About me
Dr. Pothast is a native of Ohio and earned his undergraduate degree in exercise biology from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He received his medical degree from the Ohio State University College of Medicine in 2008. Afterwards, Dr. Pothast went on to finish a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia in 2012, where he served as chief resident. He then completed his Sports Medicine Fellowship in 2014 from the University of Florida, where he worked extensively with athletes of all ages from youth leagues to the NCAA Division 1 level. Dr. Pothast is double board certified in sports medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation. He has a special interest in working with runners, from the recreational to the elite. Dr. Pothast also enjoys providing sideline coverage at local sporting events. In his spare time, Dr. Pothast remains active by running road races with his wife, as well as playing chase with his golden retriever. His slower-paced interests include cooking for his family and watching college basketball.
Philosophy of care
No matter your sport or your activity, I strive to get you back to your love of life, whether that is running, swimming, biking, playing basketball, or gardening. I work alongside a variety of physical, occupational, and speech therapists to appropriately diagnose your problem, to get to the root of it, and to prevent it from coming back. I perform musculoskeletal ultrasound guided injections right in the office, as well as use that same ultrasound technology to analyze muscles, tendons, and nerves. In addition, I manage your diagnosis closely with therapists to correct biomechanical deficiencies with your running, swimming, and working technique. We want to add quality of life to you, not for the next few weeks, but for the next few years.
Clinical areas of focus
- Arthrocentesis
- Back Pain Treatment
- Bone Repair
- Cartilage Injury
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Concussion Rehabilitation
- Fatigue Management
- Foot Joint Pain
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Hip Labral Tear
- Knee Replacement Rehabilitation
- Muscle Injection
- Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
- Sciatica Treatment
- Shoulder Instability Treatment
- Sports Injury
- Sports Injury Rehabilitation
- Sports Injury Treatment
- Trigger Point Injection
- Ultrasonic Guidance
- Ultrasound-Guided Cyst Aspiration
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Ankle And Foot Fracture
- Ankle And Foot Injury
- Ankle And Foot Ligament Sprain
- Arthritis
- Arthropathy
- Bone Disorders
- Bursopathy
- Cartilage Disorder
- Cartilage Injury
- Cognitive Function Disorders
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsopathies
- Elbow And Forearm Injury
- Elbow Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
- Enthesopathies
- Foot Joint Pain
- Forearm Fracture
- Fractures Of The Neck
- Gait And Balance Problems
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Head Injury
- Hip And Thigh Tendon Injury
- Hip Labral Tear
- Hip Pain
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Joint Derangement
- Joint Derangement Of Knee
- Joint Disorder
- Knee Fracture
- Knee Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Knee Pain
- Kyphosis
- Limb Deformity
- Lower Leg And Ankle Fracture
- Lower Leg Injury
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Mononeuropathy Of Lower Limb
- Mononeuropathy Of Upper Limb
- Muscle Disorders
- Musculoskeletal System Complications
- Musculoskeletal System Deformities
- Myopathies
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Nerve Root Disorders
- Orthopedic Rehabilitation
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteochondropathies
- Osteonecrosis
- Patella Tracking Disorder
- Scoliosis
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Muscle, Fascia, And Tendon Injury
- Shoulder And Upper Arm Tendon Injury
- Shoulder Burns
- Shoulder Fracture
- Shoulder Joint And Ligament Sprain
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Sports Injury
- Subcortical Infarction
- Superficial Knee Injury
- Synovium And Tendon Disorder
- Tendinous Disorders
- Thumb Synovitis
- Wrist And Hand Joint And Ligament Dislocation And Sprain
Procedures I perform
- Ankle Fracture Treatment
- Arthrocentesis
- Back Pain Treatment
- Balance And Coordination Training
- Bone Repair
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Concussion Rehabilitation
- Elbow Pain Treatment
- Fatigue Management
- Heel Tendon Repair
- Hip Arthritis Treatment
- Knee Pain Management
- Knee Replacement Rehabilitation
- Meniscus Injury Treatment
- Muscle Injection
- Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
- Neuromuscular Reeducation For Muscle Control
- Orthopedic Rehabilitation
- Physical Therapy Modalities
- Sciatica Treatment
- Shoulder Dislocation Treatment
- Shoulder Instability Treatment
- Shoulder Pain Management
- Sports Injury Rehabilitation
- Sports Injury Treatment
- Sports Performance Enhancement
- Therapeutic Exercises
- Trigger Point Injection
- Ultrasonic Guidance
- Ultrasound-Guided Cyst Aspiration
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Medicare Direct
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- IH-Open HMO
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CIGNA Indemnity
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- OA Plus
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- IH-Network Only Plus
- TRICARE East Select
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Sentara Health
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- HighMark
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- POS OA
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- IH-HMO
- TRICARE East Prime
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Navigate
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Employee Health Plan
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst EPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- TRICARE for Life East
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- First Health PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-POS
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Choice Fund PPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Medicare FFS
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Network OA
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- UHC Passport
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Choice POS
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Beech Street PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-EPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Blue Choice Advantage
- First Health PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna HMO
- CareFirst NASCO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS II
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Fellowship: University of Florida (2014)
Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals (2012)
Internship: Riverside Methodist Hospital (2009)
Medical School: Ohio State University College of Medicine (2008)