Venu Akuthota, MD
Professor, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Professional Titles

• Chair
• Professor

Recognition & Awards

• 5280 Top Doctor, 5280 Magazine (2019)
  Recognized as a Top Doctor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation from 2012-present
• CU Medicine Endowed Chair in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, CU Medicine (2019)
• PASSOR Legacy Award and Lectureship, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2015)
  Awarded to mid career physician who has excelled in PM&R clinical care, education, and research.
• Visiting Professor, Harvard University (2012)
  Visiting Professorships at Harvard, Cornell, National University of Korea, Eastern Virginia, Turkish Rheumatologic Congress, Dalhousie University (Halifax, Canada), University of Utah
• Best Paper, North American Spine Society (2011)
  
• Inspired Kindness Award, Grateful Patient & Family Program, University of Colorado Hospital Foundation (2010)
  
• Golden Goniometer Academic Teaching Award, Dept of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (2007)
  

Teaching

Publications

• Lee D, Carrera EJ, Hagens R, Yeung G, Garvan CW, Rothman MS, Akuthota V. Serum Cortisol Level to Screen for Significant Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Suppression in Patients Receiving Multiple Steroid Injections. Pain Med. 2023 Oct 11. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 37819765
• Meron A, Barber K, Stokes D, Churchill L, LeDoux C, Akuthota V. Feasibility and acceptability of a telemedicine triage model among Medicaid patients with low back pain referred to a spine center. N Am Spine Soc J. 2023 Jun;14:100200. PubMed PMID: 37008515
• Carollo J, De S, Akuthota V. Evidence-Based Physiatry: Clinical Decision-Making With Instrumented Gait Analysis. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2020 Mar;99(3):265-266. PubMed PMID: 31860588
• Clements ND, McCormick ZL, Vydra D, Nagpal A, Akuthota V, Kennedy DJ, Cushman DM. Serious Complications Associated with Interventional Spine Procedures-Results of a Spine Intervention Society Survey. Pain Med. 2020 Mar 1;21(3):651-653. PubMed PMID: 31188448
• Carollo J, De S, Akuthota V. Evidence-Based Physiatry: Clinical Decision Making with Instrumented Gait Analysis. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2019 Dec 19. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31860588
• Clements ND, McCormick ZL, Vydra D, Nagpal A, Akuthota V, Kennedy DJ, Cushman DM. Serious Complications Associated with Interventional Spine Procedures-Results of a Spine Intervention Society Survey. Pain Med. 2019 Jun 12. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31188448
• Akuthota V, Meron AJ, Singh JR, Boimbo S, Laker SR, Brakke Holman R, Sridhar BV, Friedrich J, Sullivan WJ. The utility of magnetic resonance imaging results in physician decision-making before initial lumbar spinal injection. Spine J. 2019 Sep;19(9):1455-1462. PubMed PMID: 31009770
• Hammerich A, Whitman J, Mintken P, Denninger T, Akuthota V, Sawyer EE, Hofmann M, Childs JD, Cleland J. Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Combined With Epidural Steroid Injection for Individuals With Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Parallel-Group Trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2019 May;100(5):797-810. PubMed PMID: 30703349
• Akuthota V, Marshall B, Boimbo S, Osborne MC, Garvan CS, Garvan GJ, Buzanowska M, Sauerwein K, Sridhar BV, Plastaras CT. Clinical Course of Motor Deficits from Lumbosacral Radiculopathy Due to Disk Herniation. PM R. 2019 Aug;11(8):807-814. PubMed PMID: 30689304
• Friedly JL, Comstock BA, Heagerty PJ, Bauer Z, Rothman MS, Suri P, Hansen R, Avins AL, Nedeljkovic SS, Nerenz DR, Akuthota V, Jarvik JG. Systemic effects of epidural steroid injections for spinal stenosis. Pain. 2018 May;159(5):876-883. PubMed PMID: 29394207
• Sclafani JA, Ho PS, Mayfield C, Ukegbu U, Akuthota V, Chan L. Interventional Treatment and Physical Therapy Utilization for Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis Within Medicare Beneficiaries From 2000-2011: Descriptive Analysis and Impacts on Surgery Frequency. PM R. 2016 Sep;8(9S):S160. PubMed PMID: 27672768
• Friedly JL, Comstock BA, Standaert CJ, Nedeljkovic S, Kennedy DJ, Sibell DM, Suri P, Akuthota V, Annaswamy TM, Bauer Z, Jarvik JJ. Patient and Procedural Risk Factors for Cortisol Suppression Following Epidural Steroid Injections for Spinal Stenosis. PM R. 2016 Sep;8(9S):S159-S160. PubMed PMID: 27672767
• Sclafani JA, Constantin A, Ho PS, Akuthota V, Chan L. Descriptive Analysis of Spinal Neuroaxial Injections, Surgical Interventions and Physical Therapy Utilization for Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis within Medicare Beneficiaries from 2000-2011. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2016 May 31. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 27254653
• Niehaus W, Boimbo S, Akuthota V. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Resident Use of iPad Mini Mobile Devices. PM R. 2015 May;7(5):512-8. PubMed PMID: 25661459
• Friedly JL, Comstock BA, Turner JA, Heagerty PJ, Deyo RA, Sullivan SD, Bauer Z, Bresnahan BW, Avins AL, Nedeljkovic SS, Nerenz DR, Standaert C, Kessler L, Akuthota V, Annaswamy T, Chen A, Diehn F, Firtch W, Gerges FJ, Gilligan C, Goldberg H, Kennedy DJ, Mandel S, Tyburski M, Sanders W, Sibell D, Smuck M, Wasan A, Won L, Jarvik JG. A randomized trial of epidural glucocorticoid injections for spinal stenosis. N Engl J Med. 2014 Jul 3;371(1):11-21. PubMed PMID: 24988555
• Friedly J, Akuthota V, Amtmann D, Patrick D. Why disability and rehabilitation specialists should lead the way in patient-reported outcomes. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014 Aug;95(8):1419-22. PubMed PMID: 24732170
• Yang A, Emig M, Akuthota V. Kissing spine and the retrodural space of Okada: more than just a kiss?. PM R. 2014 Mar;6(3):287-9. PubMed PMID: 24370607

Professional Memberships

• American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPMR), Member
• Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP), Member
• North American Spine Society (NASS), Member
• Spinal Intervention Society (SIS), Member