Associate Professor
Director of PMR Sports Medicine Research
To see if Daniel Curtis Herman is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Sports Medicine
Clinic Phone: 916-734-6805
Clinic Fax: 916-734-6806
I use a patient-centered approach to your health issues that accounts for your personal functional and lifestyle goals. In order to help you met your goals, I apply my extensive training, experience, and knowledge of the medical literature towards providing evidence-based solutions.
Dr. Herman provides non-operative musculoskeletal sports medicine care for patients ranging from elite athletes to “weekend warrior” athletes to non-athletes with joint, muscle and nerve issues that prevent them from reaching their functional and lifestyle goals. Dr. Herman has particular expertise in human movement biomechanics, including those related ACL injury risk and running. He also performs an array of ultrasound-guided procedures, including joint and tendon injections, viscosupplementation, PRP, Tenex, genicular nerve blocks and ablations, tendon scraping, nerve hydrodissections, and shoulder hydrodilations.
Dr. Herman's research focuses on sports injury prevention and rehabilitation, particularly regarding the effect of concussion and baseline neurocognitive performance on neuromuscular control and musculoskeletal injury risk. Dr. Herman also studies the effect of headgear on athlete safety in girls lacrosse and other sports. Finally, Dr. Herman engages in clinical research, and is currently investigating the use of ultrasound guidance on knee geniculate nerve radiofrequency ablation outcomes.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
B.S., UC Davis, Davis CA 1998
M.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC 2008
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC 2008
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Virginia, Charlottesville VA 2008-2009
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Virginia, Charlottesville VA 2009-2012
Primary Care Sports Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 2012-2013
Fellow, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, 2024, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, 2024
Early PM&R Career Award, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2023, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2023
Early Career Academician Award, Associate for Academic Physiatrist, 2021
Fellow, International Society for Biomechanics in Sport, 2019
Fellow, American College of Sports Medicine, 2016
Electrode Store Best Paper Award, Association for Academic Physiatrists Annual Meeting, 2016
American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine Excellence in Research Award, 2015
UF-Health Customer is Key Award for Clinical Service to Patients, 2015
University of Florida College of Medicine Exemplary Teacher Award, 2015
Association of Academic Physiatrists Annual Meeting Best Paper Award, 2014
American Medical Society for Sports Medicine NCAA Research Award, 2013
Southeastern College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting Best Case Presentation Award, 2013
University of Virginia School of Medicine Mulholland Award for Outstanding Teaching, 2012
University of Virginia Dept. of PM&R Most Outstanding Resident Award, 2012
University of Virginia Dept. of PM&R Award for Excellence in Research, 2011, 2012
Association for Academic Physiatrists McLean Most Outstanding Resident/Fellow Award, 2011
University of Virginia Housestaff Council Young Scientist Award, 2010, 2011, 2012
American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine O’Donaghue Research Award, 2008
Finnoff JT, Awan T, Borg-Stein J, Harmon KG, Herman DC, Malenga G, Master Z, Mautner K, Shapiro SA. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Position Statement: Principles for the Responsible Use of Regenerative Medicine in Sports Medicine. Clin J Sports Med, Accepted 2021.
Herman DC, Nelson V, Montalvo AV, Myer G, Brenner J, DiFiori J, Jayanthi N, Marshall S, Kliethermes S, Beutler A, Tenforde AS. Current Health Organization Guidelines Relevant to Youth Sport Specialization: A Systematic Review following the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) Collaborative Research Network's 2019 Youth Early Sport Specialization Summit. Sports Health, Accepted 2019.
Chmielewski TL, Tatman J, Suzuki S, Horodyski M, Reisman DS, Bauer RM, Clugston JR, Herman DC. Impaired motor control after sport-related concussion could increase risk for musculoskeletal injury: Implications for clinical management and rehabilitation. J Sport Health Sci. 2021 Mar;10(2):154-161. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2020.11.005. Epub 2020 Nov 11. PMID:33188963.
Howell DR, Lynall RC, Buckley TA, Herman DC. Dual-task neuromuscular deficits and the risk of subsequent injury after a concussion: a scoping review. Sports Medicine. 2018 May;48(5):1097-1115.
Dubose DF, Herman DC, Jones DL, Tillman SM, Clugston JR, Pass A, Hernandez JA, Vasilopoulos T, Horodyski M, Chmielewski TL. Lower Extremity Stiffness Changes after Concussion in Collegiate Football Players. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2017 Jan;49(1):167-172. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001067. PMID:27501359.
Herman DC, Jones D, Harrison A, Moser M, Tillman S, Farmer K, Pass A, Clugston JR, Hernandez J, Chmielewski TL. Concussion May Increase the Risk of Subsequent Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Injury in Collegiate Athletes. Sports Med. 2017 May;47(5):1003-1010. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0607-9. PMID:27544666.
Tenforde AS, Montalvo A, Nelson V, Myer G, Brenner J, DiFiori J, Jayanthi N, Marshall S, Kliethermes S, Beutler A, Herman DC. Current Organizational Recommendations Regarding Youth Sport Participation: A Systematic Synthesis Following the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) Collaborative Research Network's 2019 Youth Early Sport Specialization Summit. Sports Health, Accepted 2019.
Herman DC, Barth JT. Drop-Jump Landing Varies With Baseline Neurocognition: Implications for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk and Prevention. Am J Sports Med. 2016 Sep;44(9):2347-53. doi:10.1177/0363546516657338. Epub 2016 Jul 29. PMID:27474381.
Herman DC, Zaremski JL, Vincent HK, Vincent KR. Effect of neurocognition and concussion on musculoskeletal injury risk. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2015 May-Jun;14(3):194-9. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000157. PMID:25968852.
Herman DC, Oñate JA, Weinhold PS, Guskiewicz KM, Garrett WE, Yu B, Padua DA. The effects of feedback with and without strength training on lower extremity biomechanics. Am J Sports Med. 2009 Jul;37(7):1301-8. doi:10.1177/0363546509332253. Epub 2009 Mar 19. PMID:19299530.