Provider Spotlight: Dr. Ryan Maenpa

Born and raised in Ashtabula Ohio, Dr. Ryan Maenpa knew science was going to be a big passion in his life, but it didn’t always look like it does now. He originally spent a lot of time learning about plant or environmental science.

“I’ve always enjoyed exploring and learning about nature,” he said.

Dr. Maenpa was a distance runner at the time. Sometimes racking up 40 miles a week! It wasn’t until he suffered a chronic knee injury that he started exploring medical literature and sports medicine. That’s when he knew he was switching things up.

He attended Cincinnati College of Medicine and decided Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation was the path for him.

“I really fell in love with neuroscience, and I thought Physical Medicine goes well with that,” he said.

Dr. Maenpa became board certified in Physiatry and Electrodiagnostic Medicine. He spends a lot of his practice time conducting Electromyography tests (EMG) which measure the electrical activity of muscles and nerves. It’s used for neuropathy, carpel tunnel, radiculopathy, muscle disease, myasthenia gravis, and traumatic injuries.

“You must think like an engineer and understand anatomy. You can’t just test everyone the same. You must understand things like age, muscle tension and tech factors.”

He says it’s not a particularly easy test and he prides himself on helping every patient get through it as easy as they can. He enjoys the procedural part of his practice that keeps him interacting with the patient and not a computer screen.

Dr. Maenpa met his wife Lesa while working at DCND more than 10 years ago. In his free time, he enjoys woodshop projects, gardening/landscaping and running. He has a son and three stepdaughters.

“I feel like the work I do has found me. It’s a good fit.”