetitive motion injuries
Mobility or functional limitations

PM&R is especially helpful when pain or injury interferes with daily movement, strength, or performance.

PM&R Care at Austin Sports Medicine

At Austin Sports Medicine, Jim Fernandez, MD is a board-certified Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physician with specialized training in electrodiagnostic medicine. Dr. Fernandez focuses on identifying the root cause of pain or dysfunction and creating individualized treatment plans that help patients regain strength, mobility, and confidence.

Dr. Fernandez works closely with physical therapists and other providers to ensure coordinated care, whether that involves diagnostic testing such as EMG studies, targeted rehabilitation, or conservative pain-management strategies. His approach emphasizes function-first care, helping patients move better and return to their normal routines as safely and efficiently as possible.

Why PM&R Matters

PM&R bridges the gap between diagnosis and recovery. It helps patients avoid unnecessary surgery, shortens recovery time, and supports sustainable healing. Most importantly, it focuses on helping patients live better — not just hurt less.

If pain or injury is limiting your movement or quality of life, scheduling with Dr.Jim Fernandez at Austin Sports Medicine may be the next step toward getting you back to doing what you love.