Jennifer Hankenson, MD

Dr. Hankenson, a physiatrist, is an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at Yale School of Medicine and Program Director of the Physiatry residency. She specializes in general musculoskeletal and neurorehabilitation in both adults and children. She has areas of clinical interest that include ultrasound guided procedures, spasticity management and regenerative medicine. She works in a collaborative approach with other medical professionals, providing a patient and their family a multidisciplinary team dedicated to improving function and overall well-being.

Dr. Hankenson's areas of expertise include the following:

• Adult and pediatric tone evaluation and management
• Botox or chemodenervation as a treatment for spasticity, dystonia and chronic migraine
• General musculoskeletal conditions including non-operative management of arm, hip, shoulder, neck, low back, knee, ankle or foot pain
• Ultrasound guided procedures for joint pain
• Post stroke or traumatic brain injury recovery and management of therapies
• Post-concussion syndrome
• Spinal cord injury

Dr. Hankenson first discovered the specialty of physiatry or physical medicine and rehabilitation during her medical school training at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL. Her interest in caring for patients with medical conditions requiring complex rehabilitation management grew during her residency at Medstar/Georgetown University in Washington, DC. There she gained exposure to both adult and pediatric rehabilitation in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. She has a strong interest in gait analysis and looks to restore functional gait through non-operative management. She also works closely with her orthopedic colleagues to help with rehabilitation needs pre- and post-surgery.

Dr. Hankenson treats patients at the Milford, Wallingford, North Haven and Long Wharf (pediatric patients only) clinic sites. When she isn’t in the clinic, she’ll be playing tennis, spending time with her family, and spending time outdoors.