Physician Profile

Joseph Walker III, M.D.

Dr. Joseph Walker is an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery at the University of Connecticut Health Center. He practices primarily in the Comprehensive Spine Center at the New England Musculoskeletal Institute. Dr. Walker completed a fellowship in pain medicine at Harvard University. He specializes in the diagnosis and non-operative management of disorders of the neck and back, including epidural steroid and axial spine injections and electrodiagnostic studies.

Appointment

• Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Connecticut Health Center

Specialty

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Physiatry

Subspecialty

• Interventional spine (pain medicine) with a specialized interest in treating degenerative/painful conditions of the cervical and lumbar spine.

Education
B.A., Behavioral Biology, Johns Hopkins University
M.D., University of Pittsburgh

Residency
Harvard University, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Fellowship
Harvard University, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Selected Publications
Walker J., El Abd O., Isaac Z., Muzin S. Discography in practice: a clinical and historical review. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2008;1:69-83.

Muzin S., Isaac Z., Walker J., El Abd O., Baima J. When should a cervical collar be used to treat neck pain? Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2007;1:114-19.

Muzin S., Isaac Z., Walker J. The role of intradiscal steroids in the treatment of discogenic low back pain. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2007;1:1935-83.

Research Interests

Clinical Research

• Dr. Walker’s main clinical research interest is musculoskeletal rehabilitation and the influence of wellness behaviors, radiculopathy, and lifestyle influences on the development and maintenance of back pain. Dr. Walker and co-investigators are evaluating the eating behaviors, food selection, and pain acceptance of patients with chronic back pain on a long-term opioid regimen.