Meet Sports Medicine Physiatrist Dr. Amy West at Northwell Health
Dr. Amy West is not your average Sports Medicine Physiatrist . With a background in television production, a passion for CrossFit, and extensive medical training from Harvard, Dr. West now serves as a sports medicine physiatrist at Northwell Health, New York’s largest health system.
Her specialty? Non-operative orthopedics and functional medicine—focusing on improving how the body moves, heals, and performs, especially for active individuals who want to avoid surgery.
She brings a powerful message to the world: medicine isn’t just about treating disease—it’s about optimizing life.
From Broadcast to Biology: A Unique Journey Into Medicine
Before becoming a doctor, Dr. West worked as a sound engineer and TV producer. A surgical videography role exposed her to the medical world—and lit a fire. Eventually, she pivoted into medical school, completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), and became a fellowship-trained sports medicine physician.
“I wanted to help people move better. I wanted to be the doctor of function.”
What Is a Physiatrist Anyway?
Many don’t know what a physiatrist does. The short answer: they treat physical impairments caused by injury, illness, or disease—without surgery. They focus on:
- Muscle and joint function
- Neurological issues (stroke, spinal cord, etc.)
- Sports injuries
- Recovery optimization
At its core, physiatry is about restoring quality of life through movement.
Redefining “Healthy”: Lifespan vs. Healthspan
In this episode, Dr. West introduces two concepts:
- Lifespan: How long you live
- Healthspan: How well you live
“There’s no point in living longer if you’re not living better.”
She challenges patients to ask:
- Can you get up from the floor without help?
- Can you stand on one leg without losing balance?
- Can you walk a mile without stopping?
If not, she says, those are red flags you shouldn’t ignore.
Why the Medical Model Falls Short and What Needs to Change
Traditional medicine tends to focus on avoiding death, not promoting vitality. It often stops at “you’re not sick”—but what if you’re not functioning well either?
Dr. West wants to move the system from:
- Just preventing disease → toward optimizing human performance
- Sickness management → toward proactive, lifestyle-driven care
- Episodic rehab → toward continuous functional improvement
Movement Is Medicine: Fitness as Preventive Care
As a long-time CrossFitter, Dr. West integrates functional strength into her practice. She believes in:
- Strength training to support bone density (especially for women)
- Movement assessments as vital signs
- Using fitness to prevent long-term disability
“You can always get stronger. You just need the right plan.”
She also advocates for parents—especially moms—to model healthy habits for their kids.
Strength Training for Women: Why It’s Essential
Dr. West highlights critical issues facing young female athletes and moms:
- Less than 6% of strength research focuses on females
- Most training programs are built for male physiology
- Female athletes face unique challenges with puberty and hormones
Key takeaways:
- Girls need access to smart, tailored strength training
- Moms should prioritize strength to reduce osteoporosis and fall risk
- Red-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) is real—and often ignored
Real Talk: Pain, Injury, and the Cost of Inaction
Many patients come to Dr. West with back pain, knee pain, or chronic joint problems. Often, they’ve bounced between PTs, surgeons, or meds—without real solutions.
Dr. West’s approach?
- Diagnose the root cause (not just treat the symptom)
- Connect patients to movement-based rehab teams
- Prioritize education and goal-setting
“Tylenol is $5. But it doesn’t solve the real problem.”
A New Healthcare Vision: Integrative, Team-Based, and Proactive
If Dr. West had a magic wand, she’d create:
- Clinics that integrate PTs, trainers, dietitians, and physicians
- Care plans focused on movement, strength, and nutrition
- Systems that focus on healthspan, not just disease codes
“We’re good at keeping people from dying. But what about helping them live?”
The #1 Takeaway: It’s Never Too Late to Start
If you’re wondering whether you’re too old or too far gone to start working out or changing your habits, the answer is no.
“You can always get stronger. It’s never too late.”
Whether it’s:
- Balancing on one leg
- Lifting a grocery bag without pain
- Playing with your grandkids…
…these things matter. And they’re all trainable.
Check out more about Dr Amy West here
You can also check out our podcast with one of the best sports medicine in the country Dr. Riley J. Williams here
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
Ready to Take Ownership of Your Health?
At Myokinetix Physical Therapy & Performance, we believe that real healing happens when fitness and medicine work together. That’s why we collaborate with top experts like Dr. Amy West to help you:
- Move better and feel stronger
- Avoid chronic pain and future injury
- Rebuild your health with purpose
📞 Book a Free 15-Minute Call With Us
Let’s chat about your goals, your healthspan, and what’s holding you back.
We’ll help you create a clear, actionable plan to move forward.
Click here to book a Free 15-Minute Call With Us.