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