From clinic to court, Scripps sports medicine specialist Laika Nur, MD, helps San Diego Mojo athletes stay healthy and competitive.

Growing up, Laika Nur, MD, a sports medicine specialist at Scripps Clinic, loved watching beach volleyball legends Kerri Walsh-Jennings and Misty May-Treanor when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour came to her hometown of Chicago.  

A talented volleyball player herself, Dr. Nur remembers she and her mother would sit in the stands all day waiting to watch them play. Once, she even got their autographs.  

“I think I waited in line for three hours,” she recalls. “Getting to see them play, that was just a really formative experience for me as a young person.”  

Years later, Dr. Nur met Walsh-Jennings again. This time, not as just a fan. Dr. Nur was attending a professional event focused on female athletes and women’s sports where Walsh-Jennings was discussing a new professional women’s volleyball league and San Diego’s team, the Mojo. The Mojo’s general manager and coaching staff were also in attendance.  

As the conference wrapped up, Dr. Nur decided to approach them: “I asked them if they had a team doctor.” 

Flash forward to the Mojo’s inaugural 2024 season, when Dr. Nur officially became the team physician.  

She’s responsible for helping the athletes stay healthy and getting them back to the game safely when injuries occur. But whether she’s helping patients at the hospital or players on the sidelines, Dr. Nur is always a leader in her field.  

Since she joined Scripps in 2021, Dr. Nur has been at the forefront of developments in sports medicine.  

Dr. Nur was an early adopter of diagnostic ultrasound-guided procedures as an adjunct to physical exams. She also has a keen interest in biologics and has helped Scripps expand their use in orthopedics. And in some cases, Dr. Nur makes an impact simply by being herself.  

“Sometimes patients come in and say, ‘You’re not what I was expecting to see,’” she says. “I work in a field where there are not as many women, and I know there are cultural shifts that need to happen. I want to provide the best care possible, but also be an advocate for change.”  

While Dr. Nur does more running and playing tennis these days, she credits her years playing team volleyball with helping her medical practice.  

“We tend to have this idea that the doctor is working solo. But for us to perform at our best, we need a medical team where we can rely not just on ourselves but on everyone else and their expertise,” she says.  

“At Scripps, there has been support for me to grow as a physician — and to grow in the direction that I want my practice to grow, whether that’s growing in biologics or advocating for female athletes.”  

And from this, Dr. Nur may just be inspiring a new generation of young women, just as volleyball heroes once did for her.