ABOUT MEL
MEL
WALKUP
My Passion for Physical Therapy
I first became interested in physical therapy when I was treated by a physical therapist as a junior in high school. I had been having pain in both of my knees for over a year and relied on knee braces to get me through my soccer matches. They educated me on exercises to perform to enhance strength in areas where I was lacking; it was an imbalance of strength around my knees that had lead to my pain. Well...it worked! That was my first taste of what physical therapy could provide, and from that point on I made it my mission learn how I could provide this same type of movement based healing to people experiencing pain.
What is Physical Therapy?
Physical Therapy is a profession which now requires a doctorate level of education. Physical therapy is a movement oriented profession that can be used to treat pain, stiffness, balance dysfunction, and abnormal mobility with the use of specific exercises and mobilization techniques catered to your needs. Physical Therapy can also utilize massage therapy techniques, modalities such as ice/heat/electrical stimulation, and more. A unique component of physical therapy is that it can provide you with the tools to treat your own pain or dysfunction without the use of medication or invasive procedures. The ultimate goal is to improve function with movement based treatment!
Mel's Education
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Doctorate in Physical Therapy - University of Miami 2014-2017
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B.S. in Exercise Physiology (emphasis in Aquatic Therapy) - West Virginia University 2009-2013