We’re looking forward to introducing you to Dr Robert Pomahac. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Robert, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
Every collision in sports leaves a mark. We’re finally learning how deep it goes.
At Modern Health U (MHU), we’re investigating what happens to a youth athlete’s brain and spine during a season of contact sports — the concussions, whiplash forces, and subtle biomechanical changes that build up hit after hit. In partnership with PhDs from the University of Utah and BYU, we’re using HIT accelerometers, brain scans, posture analytics, and genetic sequencing to create the first objective map of how these impacts affect development.
What nobody sees are the hours spent vetting diagnostic equipment and diving into biomechanics, neurology, and genetics to ensure our measurements are both precise and globally meaningful. That invisible foundation is what will ultimately allow us to protect and unlock the potential of the next generation of athletes.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Dr. Robert Pomahac, founder and CEO of Modern Health U (MHU). My career began on the ice as a competitive hockey player in Canada, where repeated collisions gave me firsthand insight into how brain and spinal trauma accumulate over time. That experience led me into biomechanics, chiropractic, and eventually, a two-decade career as the leader of one of Los Angeles’ largest integrated clinics.
Today, my work focuses on youth contact sports research — specifically, studying the impact of a season of collisions on the brain and spine. Through MHU, we’re collaborating with universities and sports organizations to integrate tools such as brain scans, balance testing, functional posture assessment, spinal alignment, and ligament stability into a comprehensive model for tracking young athletes.
What makes this unique is the fusion of science and advocacy. We’re not just collecting data; we’re creating pathways to protect athletes, improve performance, and inform parents and coaches with evidence-based insights. Our goal is to build the largest youth brain–spine dataset of its kind, which will help us understand the actual cost of a season—and how to better safeguard the next generation.
For me, this isn’t abstract science — it’s personal. I’ve experienced the long-term effects of contact sports, and now I’m committed to ensuring that kids who love the game have the tools to play safer, stronger, and smarter.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
For me, it was 2019. At the time, I owned the busiest integrated medical clinics in Los Angeles — a 10,000-square-foot facility with 25 staff members and nearly 3,000 patients per month. On the outside, it looked like success. On the inside, I was exhausted, overworked, and barely home with my wife and kids.
The breaking point came on a family vacation. It was 2 a.m., and instead of sleeping, I was buried in medical notes. My wife looked at me and asked: “Why are you doing this?” — and I didn’t have an answer. That question shook me. What was my purpose if I had no balance in my own life?
On my birthday that year, I made the hardest decision of my career: I closed the clinic, with no plan except to give myself space to think. That pause — as terrifying as it was — became the foundation for Modern Health U. It was the moment I realized my purpose was to build something scalable, balanced, and impactful. Something that could change lives without costing me my own.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell my younger self: life is going to be ten times harder than you think — but hard work always works. There will be setbacks you can’t anticipate, challenges that feel overwhelming, and moments when you’ll question your path. But every ounce of effort, every late night, every decision to keep moving forward will shape you into someone stronger than you imagined. Trust the grind, because it pays off — not always immediately, but always in the long run.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am committed to uncovering and addressing the truth about the long-term effects of contact sports on youth athletes as they age. The evidence is mounting — repeated collisions in childhood don’t just fade away; they resurface years later as mental health struggles, chronic pain, reduced cognitive processing, and in some cases, CTE.
My vision is to create a future where this suffering is no longer hidden or dismissed. We need systems that recognize, measure, and track the real impact of youth contact sports, so parents, coaches, and players aren’t left in the dark. This isn’t just about protecting kids during a season — it’s about safeguarding their ability to think, move, and live fully decades later.
I believe the answers we’re seeking are not just important — they’re urgent. By bringing clarity through science, we can build solutions that both honor the love of the game and protect the future of the young athletes who play it. That is the work I will pursue, no matter how long it takes.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I find peace in the pursuit — questioning old assumptions, staying curious, and pushing myself to keep growing, both mentally and physically. That pursuit shows up in my home gym, where training alone has become my meditation.
Now in my 50s, I’ve realized that strength is the currency of staying young. It’s what keeps me a fit dad, a present husband, and still a hockey player who can dominate against guys ten years younger. And yes — in Utah that sometimes means I’m outskating kids who could be my own… or, let’s be honest, maybe even my grandkids.
That balance of curiosity for the mind and discipline for the body is what keeps me grounded. It’s living proof that age is just a number — as long as you keep showing up, keep questioning, and keep training like you’ve still got something to prove.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.modernhealthu.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrobpomahac/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobertpomahac/
- Twitter: https://x.com/DrRobPomahac
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.pomahac
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/max-health-los-angeles-3?osq=Max+Health
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@maxhealthla
