Jack Runnels, DO

Meet Jack Runnels, DO

Sports Medicine Care Focused on Getting You Safely Back to What Moves You

Jack Runnels, DO, CAQSM, is a board-certified family medicine physician with added qualification in sports medicine who provides non-operative sports medicine care in Longview, Texas. He completed his family medicine residency at Prisma Health Tuomey, where he served as chief resident, followed by a sports medicine fellowship at Atrium Health Cabarrus. His training and sideline experience range from high school athletics to NCAA programs, giving him a practical understanding of the physical demands athletes and active individuals face.

Career at a Glance

• Board-certified in family medicine with added qualification in sports medicine.
• Completed a sports medicine fellowship at Atrium Health Cabarrus in Concord, North Carolina.
• Served as chief resident at Prisma Health Tuomey and received the Resident Teacher of the Year award in 2025.
• Served as a team physician during fellowship for Davidson College Athletics and Catawba College Athletics, with additional high school sports coverage.
• Clinical interests include non-operative orthopedics, musculoskeletal ultrasound, injury prevention, concussion management and return-to-play care.

Clinical Role and Leadership

Dr. Runnels brings experience caring for athletes in the clinic and on the sidelines to sports medicine in Longview. His approach focuses on evaluating musculoskeletal and sports-related concerns without surgery when appropriate, developing individualized treatment plans and helping patients make safe decisions about returning to activity. His background as a former chief resident also includes teaching and clinical leadership experience.

He provides specialized evaluation and non-operative care for sports-related concerns such as:

• Concussions
• Knee pain and injuries
• Shoulder pain and injuries
• Hip and groin injuries
• Hand and wrist injuries
• Ankle sprains
• Hamstring strains

What You Can Expect from Care with Jack Runnels, DO

For Dr. Runnels, sports medicine is about more than addressing an injury. His goal is to help athletes and active individuals safely return to the activities that matter to them while considering long-term health, performance and future injury prevention.

You can expect:

• An evidence-based, patient-centered approach
• Non-operative treatment whenever clinically appropriate
• Personalized guidance for safely returning to sports and physical activity
• Attention to injury prevention as well as recovery
• Collaborative care that may involve athletic trainers, physical therapists, primary care physicians and orthopedic specialists

Advanced Diagnostic Care

Jack Runnels, DO has a clinical interest in diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound and ultrasound-guided procedures, which can support the evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. His non-operative approach also incorporates injury evaluation, individualized recovery planning and return-to-play decision-making.

Research, Clinical Insight, and Thought Leadership

Dr. Runnels has contributed to sports medicine education through quality-improvement projects, lectures, case presentations and national professional presentations. His scholarly work includes a quality-improvement project focused on improving the sports medicine experience in a rural residency program and an American Medical Society for Sports Medicine poster presentation, Beyond the Bruise: A Patient Case, in 2026. His teaching topics have included concussion management, knee complaints, exertional heat illness, ankle sprains, shoulder pain and cardiovascular considerations for athletes.

Commitment to Public Health and Health Equity

Service has been a recurring part of Jack Runnels, DO's medical experience. He has experience with international medical mission work in Honduras and Uganda, along with earlier service in Guatemala. He has also volunteered closer to home through student-athlete physicals and medical coverage for events including the Shrine Bowl, Marine Corps Marathon and Professional Fighters League World Tournament Finals.