When you’re in pain, everything feels uncertain. What’s causing it? Is it serious? What should you do next? The answers matter—and getting them wrong can lead to delays, unnecessary procedures, or missed diagnoses.

That’s why trust is everything. In a recent nationally representative survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Vori Health, Americans were three times more likely to trust a non-surgical physician + physical therapist care team over a physical therapist alone to create their overall care plan for ongoing back or joint pain. And when surgery is on the table, the preference is even clearer: respondents were 6.5 times more likely to feel confident with a full evaluation from a coordinated team—including a specialty physician and physical therapist—than with physical therapy alone.¹

People want care they can trust—delivered by a team that sees the full picture, understands what matters, and can guide next steps with both medical and movement expertise.

That’s exactly what Vori Health provides. As the only nationwide solution that includes a non-surgical MSK physician on every care team, we bring physicians and physical therapists together from day one—ensuring patients get coordinated, comprehensive care and trusted answers when they need them most.

Here are five questions best answered by a physician-led team that understands the full picture.

Question #1: "Could my pain be a sign of something more serious?"

When back or joint pain strikes—especially if it’s sudden or lingers longer than expected—it’s easy to assume the worst. That uncertainty alone can feel overwhelming. And it’s not just emotional: research shows that fear and anxiety can actually heighten pain and slow recovery (Vlayen, 2012).

The good news? Most musculoskeletal pain isn’t an emergency. But knowing when to feel concerned—and when not to—isn’t something patients should have to figure out alone.

Physical therapists are trained to recognize warning signs that might suggest a more serious issue, like infection, nerve damage, or cancer. But interpreting those signs, making a medical diagnosis, and deciding whether further testing or treatment is needed requires a physician’s expertise.

Some digital platforms include “doctors” early in the care journey—but these are typically doctors of physical therapy (DPTs), not medical doctors (MDs or DOs). DPTs are highly trained in movement science but aren’t licensed to diagnose or manage medical conditions.

That’s why this question—Is something more serious going on?—is one only a physician can truly answer. And just as importantly, they’re the ones trained to confidently rule out serious conditions—offering clarity that can ease fear, reduce anxiety-driven pain, and help patients focus on healing.

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Question #2: "Is surgery my only option?"

When it comes to musculoskeletal pain, many patients assume surgery is the only solution—but that’s rarely the case. Most MSK procedures are preference-sensitive, not emergencies. That means there’s often more than one medically sound path forward, and the best choice depends on the patient’s goals, values, and understanding of the tradeoffs.

The challenge? Patients can’t navigate these choices alone—and coaches or apps aren’t qualified to guide them. It takes a physician with the right training to explain what’s necessary, what’s optional, and what’s most effective based on the individual’s full clinical picture. Physicians who specialize in non-surgical MSK care are uniquely equipped to lead these conversations.

They help patients:

• Understand all viable options—not just the most invasive ones

• Weigh potential outcomes and long-term risks

• Make confident, informed decisions about their care

When these conversations happen with the right kind of physician, patients often avoid unnecessary procedures—and feel far more satisfied with the path they choose.

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Question #3: "How is my MSK pain related to my other health conditions?"

Musculoskeletal pain rarely exists in a vacuum. It can be influenced by, or a signal of, other underlying health issues—like autoimmune conditions, obesity, diabetes, or even depression. These connections are easy to overlook without medical training, yet they can fundamentally change how a condition should be treated.

Only a physician can assess the full picture and determine whether MSK pain is a standalone issue or part of something more complex. Without that insight, patients risk receiving care that treats symptoms, not causes.

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Only a physician can assess the full picture and determine whether MSK pain is a standalone issue or part of something more complex.

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Question #4: "What's the right first step for my specific situation?"

Clinical guidelines for musculoskeletal conditions are not one-size-fits-all. Physicians consider a variety of complex clinical information to develop personalized treatment plans. Considerations include:

• The patient's specific diagnosis and condition severity

• Presence or absence of red flags requiring immediate attention

• Neurological findings that may call for specific interventions

• The patient's overall health and comorbidities

• Previous treatments and their outcomes

For example, guidelines for lumbar disc herniation recommend non-operative treatment for 6–12 weeks in most cases. However, a physician may recommend earlier surgical intervention if symptoms worsen or if new neurological deficits appear (Kögl, 2024). Without physician assessment, these critical distinctions may be missed, leading to inappropriate care pathways and undesirable results.

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Question #5: "What’s the best way to manage all aspects of my care?"

MSK pain often touches more than just your joints—it can affect your mobility, weight, mood, sleep, and overall quality of life. Managing it well means pulling together the right mix of medical care, physical therapy, lifestyle support, and sometimes behavioral health.

That’s where physician-led care matters. Physicians see the full picture and can coordinate the right support at the right time—so every part of your care works together, not in isolation.

And it’s not just about clinical accuracy—it’s about how people feel. In a recent study, 92% of patients who met with both a physician and a physical therapist in the same visit said they felt more confident in their care plan (O’Connor, 2025). They weren’t left to guess which steps to take—they had a trusted team guiding them forward, together.

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Physicians see the full picture and can coordinate the right support at the right time—so every part of your care works together, not in isolation.

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Integrated, physician-led care with
Vori Health

These patient–physician conversations aren’t just clinical touchpoints—they’re turning points. The right medical insight, delivered early, can change the entire course of care, helping patients avoid unnecessary interventions and find meaningful, lasting relief.

That’s why Vori Health places physicians at the center of the musculoskeletal journey—not as a referral step, but as collaborative partners from the start. In our model, patients often meet with a physician and physical therapist in their very first visit—working together to assess, diagnose, and guide the next step immediately.

And that collaboration doesn’t stop there. Our care teams also include registered dietitians and health coaches, integrated into a seamless virtual experience that treats the whole person, not just a single symptom.

The result? Coordinated, evidence-based care from day one. Fewer delays. Better outcomes. And real value for patients, employers, and health plans alike.  

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Get the full conversation—discover how Vori Health can transform musculoskeletal care for your employees or members. Access a free demonstration today.

REFERENCES

• ‍Banga, 2019. Abnormality Detection in Musculoskeletal Radiographs with Convolutional Neural Networks (Ensembles) and Performance Optimization. Cornell University. ‍
• Trachsel, 2025. Diagnostics and treatment of acute non-specific low back pain: do physicians follow the guidelines? Swiss Med Wkly. ‍
• Kögl, 2024. Lumbar Disc Herniation—the Significance of Symptom Duration for the Indication for Surgery. Deutsches Ärzteblatt. ‍
• Keswani, 2016. Value-based Healthcare: Part 1—Designing and Implementing Integrated Practice Units for the Management of Musculoskeletal Disease. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. ‍
• Gallotti, 2023. Effectiveness and Consequences of Direct Access in Physiotherapy: A Systematic Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine.
• ‍O’Connor, 2025. Patients’ Experience With Evaluation by Both a Musculoskeletal Physician and Physical Therapist in the Same Digital Visit: Survey Study. JMIR Formative Research. ‍
• Vlayen, 2012 Fear-avoidance model of chronic musculoskeletal pain: 12 years on. Pain 153(6):p 1144-1147, June 2012. | DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2011.12.009

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^{1. This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Vori Health from May 27-29, 2025, among 2,095 adults ages 18+. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.}

^{For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact pr@vorihealth.com.}

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