Caroline grew up in Iowa, playing all variety of sports from an early age before finding her niche as a runner. Faced with chronic injury in high school that impacted her ability to compete at a high level, she struggled with debilitating anxiety and loss of identity. After seeing numerous healthcare professionals without success, an introduction to physical therapy allowed her to fall back in love with running. With the aid of physical therapy, she was able to place at high school state meets in both cross country and track, receive D1 scholarship offers, and run the Boston Marathon in college.
Caroline’s own experiences with physical therapy inspired her to pursue a career in the field, hoping to pay forward the positive impact it had on her life. She strives to treat each patient holistically, always keeping in mind the psycho-social effects of injury in addition to the physical impairments. In pursuit of this goal, she graduated from Creighton University in 2019 with a Bachelors in Exercise Science before obtaining her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Iowa in 2021. After graduation, Caroline pursued a career in travel physical therapy, working from coast to coast. She had contracts in Washington, California, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Colorado in settings including outpatient orthopedics, geriatrics, acute care, rural health, and inpatient rehab. This variety of experience gives her unique insight into each stage of the healthcare continuum and facilitates her understanding of the entire patient journey. After multiple contracts in Colorado, she decided to put down roots and join the team at The Fitness Lab.
Outside of the clinic, Caroline enjoys running, weightlifting, snowboarding, hiking, travel, and getting out into the mountains.
Education:
- Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Pre-Health Professions – Creighton University, 2019
- Doctor of Physical Therapy – University of Iowa, 2021
Certifications:
- Functional Dry Needling, Level 1
- Running Certified Gait Analyst. Level 1
Specialties:
- Orthopedic Rehabilitation
- Musculoskeletal Pathology & Dysfunction
- Pre- & Post-Surgical
- Manual Therapy
- Sports Medicine
- Sports Performance
- Medical Exercise
- Chronic/Overuse Injuries
- Neurological disorders/injuries
- Balance