Dr. Brian Barnett wants his patients to keep playing hard in the mountains. 

At his new orthopedic and sports medicine clinic in Frisco, Barnett is expanding access to specialized non-operative care for sports injuries, spinal conditions and other musculoskeletal problems in Summit County. Barnett said he takes a “patient-centered approach” focused on helping everyone from middle school runners to 80-year-old retirees return to the activities they enjoy.

“Everything we do is trying to help patients get back to the highest level of activity, whatever that activity is for them,” Barnett said. 

The Barnett Clinic at 323 W. Main St., Suite 101, specializes in interventional care without surgery whenever appropriate. Barnett, a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, said the practice serves patients of all ages.

“Our goal is to help people live their best lives,” Barnett said. 

Unlike a traditional orthopedic practice centered on surgery, Barnett said his specialty focuses on diagnosing injuries, relieving pain and restoring function through minimally invasive procedures, rehabilitation and regenerative medicine. He said medical research shows more than 80% of sports injuries can be treated without surgery. 

The Barnett Clinic boasts the only office-based fluoroscope between both Summit and Eagle counties. The specialized X-ray imaging system allows physicians to precisely guide needles during spine and other musculoskeletal procedures.

While fluoroscopes are commonly found in surgery centers, Barnett said having one inside an office clinic setting can significantly reduce costs and wait times for patients. 

“Having the office-space fluoroscope is a big deal because it potentially saves patients thousands of dollars in copays and also accelerates the time they could get in,” he said. 

The technology allows Barnett to perform image-guided epidural injections for conditions like herniated discs, pinched nerves, arthritic facet joints and stress fractures he says are most commonly seen in young athletes. 

The clinic also uses high-resolution ultrasound during some examinations, allowing Barnett to evaluate muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves in real time and later guide injections with precision. An on-site electromyography, or EMG, machine, helps diagnose conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and pinched nerves. Barnett explains the process to his patients along the way, pointing out any irregularities in X-ray or ultrasound images.

Barnett also focuses on orthobiologics, an emerging field that uses a patient’s own blood or bone marrow to support healing. The clinic processes platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow concentrate on site, treatments Barnett said can help address certain tendon injuries, arthritis and other related musculoskeletal conditions. 

Barnett continues to collaborate with his former colleague Dr. Ryan Dregalla to study orthobiologic treatments and better understand why some patients respond differently.

A Colorado native, Barnett returned to Summit County over three years ago after working in Bend, Oregon, first joining Panorama Orthopedics before opening his own clinic. He lives in Summit County with his wife and daughter. 

Although his practice emphasizes non-surgical care, Barnett works closely with orthopedic surgeons when needed and regularly collaborates with physical therapists, noting more than 90% of his patients participate in some kind of rehabilitation. 

“It’s always a collaboration between us and the patients, listening to their central issues and their goals,” Barnett said. 

The clinic accepts insurance, though some plans require a referral from a primary care physician. Patients can schedule appointments by calling the clinic at 970-406-0696 or by visiting TheBarnettClinic.com, where Barnett has linked dozens of informational pages and research on orthobiologics and treatment.