If you are a runner or other endurance athlete looking to get ahead of your winter training, one of the best and underutilized things to do is get in with a physical therapist for functional assessment and guidance. And if you are battling an injury, don’t wonder whether the physical therapy you are getting is actually helping. We know how difficult it is to find a good physical therapist, much less one that specializes in working with athletes. Even in Boulder, the endurance sports capital of America, it can be hard to know who to trust. Below is a list of some of the best physical therapists in Boulder and the surrounding areas. Each of these PTs is highly qualified, experienced, and able to help you take your training to the next level, and work with you towards your healthiest training block yet.
If you want to learn more about how to find the right physical therapist for you, look no further. We have a comprehensive guide on what to look for when choosing a sports physical therapist.
Dr. Sarah Ceschin is a renowned physical therapist working inside the offices of PR Sports Lab near downtown Boulder. She is known in the running community for treating a variety of athletes including runners, and giving them the healthcare experience they deserve. She provides manual therapy, cupping, dry needling, and progressive weight training to help athletes holistically overcome overuse injuries and strengthen their bodies for future performance.
PR Sports Lab is also a great comprehensive clinic for athletes that not only provides physical therapy, but also sport massage, chiropractic, and strength training.
Build Sports Performance Lab and Physiotherapy
If the fact that Build is located right next to Moxie Bread Company, arguably the best bakery in Louisville, isn’t enough reason to pay them a visit, consider this: Build is a stellar physical therapy clinic that specializes in working with runners, cyclists, and triathletes. Their team of physical therapists is amazing: Drs. Larry and Caitlin, two of the physical therapists, are expert biomechanical bike fit specialists; Dr. Sue is one of the leading dry needling specialists in the country, and teaches other clinicians; and the entire team is equipped to help athletes truly perform their best and stay - or become - injury free. Many of the clinicians are athletes themselves, which helps them understand athletes not only physiologically but psychologically as well. It is no surprise that many elite athletes have trusted Build during their professional careers.
Red Hammer Rehab, located right off McCaslin in Louisville, is a small practice comprised of the dynamic duo of Dr. Heather North and Dr. Michael Morrison. But don’t let the size fool you - athletes come all the way from Denver to get in with either physical therapist for treatment. They are both fantastic at getting to the root of the issue and providing a comprehensive plan for treatment. They are also known for their dry needling and manual therapy, as well as helping athletes get back on their feet quickly.
Mountain States Physical Therapy
Also in Louisville, Dr. John Sauer of Mountain States Hand & Physical Therapy is the person to see for improving your running technique. He is a Running Technique Specialist through the Pose Method, which helps athletes change their gait and maximize performance. He is also a MobilityWOD specialist, helping CrossFit and powerlifting athletes. His expertise is incredibly helpful and truthfully unusual in a traditional clinic setting, but that truly is the best of both worlds: highest quality yet affordable care through insurance.
Dr. Sarah Troicky is the owner and founder of Trinity Physical Therapy and Wellness, and is both a licensed physical therapist and licensed athletic trainer. She is also a dance medicine specialist and has an extensive personal background in a variety of dance styles. Using her background in athletic training, she has worked with multiple athletes including runners of all strengths and abilities. Dr. Sarah has also designed customized wellness programs for both dancers and runners. From her personal experience, dance has proven to be a great cross-training option for runners and vice versa for dancers.
Dr. Sarah’s holistic approach to physical therapy includes looking at the patient as a whole person, striving to get to the root of the problem.
Colorado Sports Physiotherapy and Colorado Sports Chiropractic
Dr. Mitchell Schroeder of Colorado Sports Physiotherapy works extensively with the running, triathlete, CrossFit and soccer populations. In support of the local community, he offers Speed, Agility and Quickness camps for youth athletes with an emphasis on biomechanics, running technique, and injury prevention.
As a manual therapist, Dr. Schroeder utilizes several treatment techniques including: Functional Dry Needling, Active Release Techniques, instrument assisted soft tissue, and Cupping Therapy. The principal philosophy being, that by utilizing a variety of these techniques, we can create an optimal state in an athlete and then follow-up with the use of therapeutic exercises to maximize these gains. This involves using a variety of range of motion exercises, balance exercises or strengthening exercises, but each program created is developed to meet the specific needs of the individual athlete.
Dr. John Minen of Colorado Sports Chiropractic works extensively with the running, triathlon, and cycling populations using several different treatment techniques such as Active Release Techniques, instrument assisted soft tissue, and chiropractic adjustments, among others. Through utilizing a variety of these techniques, he helps create an optimal state in an athlete and follow-up with the use of therapeutic exercises helps maximize these gains. This involves a variety of range of motion exercises, balance exercises, or strengthening exercises, but each program created is developed to meet a specific need of the individual.
Dr. Minen and Dr. Schroeder work in the same clinic near the heart of downtown Boulder - a great one-stop experience for chiropractic, physical therapy, and massage.
Boulder Run Physio is led by Dr. Kurt Roeser, a former Gator cross country runner and now recent Olympic trials qualifier. Housed inside Ability PT’s Niwot location, Boulder Run Physio is frequented by many elite athletes needing anything from dry needling and recovery, to more intense rehabilitation. Dr. Kurt is also trusted by some of the best clinicians in the area, including Dr. Efren Caballes.
While not a physical therapy clinic, New Leaf Chiropractic is a great clinic to consider if you are needing some extra TLC during training, or if (heaven forbid) you sustain an injury. If you follow Emma Coburn’s social media page, chances are you have seen her receiving active release therapy from her chiropractor, Dr. Kyle Buck. Dr. Kyle works with his brother, Dr. Ben, out of their office at New Leaf Chiropractic in Longmont, CO, where they are known for their expertise working with runners. Drs. Ben and Kyle are great resources for any runner needing chiropractic and/or rehabilitative care.
Fun fact: Dr. Ben used to work as team chiropractor for the Chinese national gymnastics team.
Dr. Brittany Boehnke of Mojo Physical Therapy is the person to see if you are a postpartum athlete looking to return to sport. While she also provides manual therapy, movement and gait analysis, dry needling, cupping, and other top tier modalities, Dr. Brittany’s women’s health expertise is integral for all postpartum women in sport and we cannot rave about it enough. Dr. Brittany truly is a game changer for any women looking to treat pelvic floor dysfunction. She has an office just off Arapahoe and 95th in Lafayette - as a solo practitioner, we highly recommend booking an appointment with her as soon as you can!
Fun fact: Dr. Brittany also coaches mothers as a run coach through Trail Mom Coaching.
Alpine Fit is a concierge physical therapy and wellness center located in the heart of Boulder, CO. They offer physical therapy, biomechanical running analysis, sports recovery, Functional Medicine, nutrition coaching, and massage therapy all with exceptional levels of care.
If you are a trail runner or live in the Jefferson County/Golden area, Golden Endurance is a great local resource. This PT clinic, led by Dr. Gabriel and Dr. Sammy Dorn, is a performance and rehab clinic that caters to endurance athletes. They provide manual therapy, rehabilitation, proper strength training, and coaching. They are experts in prehab, which is essential for runners looking to stay injury-free. As endurance athletes themselves, they also participate in local trail runs in the area and are a wealth of expertise for runners in the area.
Dr. Nicole Haas, PT, DPT, OCS is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist who is nationally recognized as an expert in running analysis and injury prevention, and is the founder of Boulder Physiolab. She is an active resource for the outdoor and running community, and is featured as a topic expert in publications such as Outside Magazine, Huff Post, NY Magazine, Runners World, and others.
She uses her 20+ years of experience combined with her clinical expertise to diagnose and treat the root of the issue and offers a wide range of sport-specific rehabilitation and performance programs to help athletes improve performance, recover from (and ideally prevent) injury, regardless of their sport, skill level or condition.
You can find Dr. Haas in her downtown Boulder location, within Crossfit Sanitas.
Alta Physical Therapy is a fantastic clinic with clinicians well-versed in working with running and rock climbing athletes. Led by Jane Maliff, this clinic provides a range of excellent services for athletes including manual therapy, dry needling, kinesio taping, and even craniosacral therapy.
We couldn't make a list of best PTs in Boulder without including Mend Physical Therapy. This group of practitioners, led by Dr. Kristin Carpenter and Dr. Mark Anderson-Nissen and with locations in both Lafayette and Boulder, provides comprehensive care even for athletes with the most complex of injuries. Dr. Froebel, who works in the Boulder location, is a pelvic floor specialist, and as a postpartum patient of hers I can personally attest to the efficacy of her treatment (I struggled for over a year with issues after my second child, saw multiple PTs, and only saw a difference after working with Dr. Froebel. Truly - she not only treated me holistically, but educated me on the how and why of my body's limitations, and provided treatment that took away all of the postpartum symptoms). All of these practitioners work with their patients one on one, and provide comprehensive care, rehabilitation, and loading. Love Mend and all they are doing in the Boulder community. You can keep up with their information by subscribing to their newsletter or attending one of their local events.
Dr. Ally Barry of PT of Boulder
Dr. Barry is a certified running specialist and excellent physical therapist who provides comprehensive care to athletes in the Boulder area. She is knowledgeable and passionate about working with runners and athletes of all ages and abilities, and gives them the tools, education, and care they need to manage their pain and prevent future injury.
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