Skip to main content
Pamela A. Hansen
( out of 95 reviews )

Pamela A. Hansen, MD

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Primary Location

University Orthopaedic Center

590 Wakara Way
Salt Lake City , UT 84108

Huntsman Cancer Institute - Cancer Hospital South

Clinic 1B, Wellness and Integrative Health
1950 Circle of Hope
Salt Lake City , UT 84112

Back, Neck, & Spine Care

Spine Care at Arapeen
540 Arapeen Drive
Salt Lake City , UT 84108

Dr. Pamela A. Hansen is a professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation who specializes in musculoskeletal, spine and cancer rehabilitation. She holds Board Certifications from the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and a sub-specialty Board Certification in Sports Medicine. Research interests include exercise in the cancer population, improvement in quality healthcare and patient outcomes, and medical education. Her clinical interests include exercise throughout the lifespan with attention to the aging population, cancer rehabilitation, and non-pharmaceutical approaches to manage pain, including joint and interventional spine procedures.

Dr. Hansen is the Medical Director for the POWER (Personal Optimism with Exercise Recovery) Program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Linda B. and Robert B. Wiggins Wellness and Integrative Health Center, which she founded in 2005. This program offers cancer patients personalized rehabilitation programs based on diagnosis, cancer treatment type and phase, as well as personal goals. POWER helps people affected by cancer improve their quality of life, reduce the side effects of their treatments, and increase strength for daily living.

Dr. Hansen has also served as the PM&R Residency Program Director since 2009.

Board Certification

American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Patient Rating

4.8 /5
( out of 95 reviews )

The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers.

The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

Patient Comments

Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety. For the convenience of our visitors, some patient comments have been translated from their original language into English while preserving their original meaning as accurately as possible. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

Good listener, explained well, dealt with the whole patient, not just a few discs.

ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

She is an excellent doctor

ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

I appreciate Dr. Hansen's conservative, yet compassionate, approach to my care. She always offers all the possible solutions, answers questions with detail, and I feel like we are partners in deciding how to address my problems.

ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

Dr. Hanson is such an outstanding part of University of Utah service group. I talk about her to all I meet with back or other Orthopaedic issues. She is like family to my wife and me.

ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

I mostly saw Dr. Hansen's PA, Marilou Oh. In short, I felt like she interrupted my statements frequently throughout the visit. Perhaps I talk too much. I also was not initially clear about the after care plan and had to ask follow up questions. I guess that's ok but after all the interruptions my comfort level with PA Oh was lessened. I also felt like the new medication prescribed was missing, what I believed was, vital information such as the frequency to take it and again had to reach out for more clarification. In fact, I ended up taking too many doses the first day because I did not know. No side effects that I'm aware of thankfully. I do believe the after care plan we decided was agreeable and I felt like I was empowered during that process. I could also hear from inside my room the staff discussing my situation with Dr. Hansen in the hallway which made me feel uneasy whether they were relaying the information correctly. Rating above is specific to Dr. Hansen.

ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

She is awesome and very professional and caring!

ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

She was very helpful and concerned that my care had helped my individual shoulder problems, which it did.

ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

She is very, knowledgeable and proficient at what she does.

ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

What more can I say about Dr. Pam Hansen. I completely trust anything she says or recommends. I feel very fortunate to have her caring for me..

Dr. Pamela A. Hansen is a professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation who specializes in musculoskeletal, spine and cancer rehabilitation. She holds Board Certifications from the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and a sub-specialty Board Certification in Sports Medicine. Research interests include exercise in the cancer population, improvement in quality healthcare and patient outcomes, and medical education. Her clinical interests include exercise throughout the lifespan with attention to the aging population, cancer rehabilitation, and non-pharmaceutical approaches to manage pain, including joint and interventional spine procedures.

Dr. Hansen is the Medical Director for the POWER (Personal Optimism with Exercise Recovery) Program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Linda B. and Robert B. Wiggins Wellness and Integrative Health Center, which she founded in 2005. This program offers cancer patients personalized rehabilitation programs based on diagnosis, cancer treatment type and phase, as well as personal goals. POWER helps people affected by cancer improve their quality of life, reduce the side effects of their treatments, and increase strength for daily living.

Dr. Hansen has also served as the PM&R Residency Program Director since 2009.

Board Certification and Academic Information

Academic Departments Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation -Professor (Clinical)
Orthopaedics -Adjunct Associate Professor
Board Certification
American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Education history

Undergraduate Psychology - South Dakota State University B.S.
Professional Medical Medicine - Northwestern University Medical School M.D.
Internship Internal Medicine - University of Utah School of Medicine Intern
Residency Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation - University of Washington Resident
Chief Resident Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation - University of Washington Chief Resident
Fellowship Musculoskeletal and Spine Rehabilitation - University of Utah School of Medicine Fellow

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Hansen PA, Micklesen P, Robinson LR (2004). Clinical utility of the flick maneuver in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome. Am J Phys Med Rehabil, 83(5), 363-7.
  2. Willick SE, Hansen P (2010). Running and Osteoarthritis. Clinics in sports medicine, 29(3), 417-428.
  3. Daubs MD, Patel AA, Willick SE, Kendall RW, Hansen PA, Petron DJ, Brodke D (2010). Clinical Impression Versus Standardized Questionnaire: The Spinal Surgeon's Ability to Assess Psychological Distress. The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume, 92, 1-6.
  4. Hansen PA, English M, Willick S (2012). Does Running Cause Osteoarthritis in the Hip or Knee?. PM & R, (4), S117-S121.
  5. Hansen PA, Dechet CB, Porucznik CA, LaStayo P (2009). Comparing eccentric resistance exercise in prostate cancer survivors on and off hormone therapy: a pilot study. 1(11), 1019-24.
  6. Paidin M, Hansen PA, McFadden M, Kendall R (2011). Contrast Dispersal Patterns as a Predictor of Clinical Outcome with Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection for Lumbar Radiculopathy. 3(11), 1022-1027.
  7. Dunston ER, Bai Y, Newton M, Podlog L, Walker D, Oza S, Zingg RW, Hansen PA, Coletta A (2022). Clinical and Demographic Factors Associated with Follow-up in a Hospital-based Exercise Oncology Program. . Integrative cancer therapies, 21,
  8. Coletta AM, Playdon M, Baron KG, Wei M, Kelley K, Vaklavas C, Beck A, Buys SS, Chipman J, Ulrich CM, Walker D, White S, Oza S, Zingg RW, Hansen P (2021). The Association Between Time-of-day of Habitual Exercise Training and Changes in Relevant Cancer Health Outcomes Among Cancer Survivors. PloS one, 16(10), e0258135.
  9. Coletta AM, Haverbeck Simon L, Maslana K, Taylor S, Larson K, Hansen PA, Thomas VM, Ulrich CM, Kohli M, Chipman J, Swami U, Gupta S, Maughan BL, Agarwal (2024). Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training to Preserve Muscle Mass and Attenuate Cancer Progression (CREATINE-52): A Protocol for a Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial. BMC cancer, 24(1), 493.
  10. Gorzelitz JS, Kennedy MA, Dittus K, Mansfield S, Wonders K, Hansen PA, Coletta AM, Iyengar NM, Covington Wood K, Schwartz AL, Potiaumpai M, Campbell A, Schmitz K Healthcare Systems-Based Exercise Oncology Programs: Emphasizing and Speaking the Language of the Clinic and Patient. Translational Journal of the ACSM, 10(2), 1-10.

Book Chapter

  1. Hansen PA, Reed (2006). Common musculoskeletal problems in the performing artist. 17,
  2. Hansen, PA, Willick S (2011). Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Lower Limb. 843-870.
  3. Hansen PA, Willick S (2007). Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Lower Limb.
  4. Hansen PA, Willick S (2014). Running and Osteoarthritis. 620-630.
  5. Hansen PA, Henrie AM, Deimel GW, Willick S (2015). Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Lower Limb.

Abstract

  1. Hansen, PA,Willick, SE,Kendall, R (2007). Pain reproduction and acute pain relief with transforaminal injections do not predict two-week or two-month pain or functional outcomes. [Abstract]. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 88.
  2. Hansen PA, Micklesen PJ, Robinson LR (2002). The utility of the flick maneuver in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome [Abstract]. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 83, 1641.
  3. Hansen PA, Kraft GH (2002). Successful early treatment and rehabilitation of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis [Abstract]. Am J Phys Med Rehabil, 81, 539.
  4. Christiansen J, Capizzi A, Walker D, Fenger C, Bigelow B, Sandefur K, Trapp S, Hansen (2020). How Does Mindfulness Added to a Structured Diet and Exercise Program in Cancer Patients Affect Long Term Health Benefits? Poster presentation at the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine World Congress and Association of Academic Physiatrists Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida. 99(3), a187.
  5. Hansen PA, Zingg R, Coletta AM, Walker D, Rose N (2020). Preliminary Efficacy of a Hospital Based Exercise Oncology Program. Poster presentation at the 2020 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Annual Assembly, San Diego, CA and The 24th Multidisciplinary Management of Cancers Conference. 12(S1), suppl 1.
  6. Lanpher A, Brady D, Mascoe J, Hansen P, Davies R, Stiel K, Armstrong Wellness Initiatives within the PM&R Residency Program. Poster presented at the University of Utah Evidence Based Practice + Wellness Champions Poster Fair.
  7. Tran J, Kramer A, Hansen Impact-PMR: Innovative Methods for Preceptor Advancement and Clinical Teaching in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Poster presented at the Education Scholarship Retreat and the 2024 AAP Annual Conference.
  8. Maughan BL, Agarwal N, Walker D, Coletta AM, Nordblad B, Swami U, Gupta S, Buys SS, Kohli M, Hansen PA, Boucher KM, Henry N A Prospective Trial of a Structured Exercise Program to Lessen Fatigue in Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer (aPC) Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT). Presented at the 2025 GU ASCO. San Francisco, CA.
  9. Maslana KE, Haverbeck Simon L, Saviers-Steiger C, Dunston ER, Galyean P, Kimball ER, Mendez J, Zickmund SL, Ulrich CM, LaStayo PC, Steinberg D, Noren CS, Finch A, Seckinger L, Braun EH, Chipman JJ, Hansen PA, Oza S, Brownson KE & Coletta A The CORE Clinical Workflow Algorithm Exhibits Promise in Promoting Exercise Engagement from Time of Diagnosis Throughout Breast Cancer Care.