About

I'm a sports physical therapist and olympic weightlifting coach, nerd, and dog dad. I obtained my doctorate of physical therapy at Misericordia University followed by a sports physical therapy residency at University of Rochester Medical Center. During this time I worked as part of a team that helped guide the rehabilitation for several NY Section V HS state championship teams. After residency, I returned to the Lehigh Valley and established Back to Barbell.

I draw on my years of unfortunately personal struggles with injuries and my professional experience to guide my practice. As a former collegiate athlete I understand the unique demands of HS and collegiate athletics and how injuries can often be mismanaged. I've worked with athletes across the entirety of the injury continuum; mere seconds after injury and all the way to years post-injury. While I specialize in working with barbell athletes, I work with athletes of different ages, level of competition, and sports. Since launching back to barbell I've had the pleasure of helping multiple Olympic weightlifters recover from injury and go on to medal in local and regional competitions. 

Outside of my clinical work, I'm a member of the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy (AASPT) and where I'm active in the Sports Performance Special Interest Group (SIG) and where I'm a mentor in Shoulder SIG. In 2022 I presented on the national nationally regarding the rehabilitation of Olympic weightlifters.

I'm also an adjunct professor within the Misericordia University doctor of physical therapy program where I teach "Systems Thinking and Principles of Sports Physical Therapy Exercise Prescription". Additionally I'm a mentor for Clinical Athlete Provider Certification. 

My athletic background is in collegiate soccer, powerlifting, CrossFit, and Olympic Weightlifting. I've unfortunately experienced first-hand how traditional physical therapy too often fails athletes. During my high school and collegiate soccer career I experienced multiple injuries that significantly impacted my performance. I now recognize that these injuries were mismanaged. As a professional, I became frustrated with the constraints of traditional physical therapy that hinder my ability to provide quality care. This is ultimately why I launched Back to Barbell.

Click to learn more about the Back to Barbell approach