Paul Meirick, MD

What I Do

I am a board-certified sports medicine physician, specializing in treating patients of all ages without the use of surgery. I also have a special interest in the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound to diagnose injuries and aid in procedures such as injections.

One thing that separates me from other traditional orthopedic doctors is my non-operative background and ability to treat many orthopedic conditions without surgery. Most people who walk in our doors don’t actually require surgery. Many fractures, strains, sprains and even arthritis are best resolved by non-operative treatments. Certainly, I follow the best evidence and refer to a surgeon when appropriate, but what I enjoy most is helping patients accomplish their goals without the use of surgery.

When I meet patients, I have three goals.

• Gather information. We talk about the patient’s symptoms, sometimes order tests like X-rays or blood work, and then make the correct diagnosis. This step is often the easiest.
• Educate. I enjoy teaching patients and their families about medical terms, anatomy and their musculoskeletal system. This step is often my favorite.
• Make a plan. The last step is to create a plan, which includes goals, treatment options and a timeline. This helps patients return to their lives. Depending on the person, this could mean a return to varsity sports, return to work, or simply doing activities with less pain. This step can be the most difficult, but it also can be the most rewarding.

My clinical interests include pediatric sports injuries, non-operative sports medicine, treating acute or activity-related injuries (sprains, strains and fractures) and chronic conditions (joint pain and arthritis), managing sports-related concussions, stress fractures and heat illnesses and educating on injury prevention. I also have a special interest in musculoskeletal ultrasound to diagnose injuries and aid in procedures like injections.

Why I Love My Work

Sports are a great way to learn about yourself, build relationships and develop character. I played organized sports from kindergarten through college and continue to run, cycle and golf. When I had sports-related injuries, I was always fearful that a clinician wouldn’t understand the importance of sports in my life. So, after I decided to go into medicine, I thought being a sports doctor would be the perfect fit. It was a great choice for me, and I love my job.

Getting to Know Me

Outside of work, my wife and I value being active and getting outside. We coach as many of our kids’ sports as possible. We’ve participated in Grandma’s Marathon activities in Duluth the last few years. If we have a babysitter, we try to sneak away to listen to live music.