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Stem cell surgery alternative for shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, thumbs and more. Stay free from chronic pain with your own stem cells

 
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Spinal Injury Foundation, Board Member

 

Christopher J. Centeno, M.D.,

Spinal Injury Foundation, Medical Director

Founder:
 The Centeno Clinic

Christopher J. Centeno, M.D. is an international expert and specialist in soft-tissue injury. He is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

In 1999, Dr. Centeno founded The Centeno Clinic, a leading Westminster, Colorado based pain management clinic focusing on regenerative care. Today, Dr. Centeno’s practice, emphasizes an integrative medical approach, blending traditional care with alternative and research-based treatments. The Centeno Clinic incorporates a variety of revolutionary pain management techniques to bring its broad patient base relief and results. Dr. Centeno and his team of professionals primarily serve patients throughout metro Denver and the Boulder, Colorado area but the clinic also attracts those from across the US and overseas.

Dr. Centeno is also the founder and medical director of the Spinal Injury Foundation, an organization dedicated to research, education, and advocacy for those with chronic spinal injuries. Under his direction, the Spinal Injury Foundation presents the annual International Whiplash Congress. The Congress  features international as well as nationally acclaimed  speakers and researchers. Dr. Centeno hosts a panel that will produce consensus literature review on whiplash injuries. Concurrent with the Congress, Dr. Centeno is leading the Save Your Neck Program, an international public awareness campaign focusing on the prevention of neck and spinal injuries.

Dr. Centeno along with Dr. Freeman served as co editor-in-chief  of the peer reviewed medical journal, Whiplash and Related Disorders(2002-2007). He also is the author of the medical text, "The Spine Dictionary".

Dr. Centeno trained at the Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Medical Center, and the Institute for Rehabilitation Research.
 

Curriculum Vitae

 

Education:

  • 1989-M.D.             University of South Florida; Tampa, Florida
  • 1985-B.S.               Cum Laude in Chemistry,  Florida State University; Tallahassee, Florida

 

Post-Graduate Training:

 

Residency:

  • Baylor College of Medicine/The Institute for Rehab Research, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

 

Internship:

  • Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Hospitals. Denver, Colorado

Licensure:

  • 1993-Present-State of Colorado
  • 1990-1993-State of Texas

 

Board Certifications:  

  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation - American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • Pain Medicine - American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

 

Certifications:

  • Level II Certified-Colorado Division of Worker’s Compensation

  • Initial-1993

  • Recertified-1996

  • Recertified-1999

 

Administrative and Medical Positions:

  •  Program Chair - 2005 International Whiplash Trauma Congress; Breckenridge, CO

  •  Program Chair - 2003 International Whiplash Trauma Congress; Denver, CO

  •  Co-Editor in Chief with Dr. M.D. Freeman - Whiplash and Related Disorders (Peer reviewed medical journal)

  •  Advisory Board - Center for Research into Automotive Safety and Health-San Diego, CA

  •  Medical Director - Spinal Injury Foundation-501C3 non-profit

  •  Chief Medical Officer - CustomMed Solutions-1998-2001

  •  Medical Director - Progressive Insurance SC-PPO Program-1997-2001

  •  Peer Reviewer - Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

  •  Medical Director - QMC3 (Auto Injury PPO)-1994-1997

  •  Executive Medical Director - Trauma - Care IPA (Statewide Auto and Worker’s Comp IPA) -1998-2000

  •  Chairman - Physician Advisory Commission-QMC3-1995-1997

  •  Co-Chair Boulder County Bar Association Medical-Legal Comittee-1997-1998

  •  Board Member - Rehabilitation Associates of Colorado-1995-1997

  •  Medical Director - Columbia Challenge Center Northwest-1995-1997

  •  Emergency Room Staff Physician - Liberty Hospital; Liberty, Texas

Legislative Expert Testimony:

  •  August 1996 - Testified as an expert witness on auto managed care to the State of Massachusetts Division of Insurance. 
  •  February 2000 - Testified in front of the Colorado Senate Subcommittee considering SB 126.
  •  January 2002 - Testified to the Colorado State Senate Subcommittee considering SB9
  •  Provided written testimony on spinal injury to the Edmonton, Canada legislative assembly

 

National and International Presentations:

  •  July 1996 - Auto Managed Care: CRA Managed Care; New York, New York.

  •  March 1997 - AAPMR PASSOR mid-year update: Computers, Outcomes, and Musculoskeletal Medicine; SanDiego CA

  •  June 1997 - Auto Managed Care (first national conference on this topic): The Future of Auto Managed Care; Atlanta, Georgia

  •  May 1998 - Auto Managed Care: American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Annual Meeting; Boston, Massachusetts

  •  June 1998 - Auto Managed Care (third national conference on this topic): Directed PPO’s in Auto Insurance; Atlanta, Georgia

  •  July 1998 - Using Technology to Control Worker’s Comp Costs: National Academy of Occupational Health Professionals, San Francisco, CA

  •  December 1998 - Managing the Cost of Auto Injuries.  Conference Chair.  Orlando, FL

  •  November 1999 - North American Whiplash Trauma Conference: Cervicogenic Dizziness.  Victoria, British Columbia

  •  May 2000 - Whiplash 2000: International Cohort Comparison of Functional Disability Following Acceleration-Deceleration Syndromes.  Whiplash 2000 Congress: Bath, England

  •  March 2001-2001 - International WAD Congress: An International Cohort of Functional Disability Questionnaires Collected Via Internet . Berne Switzerland

  •  May 2003 - Prognosis in Whiplash Related Disorders.  Whiplash 2003 Congress: Bath, England

  •  June 2003 - Sub-failure Cervical Instability.  International Spinal Trauma Congress: Chicago, Illinois

  •  October 2003 - Moderator and Co-Chair; 2003 International Whiplash Trauma Congress: Denver, Colorado

  •  February 2004 - The Neuromechanical Model of Late Whiplash. SPECT in Traumatic Brain Injury. Denver, CO

  •  March 2004 - Neuromodulation for Axial Spine Pain. American Academy of Pain Medicine.  Orlando, Florida

  •  September 2004 - Instability in Cervicogenic Headache.  1st International Conference on Cervicogenic Headache and Whiplash.  Oslo, Norway

  •  September 2004 - Providing Information concerning Whiplash to Patients and Society.  1st International Conference on Cervicogenic Headache and Whiplash.  Oslo, Norway

  •  October 2004 - Research Update: Eye Movement and Reading Comprehension in a Whiplash Injured Cohort.  Brain Injury Association of Colorado Annual Conference.  Vail, Colorado

  •  February 2005 - Sub-failure Instability in Late Whiplash.  International Whiplash Trauma Congress.  Breckenridge, Colorado 

  •  June 2006-Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplants for Joint Injury Repair.  International Whiplash Trauma Congress.  Portland, Oregon.

  • November 2007- Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for Musculoskeletal Repair.  International Whiplash Trauma Congress.  Miami, Florida

  • May 2008- Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for Musculoskeletal Repair: Case Reports and Review of Imaging.  Age Management Medicine Conference on Exercise and ???.  Boca Raton, Florida. ·        

  • July 2008- Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for Musculoskeletal Repair: Case Reports and Review of Imaging.  16th Annual Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine and Regenerative Biomedical Technologies Washington, D.C. ·        

  • August 2008- Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for Lumbar Disc Disease.  Florida Academy of Pain Management Annual Meeting.  Orlando, Florida. ·        

  • December 2008- Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for Musculoskeletal Repair: Case Reports and Review of Imaging.  16th Annual Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine and Regenerative Biomedical Technologies.  Las Vegas, Nevada. ·        

N        

CME

  •  December 2008-16th Annual Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine and Regenerative Biomedical Technologies.  Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • May 2008- Age Management Medicine Conference.  Boca Raton, Florida.

  • July 2008-16th Annual Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine and Regenerative Biomedical Technologies.  Washington, D.C.

  • August 2008- Florida Academy of Pain Management Annual Meeting.  Orlando, Florida.

  • November 2007-International Whiplash Trauma Congress. Miami, Fl.

  • September 2007-Advances in Knee and Shoulder Arthroscopy Surgery Course. Rosemont, Ill

  • May 2007-GN Otometrics Course on Test Administration, Test Interpretation and Hands-on VNG/ENG

  •  October 2006 - International Whiplash Trauma Congress Portland, Oregon

  •  February 2005 - International Whiplash Trauma Congress.  Breckenridge, Colorado

  •  October 2004 - Electronystagmography Test Administration and Interpretation-GN    Otometrics. Chicago, IL

  •  September 2004 - 1st International Conference on Cervicogenic Headache and   Whiplash.  Oslo, Norway

  •  Advanced Cardiac Life Support Recertification: St. Anthony’s Central. July, 2004

  •  American Academy of Pain Medicine Annual Meeting.  Orlando, Florida.  March, 2004

  •  International Whiplash Trauma Congress.  Denver, Colorado-Oct 2003

  •  Center for Research into Accident Safety and Health-CRASH 2003.  Occupant Kinematics and Live and Dummy Instrumented Crash Testing. San Diego, CA, July 2003

  •  International Spinal Trauma Congress.  Chicago, IL  June 2003

  •  Level III International Spinal Injection Society Cervical Course.  Memphis, TN-Nov 2002

  •  Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Avista Hospital, Louisville, CO-2002

  •  Basic Life Support. St. Anthony’s North Hospital, Thornton, CO-2002

  •  Level II International Spinal Injection Society Thoracic Course.  Chicago, IL-2002

  •  Center for Research into Accident Safety and Health-CRASH 2002.  Occupant Kinematics and Live and Dummy Instrumented Crash Testing. San Diego, CA, July 2002.

  •  Level I ISIS Course. San Francisco, CA-2002.

  •  Center for Research into Accident Safety and Health- CRASH 2001. Occupant Kinematics and Live and Dummy Instrumented Crash Testing-General Motors/Texas A and M. San Diego, CA-2001

  •  PASSOR Spinal Injection Workshop. San Francisco, CA-2001

  •  2001 Annual Meeting of the AAPMR. San Francisco, CA-2001

  •  ETPS/Acupuncture-Acumed Medical-Chicago, IL-2001

  •  Prolotherapy-University of Wisconsin College of Medicine. Madison, WI-2001

  •  2001 International WAD Congress-Berne, Switerland-2001

  •  Whiplash 2000-Bath, England-2001

  •  ETPS/Acupuncture- Acumed Medical-Boulder, CO-2001

  •  2000 Annual Meeting of the AAPMR. Chicago, IL-2000

  •  Segmental Spinal Stabilization: Specific Assessment and Treatment for Low Back Pain.  Paul Hodges PhD BPhty (Hons). Denver, CO-1999

  •  North American Whiplash Trauma Conference.  Victoria, British Columbia-1999

  •  Manage the Cost of Auto Insurance through Effective Cost Containment Strategies-Orlando, Fl-1998

  •  National Academy of Occupational Health Professionals, San Francisco, CA-1998

  •  American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Annual Meeting; Boston, Massachusetts-1998

  •  AAPMR PASSOR mid-year update: Computers, Outcomes, and Musculoskeletal Medicine; San Diego CA-1997

  •  Auto Managed Care: The Future. Atlanta, Georgia-1997

  •  Manual Therapy Seminars of Colorado-Lumbar Spine and Pelvis.  Denver, CO-1996

  •  Manual Therapy Seminars of Colorado-Thoracic Spine and Ribcage.  Denver, CO-1996

  •  Manual therapy Seminars of Colorado-Cervical Spine. Denver, CO-1996

  •  1993 Annual Meeting of the AAPMR. San Francisco, CA-1993

 

Active Research Grants

  • 2005 Australian Research Council Grant LP0560611 in conjunction with University of Queensland Multi-Centre Predictive Study in Acute Whiplash-U.S. Site

 

Research, Publications, and Invited or Juried  Presentations:

Centeno C.  In Response to Letter to the Editor (Anatomy, Imaging Treatment Options for Baker’s Cyst).  Pain Physician. 2008 May 11 (3):377-8

Centeno C, Busse D, Kisiday J, Keohan C, Freeman M, Karli D.  Increased Knee Cartilage Volume in Degenerative Joint Disease using Percutaneously Implanted, Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells.  Pain Physician. 2008 May;11(3):343-53

 Centeno C, Busse D, Kisiday J, Keohan C, Freeman M.  Increased knee cartilage volume in degenerative joint disease using percutaneously implanted, autologous mesenchymal cells, platelet lysate and dexamethasone.  2008; 9:246-251 American Journal of Case Reports.

 Centeno C, Freeman M.  Letters to the Editor Regarding Kongsted, et al.  Clin Rehabil. 2008 Apr;22(4):377-8

 Centeno C, Schultz J, Freeman M.  Sclerotherapy of Baker’s Cyst with Imaging Confirmation of Resolution.  Pain Physician. 2008 Mar-Apr;11(2):257-61

 Freeman M, Centeno C, MD. Etiologic and demographic characteristics of traffic crash-related disc injuries.  NASS 23rd Annual Meeting. Toronto, Ontario, 2008 October 14-18.

 Centeno C, Freeman, MD. Alberta rodeo riders do not develop late whiplash. J Rheumatol. 2007 Feb;34(2):451-2; author reply 452. No abstract available. PMID: 17304671

 Centeno CJ, Elliott J, Elkins WL, Freeman M. Fluoroscopically guided cervical prolotherapy for instability with blinded pre and post radiographic reading. Pain Physician. 2005 Jan;8(1):67-72. PMID: 16850045

 Freeman MD, Centeno C. “Alar, Transverse, and Apical Ligament Strain Due to Head-Turned Rear Impact” by Maak et al. Spine. 2006 Aug 1;31(17):2030;author reply 2030. No abstract available. PMID: 16924225

 Freeman MD, Nystrom A, Centeno C, Hand M. Chronic whiplash and central sensitization; does a trigger point “centroid” play an important role in pain modulation? Clin J Pain (in review)

 Freeman MD, Centeno C, Kohles SS. A systematic approach to determinations of causation in symptomatic intervertebral disc injury following motor vehicle crash trauma. SpineLine (in review)

 Centeno CJ, Elkins W, Freeman M, Elliott J, Sterling M, Katz E.  Total Cervical Translation as a Function of Impact Vector as Measured by Flexion-extension Radiography.  Pain Physicians 2007 Sept;10(5):667-71.

 Bock S, Centeno C, Eliott J.  The presence and interrater reliability of thoracic allodynia in a whiplash cohort – a case series report.  Pain Physician. 2005 Volume 8: pages 267-270

 Freeman M, Croft A, Nicodemus C, Centeno C, Elkins W.  Significant spinal injury resulting from low-level accelerations: A case series of roller coaster injury.  Accepted for publication in The Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Summer 2005.

 Freeman M, Croft A, Rossignol A, Centeno C, Elkins W.  Chronic neck pain and whiplash: a case/control study of the relationship between acute whiplash injuries and chronic neck pain.  Accepted for publication in Pain Research and Management.  Fall 2005.

 Centeno C, Freeman F, Elkins W.  A Review of the Literature Refuting the Concept of Minor Impact Soft Tissue (MIST) Injury.  Pain Research and Management. 2005 Summer;10(2):71-4

 Centeno C, E.J., Elkins W, Freeman M. Fluoroscopically Guided Cervical Prolotherapy for Instability with Blinded  Pre and Post Radiographic Reading. Pain Physician, 2005. 8(1).

 Centeno C, Elkins W.  Research Update: Eye Movement and Reading Comprehension in a Whiplash Injured Cohort.  Brain Injury Association of Colorado 2004 Annual Conference.  Vail, Colorado

 Centeno, C.J., W.L. Elkins, and M. Freeman, Waddell's signs revisited? Spine, 2004. 29(13): p. 1392; discussion 1393.

 Elliott JM, Galloway GJ, Jull GA, Noteboom JT, Centeno CJ, Gibbon WW. Magnetic resonance imaging analysis of the upper cervical spine extensor musculature in an asymptomatic cohort: an index of fat within muscle. Clin Radiol. 2005 Mar;60(3):355-63.

 Centeno C, Thacker J, Elkins W.  A Practical Guide to Cervical Radiofrequency Lesioning of the Medial Branches.    Techniques in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management, Vol 8, No 1 (January), 2004: pp 10-16. 

 Centeno C., Elliot J, Elkins W, Freeman M.  A Prospective Case Series of Fluoroscopically Guided Cervical Prolotherapy for Instability with Blinded Pre and Post Radiographic Reading.  Pain Physician, 8(1) pages 67-72

 Centeno CJ, Elkins W, Manniko E.  Eye Movements and Reading Comprehension in a Whiplash Injured and Control Cohort.  Brain Injury Association of Colorado 21st Annual Conference; Vail, CO October 2-4, 2003

 Freeman MD, Croft AC, Centeno C: Fatal head injury cases in a rural Oregon county. Proceedings of the 19th World Congress of the International Traffic Medicine Association, Budapest, Hungary, September 14-17, 2003.

 Centeno C, Fleishman J. Degenerative Disc Disease and Pre-existing Spinal Pain.  Annals of Rheumatology.  April 2003

 Elliott J, Jacobsen E, Centeno C.  Cranial Manipulation in a Patient with Possible Neurovascular Contact Injury at the Cerebello-Pontine Angle: A Case Report.   Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine.  July/Aug 2003, Vol. 9 No. 4 pages108-112.

 Croft AC, Herring P, Freeman MD, Centeno C, Haneline MT, Baric JJ: Late (chronic) whiplash injury. Public health perspectives amidst a controversial literature. JACA 40(8):26-32, 2003.

 Elliot J, Zylstra E, Centeno C, Emerson P.  The Presence of a Psoas in a Patient with Congenital Absence of the Hip: A Case Report.  Manual Therapy 9 (2004) 109–113

 Freeman MD, Croft AC, Nicodemus CM,   Centeno C, Haneline MT. Significant Spinal Injury Resulting From Low-Level Accelerations; A Case Series Of Roller Coaster Injuries. Presented at the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2001.

 Freeman M., Sapir D., Centeno C, Croft A.  Whiplash injury and occult vertebral fracture; a case series of bone SPECT imaging of patients with persisting spine pain following a motor vehicle crash. 29th Annual Meeting of the Cervical Spine Research Society, Monterey, CA

 Centeno C, Freeman M, Croft A.  A COMPARISON OF THE FUNCTIONAL PROFILE OF AN INTERNATIONAL COHORT OF WHIPLASH INJURED PATIENTS  AND NON-PATIENTS; AN INTERNET STUDY. 2001 International Whiplash and Associated Disorders Congress.  Berne, Switzerland

 Freeman M*, Centeno C, Croft C, Nicodemus C.  SIGNIFICANT SPINAL INJURY RESULTING FROM LOW-LEVEL ACCELERATIONS; A COMPARISON WITH WHIPLASH.  2001 International Whiplash and Associated Disorders Congress.  Berne, Switzerland

 Centeno C, Freeman M.  Functional Disability in European Whiplash Patients versus a Conference Sample of Normal Controls.  Whiplash 2000, Bath England

 Centeno C, Jaccobsen E.  Cervicogenic Dizziness.  North American Whiplash Trauma Conference.  Victoria, British Columbia-1999

 Reilly K, Williams W, Roth H, Centeno C, Entin H, Biskner J: A 3 Year Prospective Study of Isometric Strength with Chronic Low Back Pain Syndrome

 Patients.  International Association for the Study of Pain, 7th World Congress, Paris, France.

 Centeno CJ, Badal l, Martin J: Internalized Tenodesis.  Annual Meeting of the  American Paraplegia Society, Las Vegas Nevada, September 1991.

 Centeno CJ, Clearman C: Iliopsoas Syndrome in Classical Ballet Dancers.  Annual  Meeting of the American Academy of Physical Medicine, San Francisco, California, November, November 1992

 Centeno CJ, Long C: The Normal Rate of Diadochokinesis of the Human Hand.  Annual Meeting of the Southern Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Memphis, Tennessee, May 1989

Published Editorials in The Journal of Whiplash and Related Disorders:

  •  Freeman MD, Centeno C. “Whiplash education: getting the word out”, Editorial for volume 3 number 1 issue of Journal of Whiplash and Related Disorders JWRD 2004; 3(1):1-3.

  •  Freeman MD, Centeno C. “Whiplash and Peer Review”, Editorial for volume 2 number 2 issue of Journal of Whiplash and Related Disorders JWRD 2003;2(2):1-3.

  •  Freeman MD, Centeno C. “Whiplash and Secondary Gain”, Editorial for volume 2 number 1 issue of Journal of Whiplash and Related Disorders JWRD 2003;2(1):1-4.

  •  Freeman MD, Centeno C. “Placebo” Collisions and Whiplash, Editorial for volume 1 number 2 issue of Journal of Whiplash and Related Disorders JWRD 2002;1(2):1-8.

  •  Freeman MD, Centeno C. Inaugural Editorial for volume 1 number 1 issue of Journal of Whiplash and Related Disorders JWRD 2002;1(1):1-4.

 

Ongoing Research: (Not yet presented, published, or submitted for publication)

  •  The Prediction of Outcome Following Whiplash Injury - A Multicentre Prospective Longitudinal Study.  U.S. site in collaboration with The University of Queensland School of Physiotherapy.  Prinicipal investigator-Michelle Sterling. Ph.D.  Funding completed, papers signed with Australian Research Council, implementation in progress.
  •  Double Blind Analysis of Standing Postural Sway in Whiplash vs. Chronic Low Back Pain Patients-Planned retrospective IRB approval.  In data analysis phase.

 

Texts in Print:

  •  Centeno CJ. The Spine Dictionary  Hanley and Belfus.  1998
  •  Centeno CJ.  Emerging Trends in Traumatic Spine Injury Care.  Motor Vehicle Collision Injuries Second Edition: Mechanisms, Diagnosis, and Management.  Aspen Publishing Co USA

 

Teaching Positions:

  •  Instructor - Progressive Insurance CR2 Whiplash Course
  •  Instructor - Manual Physical Therapy Seminars of Colorado-Instructor on differential diagnosis of spinal disorders for physical therapists.  1995-1997

 

Professional Organizations:

  •  Member of the International Association for the Study of Pain
  •  Member of the International Spinal Injection Society
  •  Member of the American Society for Interventional Pain Physicians
  •  Fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  •  Member of the American Academy of Automotive Medicine

 

Honors and Distinctions:

  •  1989, Editor of Medical School Periodical, Cum Laude-FSU; President Alpha Chi Sigma Fraternity, President and Dean’s Lists at FSU; FSU Chemistry Dept. Scholarship