Dr. Ron Brizzie
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Dr. Ron Brizzie is a San Diego native who attended Mt. Carmel High School in Rancho Penasquitos. He excelled academically while also being nominated for athlete of the year in golf, where he served as the team captain. He participated in San Diego Junior Golf, where he was one of the top athletes for his age group from 8 to 17 years old. He was active in community service and has volunteered in medical clinics throughout San Diego as well as in Mexico with the Flying Samaritans and 1000 Smiles Foundation.
He attended the University of California, San Diego (ranked third in the nation for public colleges), where he completed his undergraduate work Cum Laude with honors and high distinction. For his Honors Thesis, Dr. Brizzie studied treatments for circadian rhythm disorders in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. After graduation, he was awarded the prestigious Bradley Hospital Sleep Research Apprenticeship Award at the Brown School of Medicine, where he worked with adolescent circadian rhythm studies. He was part of a team leading the field in understanding sleep cycles throughout development.
Dr. Brizzie performed his medical school training at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He was elected president of the Sigma Sigma Phi national honor society at the university, where he participated in multiple community programs, from mentoring students at the John F. Kennedy School to teaching local medical health programs. Dr. Brizzie achieved honor status in multiple courses and rotations during his training program.
He completed his internship at Downey Regional Medical Center, where he received the Outstanding Intern of the Year Award for his performance and leadership. Following the internship, he attended the University of California, Los Angeles/GLAVA residency program in physical medicine and rehabilitation, receiving his board certification. His program focused on sports medicine, pain management, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, as well as joint, bone, ligament, tendon, and muscle conditions. He had the opportunity to train in the world-famous Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills. Dr. Brizzie worked with some of the top orthopedic and spine surgical specialists throughout the Los Angeles area. He had the opportunity to work with and rehabilitate veterans suffering from a variety of combat-related injuries. Dr. Brizzie also served as the physician for the Inglewood High School football team during his residency. His research in residency focused on lumbar spinal stenosis, a condition causing narrowing in the lower spine, and the response to various treatment approaches.
Following residency training, he completed extensive coursework specializing in ultrasound diagnostics and injection guidance through the Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. This tool allows for the immediate, in office, evaluation of a variety of different conditions. Ultrasound evaluation can specifically identify the cause and ensure the best treatment options. It also allows for precise targeting of injection therapies through ultrasound needle guidance to provide the optimum results.
He also developed a strong interest in regenerative medicine and has been working with a variety of cell-based therapies and prolotherapy for the past 15 years. He was one of the first specialists to offer platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapies in San Diego County. His team customizes PRP treatments for each unique case, including platelet concentration and leukocyte cell levels.
Dr. Brizzie has also incorporated Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), a non-surgical/non-injection procedure, into his practice, used to treat a variety of medical conditions. This noninvasive, innovative technology stimulates the body’s own healing response to repair tissue, including bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. There is no lengthy recovery period and virtually no side effects or time off needed from activities/work. This treatment has been very effective for patients and can be combined with PRP, prolotherapy, and other procedures, further improving outcomes.
