San Francisco Osteopathic Physicians

For 30 years, Osteopathic Doctors Irène and Robert Minkowsky have been successfully treating complex musculoskeletal problems.

We share traditional medical backgrounds in Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation and Internal Medicine, which serves to compliment our knowledge and experience in Osteopathic Medicine. This includes craniosacral and visceral manipulation, and allows us to provide a comprehensive approach both in evaluation and treatment.

In other words, our well-rounded backgrounds coupled with our more natural approach to the body’s own ability to heal itself, and the fact that we actually listen to our patients, sets us apart from other spine and back doctors in San Francisco.

I had the best experience with Dr Robert, who not only took the time to patiently explain my issues but also talked about the process of how we can address it, with realistic timelines and expectations. Having gone though several doctors in the last three weeks due to my herniated disc pain issues, I was tired and frustrated with some of my experiences. Seeing Dr Robert was a pleasant change! – Tulika Jha on Google

Read more patient stories here!

Additionally, Dr. Irène Minkowsky helped pioneer proliferative injections for ligament laxity. We think globally about your body, meaning we don’t simply focus on the symptomatic region, but approach your particular issues by looking at you as an entire organism.

We put an emphasis on a clinical evaluation, with a detailed history and physical examination. While we may derive useful information from methods such as MRI scans, we don’t believe there is an adequate substitute to simply talking to patients and examining them in person.

Once a diagnosis is established, the emphasis in treatment is nonpharmacologic. Muscle weakness and structural imbalance is identified and corrected through osteopathic manipulation, a specific exercise program and improved ergonomics and body mechanics. Individuals are self-empowered through understanding all of the elements of their problem and how to address them. The approach is very personalized with a high success rate due to the complex, multifaceted approach with attention to detail.

Dr. Minkowski has the hands of angels. With my lying on the table and her hands touching me I felt like I could float right thru the table. Besides being a delight to talk with, she is so very caring and fun! I walked out of the office with very little of my pain I had walked in with. So glad the appointment was made! – L.M.

We are available at our offices in San Francisco, CA as well as via online consultations, for example via Zoom.

Simply put, we’re spine and joint specialists, experts in headache treatment and migraine and other pain management, where treatment looks at a holistic approach, using functional medicine, instead of turning immediately to surgery and medication.

Meet San Francisco osteopathic physicians Irène and Robert Minkowsky online, and then schedule an appointment to see how we can help you.

What Is the Physicians’ Back Institute?

We are a Spine Medical Center focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the back, neck and musculoskeletal system (hips, shoulders, knees, etc.). We offer a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of spine and joint problems and our orthopedic specialists listen to their patients. The focus in our office is on clinical diagnosis and restoration of neuromuscular balance.

As spine rehabilitation specialists, we have a unique insight into conditions such as herniated discs, sciatica, spinal stenosis and scoliosis. In addition to being traditional medical doctors, we also use an osteopathic approach to help patients manage their spine and joint health. Physicians’ Back Institute Spine Center provides patients with a holistic, comprehensive personalized approach to spine and joint care.

More About Conditions We Treat and Our Osteopathic Approach

Spinal disorders such as disc herniation can cause low back pain, sciatica, neck and arm pain and headaches. Issues with the sacroiliac joints and coccyx are also common. Nonpharmacologic treatments, such as osteopathic manual therapy (OMT), a therapeutic home exercise program and correction of postural deficits can offer relief for acute and chronic pain. In our office, nonsurgical orthopedics focuses on improving function, decreasing pain and managing symptoms without surgery. This approach is crucial for conditions like sciatica and migraines, where a comprehensive diagnostic and holistic therapeutic approach is essential for the successful long-term resolution of symptoms.

Regenerative injections such as prolotherapy offer a non-surgical approach to treating spinal disorders with instability where the ligaments in the low back and pelvis are lax due to chronic ligament strain or chronic sacroiliac joint issues. Instability can also occur following spinal fusion and with the hormonal changes in pregnancy. Regenerative injections are also helpful in cases of hypermobility such as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). By promoting the body’s natural healing process, these injections help strengthen ligaments and reduce pain. Additionally, visceral manipulation techniques can be used to address underlying imbalances in the body’s cavities that frequently refer pain to the spine and musculoskeletal system, contributing to chronic pain. Inclusion of these treatment modalities provides a comprehensive approach to treatment of spine and joint disorders. Our broad approach permits us to help many individuals who have previously been unsuccessful in resolving their symptoms with other doctors or healthcare practitioners.

Physiatrists You Can Count On

These folks are miracle workers. I went in to PBI thinking I might be disabled for the rest of my life. Today, I consider myself essentially cured. I had started at a large orthopedic center in the city, and they prescribed nearly a year of physical therapy and some lidocaine that accomplished nothing. I found PBI with high ratings and thought I’d give it a chance. The Minkowskis developed very different and much more successful stretching regimens for me. Over time, these made my back strong enough for a series of proliferative injections, which I had never heard of before, but whichh had transformative benefit. They worked like nothing else in 4 years of pain. Today, I can do things without a second thought that, before going to PBI, I thought I might never be able to do again. They have also been warm, kind, caring, thoughtful healers. I can’t recommend them enough for anyone with back issues. – Neb R. on Yelp

Dr. Robert has been a great help so far. I’ve gone to see him twice and he listened to my 7 year struggle with neck/back pain and gave me simple exercises to do on a daily basis. He was willing to think out of the box and advised me on things that I should or shouldn’t be doing. He knew the network of other health professionals I’ve been working with which gave me comfort. And when I came back the second time with an update about my condition that I discovered with my PT, he agreed with us rather than sticking to his own ideas which I really appreciated. There’s nothing more frustrating than going to different kinds of professionals and them all having their own opinions, telling you not to do what someone else said. I’ll likely be back for another check-in, but things have been going well so far and he’s certainly been a big part of getting me on the road to recovery. – Kelly G. on Yelp

My husband hurt his back and was in severe pain. We saw Dr. Minkowsky. He is a great physiatrist who truly cares about your recovery. Incredibly knowledgeable and great at explaining. (I’m a physician myself and really picky about who takes care of my family.) The office staff was very helpful. I would recommend them in a second. – Anna S. on Yelp