Michael Jaffe, D.O.

About me:

A California native, I moved to the beautiful islands of Hawaii in 2016. I am married to a neurologist who works at Tripler Army Medical Center. We have three young children who attend elementary, and high schools on the windward side of Oahu. Our family loves to travel all over the world with our interest in cultural experiences. ln my spare time I enjoy exercise, writing, and hiking. I have written a book on golf and low back pain which was rated one of the best golf and fitness books by golf Digest Magazine.

Biography:

I am a board certified in both physical medicine & rehabilitation and pain management. I completed my residencies at Michigan State and Wayne State's Detroit Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan. I retired from my practice at Kaiser Permanente where I worked since 1996 in the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation. l developed and administrated, the department of Pain Management in San Diego which has become the Best Practice model for all of Southern California Kaiser. As a specialist in physical medicine & rehabilitation and pain management, I treat individuals with all kinds of musculoskeletal complaints with a focus on spinal pain. I am a rehabilitation specialist for individuals with neurological or physical diseases that effect their function and quality of life. Some of my other positions include being a director of the Amputee clinic, and director of the Spasticity (muscle stiffness after neurologic injury) Management clinic. I have vast clinical experience in the use of botulinum toxin (Botox™) treatments for musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. I am responsible for care of acute, hospital-based, rehabilitation patients after they suffer life changing injuries or health conditions.

About my practice:

I am an osteopathic physician (DO). Like my MD colleagues, I provide comprehensive medical care to my patients, including preventive medicine, diagnosis, surgical interventions, prescribing medications, and treating patients in the hospital. As part of my training in medical school and residency, I received extra instruction on the musculoskeletal system. My osteopathic approach to medicine has given me a better understanding of the ways that an illness or injury can affect all parts of the body. My osteopathic medical approach to physical medicine and rehabilitation is based on the premise that the primary role of the physician is to facilitate the body's inherent ability to heal itself and to empower patients to work together with me in their holistic and comprehensive health care. With over two decades of clinical experience managing painful conditions and the opportunity to travel abroad to attend numerous international medical conferences, I have a lot to offer our Hawaii Brain & Spine patients. I feel where I shine is my ability to really narrow down an accurate diagnosis for our patients and set up an effective treatment plan according to the latest evidence-based medicine and guidelines.

How I thrive:

Motion is life. I feel we express ourselves with our bones and muscles, not with our internal organs. I feel the best way to express that motion is through exercise and the joy of movement. I make time for my health by exercising every day. I enjoy mountaineering and have lead climbs up Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Fuji, Mt. Rainer, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Whitney, and most of the peaks in Southern California. I have raced mountain bikes and road bikes, once winning a team relay across the United States. I have been a snowboarder since 1993 and consider myself an expert in this area. At least until I moved to Hawaii. I have been part of an ocean swim club every Saturday for the past 17 years. I participate in triathlons. I have been an inline skating instructor since 1996, as well as a group exercise instructor at local gyms up until I had kids. I have run 21 marathons including the Honolulu and many international marathons. More recently I have coached varsity tennis at one of our windward high schools. I am also a current member of the Hawaii State Medical Board where I help to draw up improved medical legislation. My patients often ask me, What is the best exercise for me? My answer is to do the exercises that you enjoy.