Problems that begin suddenly
A fall, twist, impact, lifting event, or other injury may affect a muscle, joint, tendon, ligament, bone, or nearby nerve. The evaluation considers what happened and how the symptoms affect function now.
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Musculoskeletal Care in Central Florida
Pain, stiffness, weakness, or limited movement can make daily tasks harder. Physmedi uses a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) approach to understand how your symptoms affect function and which next steps may be appropriate.
- Function-focused evaluation
- Muscles, joints, spine, and soft tissues
- Secure request review
Request an AppointmentRefer a PatientSubmitting a request does not schedule or confirm an appointment. Our team reviews your information before offering appointment options.
Who may benefit from a musculoskeletal evaluation?
An evaluation may be appropriate when symptoms involving your muscles, joints, spine, or nearby soft tissues affect comfort, movement, or daily activity.
- Neck, back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle, or foot pain
- Joint stiffness, swelling, or reduced range of motion
- Muscle pain, tightness, weakness, or cramping
- Pain with walking, standing, lifting, reaching, gripping, or exercise
- Symptoms that began after an injury, repeated activity, or overuse
- Numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness that may involve a nerve
- A problem that limits sleep, work, self-care, recreation, or independence
These examples do not establish a diagnosis or confirm that Physmedi is the right practice for every condition. The appropriate next step depends on your symptoms, history, examination, available records, and care needs.
What is musculoskeletal care?
The musculoskeletal system includes bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and cartilage. These structures help support the body and make movement possible.
Problems that develop gradually
Repeated activity, overuse, age-related change, or an underlying health condition may contribute to pain, stiffness, weakness, or limited movement. More than one factor may be involved.
Important limit: A webpage cannot identify the cause of your symptoms. Musculoskeletal symptoms can have many causes, and some require urgent care or evaluation by another specialty.
When to seek urgent help
This appointment-request pathway is not urgent care. Seek prompt medical attention after a serious injury or for severe pain, swelling, or bruising; inability to bear weight or use the affected area; or an obvious deformity. Call 911 if you suspect a spinal cord injury, especially after significant trauma with new weakness, numbness, paralysis, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Do not move the person unless there is immediate danger.
What Physmedi may evaluate
Depending on your concern, the services available through Physmedi, and your individual evaluation, musculoskeletal care may include:
- Review of when the symptoms began, what makes them better or worse, and how they affect daily activities
- Review of relevant medical history, medications, prior treatment, imaging reports, and test results
- A focused examination of movement, posture, range of motion, strength, joints, muscles, sensation, or reflexes
- Consideration of symptoms involving the spine, upper limbs, or lower limbs
- Consideration of whether a muscle, joint, tendon, ligament, soft-tissue, or nerve problem may be involved
- Discussion of practical functional goals, such as walking, sleeping, working, exercising, or completing self-care more comfortably
- Recommendations for additional records, diagnostic testing, rehabilitation, specialist input, or other care when clinically appropriate
Not every patient needs imaging or another test. Not every condition is appropriately managed within PM&R alone. A clinician may recommend coordinated care with primary care, orthopedics, rheumatology, neurology, therapy, or another specialty based on the findings.
An evaluation does not mean that you will receive medication, therapy, imaging, an injection, a procedure, surgery, or another specific treatment.
What to expect
Before an appointment is offered
Our team reviews your secure request. We may ask for medical records, imaging reports, test results, medication information, insurance details, a referral, or authorization before offering appointment options.
During the evaluation
Your clinician may ask where the symptoms occur, when they began, what activities change them, and how they affect daily life. Depending on your concern, the examination may look at movement, posture, range of motion, strength, joints, muscles, sensation, or reflexes.
After the evaluation
Your clinician will explain the findings and discuss reasonable next steps. Those steps may include education, activity guidance, rehabilitation, review of existing tests, additional testing when appropriate, coordination with another clinician, or another individualized plan. The evaluation does not promise a diagnosis or particular treatment.
How to prepare
Please have the following information available, if it applies:
- When the problem began and whether it followed an injury, illness, or change in activity
- Where the symptoms occur and what makes them better or worse
- How the problem affects walking, sleep, work, exercise, self-care, or another important activity
- A current medication and allergy list
- Relevant medical notes, imaging reports, laboratory results, or prior test results
- Previous therapy, medications, injections, procedures, or surgery and how you responded
- Your insurance information and any referral or authorization required by your plan
- One or two functional goals that matter to you
Do not stop or change a medication unless the prescribing clinician has instructed you to do so.
A function-focused care team
A physiatrist is a physician who specializes in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Physiatrists evaluate how an injury, illness, or condition affects movement, independence, and participation in everyday life.
For musculoskeletal concerns, the PM&R approach combines the medical history and examination with the activities the patient wants or needs to do. Depending on the findings and the services available through Physmedi, the care plan may involve rehabilitation, diagnostic evaluation, activity guidance, or coordination with other clinicians.
The goal is an individualized plan based on your needs and the clinical findings. No evaluation can promise complete symptom relief, a particular procedure, or a specific recovery timeline.
Locations, insurance, and referrals
Central Florida access
Physmedi has offices in Orlando, Clermont, and Kissimmee. Clinician and musculoskeletal care availability may vary by location. Our team must confirm the appropriate office after reviewing the request.
Insurance and authorization
Coverage, referral requirements, and prior authorization vary by health plan and service. Benefits and requirements may be reviewed before appointment options are offered, but verification does not guarantee coverage or payment.
For medical offices: Please send the reason for referral and relevant records. Helpful items may include recent office notes, medication and allergy lists, imaging or diagnostic reports, prior treatment history, functional concerns, and insurance or authorization information. Use the secure referral pathway.
Frequently asked questions
What types of musculoskeletal symptoms may be evaluated?
An evaluation may consider pain, stiffness, swelling, weakness, reduced movement, or activity limits involving the spine, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, soft tissues, or nearby nerves. Whether Physmedi is the right fit depends on the symptoms, records, medical history, care needs, and services available through the practice.
Do I need imaging before requesting an appointment?
Not necessarily. Many musculoskeletal evaluations begin with a medical history and physical examination. If you already have relevant imaging or reports, submit them through the approved secure workflow. The clinician determines whether additional testing may be useful.
What records should I provide?
Helpful records may include recent office notes, imaging reports, test results, a current medication and allergy list, and information about previous therapy, injections, procedures, or surgery. Our team may request other records based on your concern.
Does submitting a request confirm an appointment?
No. Submitting the form begins a secure review. Our team reviews the information before offering appointment options.
Will I receive an injection, medication, or procedure?
An evaluation does not mean that you will receive a specific treatment. Recommendations depend on the history, examination, available records, potential benefits and risks, authorization requirements, and the clinician’s judgment.
When should I seek urgent care instead?
Seek prompt medical attention after a serious injury or for severe pain, swelling, or bruising; inability to bear weight or use the affected area; or an obvious deformity. Call 911 if you suspect a spinal cord injury, especially after significant trauma with new weakness, numbness, paralysis, or loss of bladder or bowel control. Do not move the person unless there is immediate danger.
Request a musculoskeletal care appointment
Tell us what you are experiencing and how it affects your movement or daily activities. Our team will review your secure request and explain what is needed next.
Request an Appointment
Submitting a request does not schedule or confirm an appointment.
Medical office? Refer a Patient securely.
Already a patient? Use the Patient Portal.
This information is educational and does not replace individualized medical advice. Do not use this page or the appointment-request form for urgent or emergency care. If you believe you may be experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.