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
- Medicare FFS
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- TRICARE for Life East
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Optimum Choice
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Choice POS II
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- First Health PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna HMO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- IH-POS Plus
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-EPO Plus
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Choice POS
- IH-PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- HealthyBlue PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- POS OA
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- TRICARE East Prime
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst Administrators
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- TRICARE East Select
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Sentara Health
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- IH-Indemnity
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Navigate
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna Classic 5000
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- HighMark
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Network OA
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Student Resources
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- First Health PPO
- CIGNA EPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst EPO
- CIGNA PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- UHC Passport
- CareFirst NASCO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- OA Plus
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
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)