Tampa has long been known for its vibrant waterfront, thriving sports culture, and growing reputation as a hub for innovation. But beyond the skyline and stadium lights, the city is also home to forward-thinking healthcare professionals who are reshaping how people recover, perform, and live healthier lives.
One of those innovators is Dr. Tommy Rhee, a Tampa-based sports chiropractor, author, and founder of RheeGen®, a pioneering regenerative wellness company focused on non-invasive topical therapies designed to help the body heal naturally.
While his work now attracts national attention, from elite athletes to wellness leaders across the country, Dr. Rhee’s story remains deeply tied to Tampa.
“This city is home for me,” Dr. Rhee says. “I’ve worked with athletes and patients all over the country, but Tampa is where I wanted to build something meaningful. It’s a community that values health, performance, and innovation.”
From Tampa Roots to Elite Sports Medicine
Dr. Rhee’s career began in 2006 after graduating from Cleveland Chiropractic College. In Los Angeles, he opened his first practice and quickly found himself working alongside some of the nation’s most competitive athletes.
Between 2005 and 2008, he worked closely withUCLA’s Track & Field, Women’s Soccer, and Football teams as the team chiropractor for athletics, helping athletes recover from injuries and optimize their performance.
“When you’re working with athletes at that level, every decision matters,” Dr. Rhee explains. “You learn very quickly that recovery has to be efficient, effective, and safe because careers depend on it.”
But despite the success he built on the West Coast, something kept pulling him back to Florida.
“I grew up in Tampa,” he says. “And I always knew I wanted to come back and bring that experience here. Tampa has such an active community, and the people here care about their health, they care about staying active, and they’re open to new approaches.”
Bringing a “West Coast Approach” to Tampa
When Dr. Rhee returned to Tampa in 2008, he brought with him what many patients would soon describe as a “West Coast approach” to chiropractic care.
In practical terms, that meant combining hands-on treatment with advanced recovery technologies and whole-body performance strategies that were still relatively new to the region.
“At the time, many of these therapies weren’t widely available in Tampa,” he says. “I saw an opportunity to bring tools here that athletes and performance centers were already using in places like Los Angeles.”
Dr. Rhee became the first practitioner in the Tampa Bay area to introduce several advanced recovery modalities, including Active Release Techniques (ART), Exercise With Oxygen Therapy (EWOT), Whole-Body Cryotherapy, and PiezoWave Shockwave therapy.
“These weren’t trends for me,” he explains. “Everything I bring into my clinic has one goal: results. If it helps people recover faster, move better, and stay active, then it belongs here in Tampa.”
Patients quickly responded to the approach.
“At first people were curious,” he says. “But once they experienced the difference, it clicked. Tampa residents are incredibly active, whether they’re athletes, runners along Bayshore Boulevard, or weekend golfers. They want solutions that help them stay moving.”
Treating Tampa’s Athletes—and Everyday Residents
Over the years, Dr. Rhee’s reputation grew far beyond the treatment room. He has worked with Olympians, Ironman triathletes, UFC fighters, professional golfers, CrossFit competitors, and boxers.
From 2015 to 2018, he also served as the team chiropractor for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, further cementing his connection to the city’s sports culture.
But Dr. Rhee is quick to point out that elite athletes are only part of the story.
“Tampa is full of people who live active lives,” he says. “Teachers, parents, entrepreneurs, retirees—everyone wants to feel strong and capable. My goal has always been to bring the same level of care you’d see in professional sports to everyday people right here in Tampa.”
A Breakthrough Born in Tampa
That philosophy eventually led to one of the most innovative chapters of Dr. Rhee’s career: the creation of RheeGen®, a topical regenerative therapy designed to support healing without injections or invasive procedures.
The breakthrough came after an NFL quarterback approached him with grade III Achilles tendonitis, an injury severe enough to threaten the athlete’s season.
“He needed regenerative support, but he couldn’t afford the downtime that injections or surgery might require,” Dr. Rhee recalls. “That challenge forced me to think differently.”
After three years of research and clinical refinement, RheeGen® was born. The topical therapy delivers regenerative signaling compounds through the skin, allowing the body to support healing naturally.
“The quarterback finished the season and didn’t miss a single game,” Dr. Rhee says. “Moments like that remind you why innovation matters.”
Founded in Tampa in 2024, RheeGen® has since begun attracting attention across the country, positioning the city as an emerging center for regenerative wellness.
“I’m proud that this started in Tampa,” he says. “This city deserves to be part of the conversation about the future of healthcare.”
A Vision for Tampa’s Health Future
Researchers around the world are increasingly exploring cell-free regenerative medicine, a field that focuses on the biological signal’s cells use to communicate and coordinate healing. Dr. Rhee believes these signaling pathways may represent one of the next frontiers in non-invasive recovery technologies. His research on cell-free regenerative signaling was recently accepted for presentation at the 2026 American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) Annual Meeting.
Today, Dr. Rhee continues to treat patients locally while expanding the reach of RheeGen®. Despite growing national recognition, including media appearances and podcast interviews, he remains deeply connected to the community where his journey began.
“Tampa has always supported innovation,” he says. “Whether it’s sports, technology, or healthcare, this city embraces progress.”
For Dr. Rhee, the mission remains simple.
“At the end of the day, I’m still the kid from Tampa who wanted to help people,” he says. “If we can give this community access to the same level of recovery and regenerative care that professional athletes receive, that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.”
