Brandon Messerli, DO

Brandon Messerli, DO, is a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) specialist with Animas Spine. He specializes in helping patients with chronic pain and focuses on rehabilitation, restoration of function, and a return to a high quality of life.

Dr. Brandon Messerli has obtained the highest level of expertise in the non-surgical management of spine, musculoskeletal (MSK), and sports medicine. He chose an osteopathic medical school to obtain a holistic view of injury and disease, including the inter-connectedness of MSK (and non-MSK) conditions, the impact of lifestyle and environment on our health, and the effectiveness of whole-person treatment to optimize our body’s intrinsic ability to heal itself.

Dr. Messerli excelled in a PM&R Residency training at one of the top programs in the country. His additional year of Fellowship / subspecialty training was precepted by two of the most esteemed experts in the field of interventional spine and two of the region’s pioneers in MSK ultrasound. He has been refining his expertise with over 15 years of clinical practice. Dr. Messerli also provides compassionate and empathetic care because of his and his family’s own experiences with MSK conditions, and this gives him an understanding of the physical, emotional, social and vocational struggles that can arise with chronic pain.

Clinical Expertise

• Spine, musculoskeletal (MSK) and sports medicine
• Back and neck spinal injections, including epidural injections for nerve pain, radiofrequency ablation and steroid injections for arthritic joints, and diagnostic blocks
• Certified diagnostic MSK ultrasonographer
• Ultrasound-guided joint, tendon and nerve procedures
• Hyaluronic acid and platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Electrodiagnostic (EMG) testing
• Osteopathic evaluation and manual therapy

Philosophy of Care

Dr. Messerli uses the most conservative and least invasive care possible to help restore his patients to their optimum level of functioning and quality of life. He believes that the patient-doctor relationship is one of partnership and collaboration, and your unique circumstances are considered when recommending treatments. Typically 80-90% of MSK conditions do not require surgery. As Dr. Messerli is not a surgeon, you can have confidence that he will not push you towards unnecessary surgery.

When multiple problems are bothering you, his broad scope of knowledge and expertise can help you sort out the precise diagnosis and prognosis for each condition, determine if they are interrelated, understand the treatment options for each, prioritize the issues and treatments, and act as a “quarterback” to unify your treatment team’s approach. He believes that a multi-faceted treatment approach often works best and fastest and prevents recurrences. Rather than take a myopic focus on a single pain complaint, he evaluates for other relevant conditions that need to be treated to ensure long-term success.

Dr. Messerli will collaborate with many of the best rehab specialists in the region, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, yoga and Pilates teachers, massage therapists, chiropractors, craniosacral therapists, acupuncturists, etc. If conservative treatments are inadequate and surgery is a good option, Dr. Messerli will assist in getting you a consultation with the best surgeon for your needs.

Board Certification

Board Certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Board Certified in Sports Medicine

Fellowship

EvergreenHealth Sport & Spine Care | Kirkland, WA

Residency

University of Washington, Rehabilitation Medicine | Seattle, WA

Internship

University of Washington Medical Center | Seattle, WA

Medical School

Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine | Athens, OHCleveland Clinic | Cleveland, OH

Honors, Awards, Etc.

2022 Seattle Magazine “Top Doctors”

Community Involvement

Dr. Messerli advocates for patient care and access by consulting with national agencies for the development of evidence-based clinical treatment guidelines and medical imaging appropriate-use criteria, volunteering on the Health Policy division of the Spine Intervention Society, and doing pro bono advocacy work when health insurers attempt to inappropriately limit coverage policies.

Dr. Messerli has been a team physician for multiple sports over the years, including soccer, lacrosse, football, marathons, endurance races.
He has participated with medical missions and research in Ecuador.

Personal Information

My wife and I were raised in Minnesota and received our medical training in Ohio and Washington. My wife is a registered dietitian, marvelous cook and nutrition blogger, and exercise physiologist. We live an active and healthy lifestyle. We and our daughter enjoy mountain and road biking, hiking and camping, paddle boarding and kayaking, golf and tennis, downhill and cross-country skiing.