Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Orthopedics is a branch of medicine focused on the muscular and skeletal systems. At SportsFit Physical Therapy our orthopedic Physical Therapy Specialists treat various types of disorders and injuries affecting muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and joints. Physical therapy in this area deals with diagnosing, managing and treating injuries and problems from the muscular and skeletal methods as well as rehabilitation right after orthopedic operations.
Doctors of physical therapy, who specialize in orthopedic physical therapy, function particularly in treating acute injuries due to sporting activities, post operative joints, and arthritis. Techniques and approaches involved in orthopedic physical therapy are utilized to make recovery faster, some of these techniques include strength training, manual therapy, graded passive mobilizations and evidence based modalities.
Orthopedic physical therapy is truly essential to restore the patients' activity, strength and motion right after injuries or surgery. Its importance is two folded. Orthopedic patients typically have deficiencies and weaknesses, which could be eliminated or at least alleviated via particular targeted therapeutic exercises and only a specialized physical therapist can determine the cause and source of pain/injury and show/teach the patient the appropriate interventions and therapeutic exercises designed to restore and enhance functions or, at least minimize the problems.
Furthermore, orthopedic physical therapy specialists at SportsFit Physical Therapy, have extensive knowledge regarding surgical procedures, the aims of remedies, and anatomy from the muscular and skeletal perspectives. As a result they are able to adapt and adjust their knowledge within the efforts to treat the patient.
Meet our Doctors of Physical Therapy:
J Rick Rafael DPT, OCS, CSCS Owner, President Doctor of Physical Therapy Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Dr. Rafael is a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist and a graduate of the Kaiser Permanente Orthopedic Residency Program. He has served as clinical instructor for several physical therapy universities, and previously served as an adjunct professor at the Santa Monica College movement science department. Dr. Rafael has been awarded for his presentation and research on "Treatment of Piriformis Syndrome". As a private practice owner, Dr. Rafael takes pride in his work and has volunteered at the Venice Free Clinic treating underprivileged patients. During his martial arts practice, Dr. Rafael endured debilitating injuries, which required knee and foot surgery with extensive rehabilitation. Having gone through these injures, he knows firsthand the challenges that patients face when attempting to return to their desired sport and lifestyle. Dr. Rafael is dedicated to utilizing his knowledge and experience to facilitate a quick and complete recovery for each and every patient. He enjoys practicing martial arts, yoga, cross training, mountain and road biking, hiking, and spending time with his family and friends. Treatment Philosophy: My goal is to find your source of injury, correct movement impairments, restore optimal posture and recreate balance in the body in order to treat the injury and prevent future recurrences. I believe it takes a team with a holistic and individualized approach to treatment, keeping in mind each person's individual goals, background, and body type that will lead to optimal recovery.
Jared Vagy DPT, OCS, CSCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Dr. Jared Vagy received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of Southern California (USC). As a Doctor of Physical Therapy in clinical practice, he completed a one-year residency program and became a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist. He then completed an additional one-year fellowship program in Movement Science at Kaiser Permanente Hospital, totaling 9 years of academic and clinical study. Dr. Jared Vagy is a professor at USC in the DPT Program, has published numerous articles on injury prevention and delivers lectures and seminars internationally on the topic. He is a mentor for both the USC Physical Therapy residency program and the USC DPT program. He is on Academy Faculty for the TheraBand Academy and is on the Editorial Board for ADVANCE Physical Therapy magazine. He is the youngest physical therapist in the country to achieve the level of fellowship training in movement science, publication status and University teaching credentials.
Treatment Philosophy:
Dr. Jared Vagy served as team physical therapist in China for the Chinese National Track and Field Team in 2015 as well a physical therapist for Team USA at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials in 2016. He has rehabilitated several world champions, gold medalists, NCAA champions and Olympic athletes. His assessments and treatments are rooted deeply in an understanding of the movement system. He is a firm believer in an active approach to rehabilitation and works with clients of all ability levels to achieve their maximal function.
Lyssa Cleary, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
Dr. Lyssa Cleary grew up on the east coast living in both New Jersey and Maryland before she graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in English. After working in advertising sales post-graduation, she changed careers to pursue her passion for physical therapy at the University of Southern California. She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from University of Southern California in 2014. Working at USC Physical Therapy Associates, Dr. Cleary continued her professional development by completing the one-year USC residency program in Orthopedics. In addition to treating patients with orthopedic pathologies, she has experience working with patients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. She has specialized experience working as part of an interdisciplinary medical team for the treatment of patients with migraines and chronic headaches. She has completed multiple continuing education courses on a variety of topics such as spinal manipulation, the analysis and treatment of running, treatment of the athlete’s and swimmer’s shoulder, and analysis, treatment, and taping techniques of the foot and ankle. In her free time, Dr. Cleary enjoys playing tennis, running, going to concerts, travelling, and being active outdoors.
Treatment Philosophy:
I concentrate on retraining the mind and body through manual interventions and exercise focused treatment in order to both restore and optimize mechanically sound movement patterns so that my patients can return to doing the activities they love without pain. By sharing knowledge and educating my patients, I empower them with the resources they need to continue to return to their favorite activities without recurrence of their symptoms.
Rebecca Pitts, DPT, OCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
Dr. Pitts knew from an early age that she wanted to be in medicine, shadowing family friends at hospitals and clinics, and learning how to perform basic field triage when she trained for a search and rescue group. She watched as some of her friends and family went through rehabilitation after injuries, including personal experience recovering from sports injuries. During schooling—including her Ortho based residency—she spent time researching how manual therapy affects the autonomic nervous system, non-operative treatment of small meniscal tears, and shoulder stabilization in the overhead athlete. Dr. Pitts has helped all spectrums of individuals, from those having difficulty with everyday living tasks to Olympic level athletes, and believes no issue is too small to address. She has taken further education courses for Therapeutic Taping, and is a preferred provider for utilizing the Graston Technique. She is an avid sports follower for the University of Arizona, and in her spare time she likes keeping active with outdoor activities such as running and hiking, and spending time with her family.
Treatment Philosophy:
I believe in utilizing manual therapy in conjunction with targeted exercises to decrease pain and maximize function. The main focus of treatment will be to find the source of the problem, as opposed to only looking at symptoms. This will make sure the strength and movement patterns encourage healthy maintenance after our sessions are complete.
Kyle Brown, DPT, OCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
Dr. Brown grew up in the Napa Valley. He attended graduate school at Loma Linda University, earning his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2010. In 2012, he completed a year-long orthopedic residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center, which emphasized the management of complex and chronic orthopedic problems. Immediately after residency, he completed the year-long Kaiser Permanente Sports Rehabilitation Fellowship, one of the few sports fellowships in the nation. During this fellowship, Dr. Brown received extensive mentoring and training in rehabilitating both common and complex sports injuries in order to efficiently and safely return athletes back to their desired sport. He is passionate about sports. He played high school and college basketball and is currently a semi-professional skateboarder. In his free time, Dr. Brown enjoys playing basketball, golf, skateboarding, and traveling with friends and family.
Treatment Philosophy:
I take a multi-faceted approach to client care, combining manual therapy, movement re-education, and re-training the brain in order for each individual to reach their desired goals.
Samuel Franklin, DPT, OCS, CSCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Dr. Franklin grew up in Sarasota, FL, before attending the University of Miami for his undergraduate and graduate education. He received his B.S. in Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology, followed by his Doctorate of Physical Therapy. He then pursued his specialization through the Orthopedic Residency program at University of Southern California. He is currently an Adjunct Instructor of Clinical Physical Therapy in the USC Doctor of Physical Therapy program. He has also given professional seminars on the topic of Movement Analysis and Treatment of CrossFit athletes. Dr. Franklin grew up heavily involved in ballet, until his interests shifted to competitive Olympic weightlifting. In his free time, he enjoys weightlifting, running on the beach, yoga, and meditation.
Treatment Philosophy:
I believe in developing individualized treatment plans to reduce pain and correct underlying movement dysfunctions allowing patients to maximize their functional potential and reach their goals.
Cooper Lee
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Dr. Cooper Lee knew that his passion in life was to help people. During his undergraduate years at California State University of Long Beach, Dr. Lee pursued photography and used the media of art to display social injustice. However, in 2015, Dr. Lee’s course of life changed when he became interested in helping people through the medical field while volunteering his time in India. Dr. Lee received his Doctor of Physical Therapy at Loma Linda University in 2016 and completed a year-long orthopedic residency program at Loma Linda University Medical Center, which concentrated on diagnosing and intervening various complex chronic orthopedic injuries. Dr. Lee is interested in all sports but grew up playing tennis since he was 5 years old. He continued to play tennis in high school, for two years in college and is still competing competitively in the United States Tennis Association leagues. In his free time, Dr. Lee enjoys playing tennis, basketball, football, and volleyball.
Treatment Philosophy:
I take the time to understand how and why the patient’s movements are causing their pain, which gives me the platform to treat my patients, specific to their needs.
Adam Paicely, DPT, OCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
West LA Clinic Manager
Dr. Paicely grew up in Thousand Oaks, California. He pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which he completed in 2013. While at Cal Poly, he discovered his love of physical therapy and decided to pursue it as a career. From there, he went on to Western Kentucky University where he received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2017. In 2018, he completed a year-long orthopedic residency program at Loma Linda Medical Center, which provided him with a strong foundation in managing chronic orthopedic conditions. He enjoys athletics, particularly basketball and ultimate Frisbee. He continues to compete in ultimate Frisbee and has competed as a semi-professional athlete in the sport. In his free time, Dr. Paicely enjoys spending quality time with his friends and family as well as being outdoors, whether it is at the beach or hiking.
Treatment Philosophy:
My approach to patient care emphasizes the identification of movement faults and utilizing pathomechanics to establish a treatment plan that combines movement retraining, therapeutic exercise, and manual therapy to empower the patient throughout the rehabilitation process.
Kimberly Kenyon
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Kimberly Kenyon, DPT received her doctorate in physical therapy from Saint Louis University. She originally became interested in physical therapy after multiple injuries as a ballerina. Her experience is in outpatient orthopedics and she continues to work with an emphasis on manual therapy and sports injuries. She enjoys treating patients of all levels including sports injuries, sprains, and strains, post-operative and degenerative conditions. She has a special interest in a hands-on approach and education to continue exercise at home to improve function and prevent further injury. Kimberly loves to help patients transition from rehabilitation to wellness and helping patients return to the activities they love and their previous level of function in activities of daily living, sports, and recreation.
Kimberly was raised in Chicago and went to school in St. Louis but always dreamt of living in California. In the summer of 2017, Kimberly relocated to Los Angeles. She loves embracing the active lifestyle of the community. and in her free time, Kimberly enjoys spending time outdoors including hiking, relaxing at the beach, and exploring the city.
Treatment Philosophy:
Individualized care including a combination of manual therapy and therapeutic exercises focused on patient’s unique background, activity level and goals is the key to successful treatment.
Erik Nelson, PT, MPT
Master of Physical Therapy
Marina del Rey Clinic Manager
A California native, Erik Nelson received his Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Mount Saint Mary's College in 1999. Erik’s clinical experience has been focused in the realm of orthopedic and sports physical therapy, which includes a strong emphasis on manual therapy and biomechanical analysis. Erik consistently designs innovative and highly individualized programs for his patients, creating an interesting, productive, informative, and enjoyable rehabilitation and fitness regimen which carries into each individuals post recovery lifestyle.
Erik’s talent and commitment have created an enthusiastic demand for his teaching services as well. In this capacity he has served as Clinical Instructor to students from Physical Therapy graduate programs across the country. Having mentored many beginning practitioners as an instructor, Erik is widely respected among practicing clinicians and has developed strong relationships with academic and research professionals.
Erik’s passion for health and fitness is also well represented in his personal life. A prior certified ski instructor at Squaw Valley Ski Resort, Erik has not limited himself to the snow, participating in competitive soccer and water skiing. Erik’s favorite hobbies also include mountain biking, surfing, and scuba diving in addition to spending time with his wife and daughter.
Erik’s personal history of competitive and recreational sports and a variety of occupational positions prior to physical therapy has, on more than one occasion, been interrupted by his own injury and rehabilitation. Far from regretting this history of injury, Erik draws upon it daily, relating to and understanding the experiences of his patients from a very personal point of view.
Treatment Philosophy:
I aim to provide excellent care to each of my patients through personal knowledge, clinical experience and more importantly empathetic understanding of each person’s injury and rehabilitation experience.
Silvio Zucchelli
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Dr. Zucchelli received his doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Texas Medical School. Silvio was born and raised in Tuscany, Italy where he played semi-professional soccer. His interest in physical fitness developed during his soccer career when he was first introduced to physical therapy after an injury on the field. Through his prior clinical experiences and his years in PT school, Dr. Zucchelli developed a strong interest in treating sports-related injuries and helping his patients improve their physical performance via a combination of manual therapy and neuromuscular re-education. In his free time, Dr. Zucchelli enjoys playing soccer in Santa Monica in addition to weightlifting, hiking, and running.
I strongly believe in developing a strong relationship with all my patients so that we can better work together. I value the importance of understanding the source of the problem rather than only addressing the symptoms so that we do not only restore function, but we also prevent re-injury.
Matthew Slocum
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Dr. Slocum was born and raised in San Jose, CA before moving to Southern California for undergraduate and graduate school. He graduated with a B.S. in Physiology & Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego. He received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of St. Augustine in San Marcos, CA. Dr. Slocum enjoys working with patients of all ages and skill levels, and always aims to have his patients completing physical therapy treatment with a new appreciation for everything their body can do. Dr. Slocum utilizes a combination of manual therapy and movement science approach with a goal of making patients (and their body) feel heard, in order to deliver outcomes that can be as long-lasting and effective as possible. In his spare time, he enjoys running on the beach, working out and watching any and all movies.
I utilize a combination approach of manual therapy and movement science interventions with a goal of making patients (and their bodies) feel heard. The best outcome is one that turns pain or injury into an opportunity to become better in some way, whether that is strength, mobility or just a new appreciation for exercise. This allows us to make changes that can be as effective and long-lasting as possible.
Jessica Connor
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Dr. Jessica Connor grew up in San Diego, CA. She was a competitive dancer for 16 years, which led to her interest in movement of the human body. She obtained her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Movement Science at Texas Christian University, then went on to receive her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from San Diego State University. Dr. Connor has experience treating a wide variety of orthopedic injuries and especially enjoys utilizing her background in personal training to develop wellness strategies to continue the healing process and prevent future injuries. She is currently studying to become an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist to further her knowledge in this field. Dr. Connor is passionate about health and wellness and spends her free time hiking, running, weightlifting, surfing, and snowboarding.
I utilize movement analysis, hands on treatment strategies, and functional movement retraining to decrease pain and improve function. I emphasize building a personal relationship with each patient to create unique treatment plans that allow each patient to achieve personal goals and optimize movement potential.
Back To Top