Becoming a physical therapist has allowed me to combine my passion for fitness and sports with a dedication to helping others achieve their health goals. My journey began at Ohio Northern University, where I initially pursued a degree in business while playing soccer. However, I quickly realized that true success in my academic and professional life required studying something I was passionate about. This revelation led me to switch my focus to exercise physiology, culminating in a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology with a Minor in Nutrition from the University of Cincinnati. During my undergraduate studies, I discovered CrossFit and became deeply immersed in the fitness world. This experience not only fueled my personal fitness goals but also inspired me to found the University of Cincinnati’s Club CrossFit team, which competes nationally. While I did not achieve my goal of qualifying for the CrossFit Games, I gained invaluable experience by competing at the Regional/Semifinal level multiple times since 2018, securing several top 5 and top 10 finishes. After completing my undergraduate degree, I decided to pursue a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. My primary objective is to serve as the best resource for those who share my passion for fitness and sports. Over the past two years, I have honed my skills in an outpatient sports rehab facility, working predominantly with CrossFitters, runners, and high school athletes. My approach is hands-on, utilizing techniques such as trigger point dry needling, instrument-assisted massage, and cupping to alleviate pain. Once pain is managed, I develop a systematic exercise progression plan to help patients build strength and resilience, ensuring they not only return to their sport but excel in it. My commitment to continuous learning and professional development allows me to provide the highest standard of care. I firmly believe that no goal is too big and that, with the right plan, anything is possible. As a physical therapist, I am dedicated to empowering my patients to achieve their fitness and health aspirations, and I am honored to play a role in their journey toward improved well-being.

Becoming a physical therapist has allowed me to combine my passion for fitness and sports with a ... Read More

We have known for over 100 years that imposing stress on the bodies structures, such as bone, tendon, ligament, and muscle will make them stronger and more resilient. This has underlined the importance of exercise, especially resistance training to prevent injury, and diseases including osteoporosis and sarcopenia as we age. We also know doing the activities we love can also lead to injury and wear down the musculoskeletal system despite our best efforts.

I know this all too well as I now deal with multiple chronic injuries from heavy lifting with improper technique, recovery, and rehabilitation.

After a career as a podiatrist, and working successfully as a foot and ankle surgeon I had to leave the field. A past motor vehicle crash resulted in a traumatic brain injury and subsequent epilepsy. My seizures were worsening and I needed a new career path.

I returned to academics and now I teach Anatomy and Physiology to nursing students. This still left me unfulfilled and wanting to work with patients.

A last minute decision to study massage led to what I love to do now: help patient’s overcome pain and injury getting them back to being active and athletic. I can now be part of a team to help people like me, the injured athlete.

My belief is that anyone who is active deserves the same care as a professional athlete. This includes access to the most skilled therapists and advanced rehabilitation techniques. I bring that mindset and degree of care to everyone I work with.

Doctorate of Podiatric Medicine - Kent State University 2010

Internship and Residency - The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center 2013

Massage Certification - Washington State Community College 2020

Graston Technique 2021

Rock Tape Certification 2021

Phone : 740-516-7325

Email : DrVince@affiliatept.com

We have known for over 100 years that imposing stress on the bodies structures, such as bone, ten... Read More

My passion for helping people to achieve their goals and stay healthy developed from dealing with injuries myself throughout years of playing sports and training. I’ve felt first hand the difficulty and disappointment of not being able to participate in the activities that make me happy without pain. Most recently I was training for my first half Ironman and began experiencing significant low back pain and numbness down my left leg. I was unable to run more than 5-10 minutes without significant pain. The frustration of not being able to do the things that I love due to pain, forced me to learn more about how to train hard while training smart to reach my goals. The more I learned, the more I realized that with a good plan, pain did not have to stop me from striving towards my goals. This is exactly what I love to help my patients and athletes do every single day.

I graduated from Ohio State with an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and then went on to earn my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Cincinnati in 2016. Since PT school, my primary focus has been working with patients and athletes with orthopedic and sports related problems. In my treatments, I utilize hands on manual therapy techniques including dry needling, joint mobilizations, and manipulations to address your pain first and then prescribe specific exercises to help you eliminate the pain for good. I always make sure my patients know the root cause of the problem and what things they can do in order to manage and eliminate the problem moving forward.

I love to treat neck, shoulder, low back and knee pain, but what I really love is putting the entire puzzle together. Pain is complex and requires a zoomed out approach in order to get to the root cause of the problem. Helping patients understand every variable that can play into their symptoms helps us to team up to systematically check each relevant piece to the puzzle that is their pain. This type of approach helps us to work together to come up with an individualized plan that addresses all of the problem areas and ultimately keeps you healthy and training towards your goals.

When I’m not helping patients, I love to stay active in both CrossFit and endurance sports. I’m currently training for my second Ironman 70.3. I live in Gahanna with my wife Megan where we love to check out new trails at the local Metro parks and spend quality time with our families.

Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition, The Ohio State University, 2012

Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of Cincinnati, 2016

Cervical Spine: Manual Therapy Management, 2017

Lumbar Spine: Manual Therapy Management, 2018

Clinical Management of the Fitness Athlete, 2018

Rehabilitation of the Injured Runner, 2018

Persistent Pain: Comprehensive Management, 2019

BikeFit - The Foot/Pedal Interface, 2020

Integrative Dry Needling, 2021

Phone: 614-202-0723

Email: drpat@affiliatept.com

My passion for helping people to achieve their goals and stay healthy developed from dealing with... Read More

I am one of the ultimately fortunate people in life: I have turned what I love to do into a career! I knew from the moment I read “ exercise physiology” in a college pamphlet I wanted to work in health and fitness. My journey has been fueled by the desire to help my clients be active and stay active.

As my career as a strength coach and personal trainer grew I started to realize my clients were going to health professionals and coming back to me with the recommendation to stop doing the sport or exercises they loved. I started to realize the majority of healthcare professionals are brilliant at treating the 99% of people that want to just get by with medications and respond well to light therapy treatments, while the fitness population was falling into a crack in the system.

Two things motivated my by this:

1.) This is me and I wasn’t able to get help with my own injuries. (I tell all my clients that I do this because “I’m the same crazy as they are.” I wasn’t going to stop)

2.) These were my clients and people who wanted to be healthy and couldn’t find help, and I didn’t have the tools it took to fix them.

So, I decided to go back to get my Doctorate in Physical Therapy to bridge the gap between medicine and fitness. It worked! Between my 10 years of experience in the training and coaching world and now 11 years of treating as a physical therapist I have developed the right mix of manual therapy, exercise progression and programming to keep anyone doing what they love to do. I firmly believe “everyone can do whatever they want to be able to do.” The process looks very different for every person, but I’ve seen success time and time again. If you dose the exercise or sport in the right manner; the world is yours when it comes to the gym and life.

My goal is to not just get people out of pain and back to what they love, but to educate them to make sure they understand concepts of healthy joints, spines and bodies so every time you walk in the gym, track, field or even just your neighborhood sidewalks you get the most out of every workout!! My goal is for you not to need me!

During the week you’ll find me doing CrossFit, hanging out with my dog Tank and winding down with some TV in the evenings. Weekends are for friends and family… I enjoy social workouts, and competitions then finishing the day off with a great meal and maybe a couple beverages. Life is all about balance!

Bachelor of Exercise Science, Mt Vernon Nazarene University, 2005

Master Personal Trainer, GO Fitness and Sports, 2005-2015

NASM certified, 2005

FMS certified, 2006

Doctor or Physical Therapy, University of Dayton, 2010

Level 1 SFMA, 2012

KinetaCore Functional Dry Needling Level 1, 2015

KinetaCore Functional Dry Needling Level 2, 2016

Clinical Management of the Fitness Athlete II, 2019

Clinical Management of the Fitness Athlete: Pregnancy and Postpartum, 2019

Phone: 614 - 636 - 1727 Email: drmattie@affiliatept.com

I am one of the ultimately fortunate people in life: I have turned what I love to do into a care... Read More

I’ve had low back pain for as long as I can remember. But consistency in my strength training and targeted exercise help me keep it in check. This is true for every single patient I’ve ever treated. But we are offered pills, or surgery, or PT that is too easy or gets us better but not back to performance. This mainstream medical mindset led me to private practice physiotherapy, where I can meet active people where they are - in the gym - to help them stay fit. Skipping workouts because of pain isn’t the only way.

My passion is for true health, which means I can enjoy the activities I want to do, when I want to do them, without worrying. It’s not about how I look - health is about quality of life! This means that rather than constantly getting sick and having to try to get well again, we can mostly stay healthy and happy and recover faster and more completely. It’s my job and one of my favorite things to help my clients enjoy and excel at their chosen workout, pain-free. By finding and addressing the root cause of pain, I work to help each and every client find a way that they can continue to enjoy exercise as the movement piece of the health puzzle. There are so many ways to exercise - physiotherapy must be a profession of yes! You can keep exercising in your favorite way to keep your body healthy!

When I’m not exercising, you can find me with my husband and my German Shepherd, Jax, going for walkies and hanging out in the sunshine. I love coffee outside in the mornings (and inside, and at any time of day), books, animals, food, traveling, and sharing all those things with friends and family.

Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, 2006

Doctor of Physical Therapy, The Ohio State University, 2016

Muscle Activation Techniques Certified Specialist, 2016

MPS Pain Management, 2018

Muscle Activation Techniques Masters: Cervical Spine, 2018

Muscle Activation Techniques Masters: Hand and Wrist, 2019

Julie Wiebe Piston Science I, 2019

Muscle Activation Techniques Masters: Foot and Ankle, 2019

Frequency Specific Microcurrent: Sports, 2021

Clinical Management of the Fitness Athlete, 2021

I’ve had low back pain for as long as I can remember. But consistency in my strength training and... Read More

My passion for helping my patients reach their goals with physical therapy stems from my own experience dealing with aches, pains, and even overcoming major open heart surgery two times. I chose to study exercise science and eventually be a physical therapist because it is the best medicine to fix any problem - physically, mentally, and emotionally. I use it for myself, and I use this for my patients in every treatment session.

After working in several orthopedic clinics since 2011 and needing rehab myself, I found too often that a traditional model of care unfortunately caused myself and my high achieving, high performing patients to fall short returning to and achieving their BEST self and their desired goals. I founded Affiliate PT in 2020 to allow for just that! I love working with the active population or anyone trying to be more active. I use lots of manual, hands on treatments such as dry needling, massage, joint mobilizations and manipulations to get you out of pain and then love to use specific exercises to fix the pain for good. I always make sure that my patients leave my care knowing why they had pain or mobility problems and have a solid plan to know how to fix them themselves moving forward.

I love treating shoulders, necks, jaws and backs, but sometimes it’s not that straightforward, which is just the challenge I love. Affiliate PT allows me the time and space to investigate the true cause of an ache, or LOTS of pain which can be multifactorial and related to your physical, mental, and emotional health overall. I love getting to the bottom of my patients’ pains and helping them make a plan to overcome them so they can get back to the things they love.

When I’m not treating at CFGV, I’ll be next to you in the WOD or at Power Hour and Rev classes. I’ve been doing CrossFit since 2015, but also love an occasional short run outside, hike in the woods, and yoga class. I live in Clintonville with my husband, Doug (who also sometimes does CrossFit), my dog Griffey, and am expecting my first child soon!

Bachelor of Exercise Science, University of Dayton, 2008

Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of Dayton, 2011

Integrative Dry Needling Certification, 2014

Extremity Evaluation & Manipulation, University of St. Augustine, 2015

Owner, Active PT, 2016-2019

Certified Clinical Instructor, 2017

Vice Chair, Ohio Physical Therapy Association, Central District 2018-present

Clinical Management of the Fitness Athlete II, 2019

Clinical Management of the Fitness Athlete: Pregnancy & Postpartum, 2019

Founder, Owner Affiliate PT, 2019-present

Institute of Clinical Excellence, Telehealth, 2020

Phone: 614 - 304 - 1769

Email: drmandi@affiliatept.com

My passion for helping my patients reach their goals with physical therapy stems from my own expe... Read More

The decision to pursue a career as a Doctor of Physical Therapy was an easy one. As an undergraduate interested in the medical field, I shadowed various health care workers. Ultimately, observing a PT had a lasting impression on me when I saw a PT teach a patient to walk, who just had their leg amputated! I immediately thought to myself, “that’s it. That’s for me.” A PTs ability to build trust and encourage a patient to achieve the seemingly impossible, was something I wanted to emulate.

Fast forward a few years into the Doctor of Physical therapy program, I started CrossFit in 2015 at Peak 360 in Miami, FL. At that time, I received a lot of negative feedback from professors and classmates about the dangers of CrossFit. I knew they were wrong, and it quickly became clear I had an advantage over my peers when it came to analyzing movement and prescribing exercise.

In 2017 I moved back to Columbus and joined CrossFit Grandview. The transition was seamless, considering the caliber of the programming and coaching at this wonderful establishment. Because of my training at these two gyms, my understanding of how the CrossFit athlete functions and managing their pain, is unmatched. I also participated in competitive CrossFit when I had the honor of being the alternate for the CFGV regionals team in 2018.

In 2019 I decided to take a personal and career risk and began Travel PT. I had the opportunity to practice in many different states and settings from orthopedic, to pediatrics, women’s health/pelvic floor, to geriatrics, and intense inpatient rehab. Pulling from those unique experiences, I have developed an eclectic treatment approach that blends creativity and practical reasoning skills to develop an individualized plan of care to best meet your needs. A cornucopia of hands-on manual therapy, pain relief, mobility, and strength will allow us to be successful in meeting your goals.

While CrossFit is my first love, in 2021 I made the transition into Olympic Weightlifting full time. I have since received my USA Weightlifting Level I coaching certification. I developed a passion for guiding CrossFitters to achieving their full potential in the Olympic style lifts.

Whether you want to lift heavy things or sleep on your right side (if you know, you know), together, we can get you there.

In my personal time you can catch me lifting weights, CrossFitting, hiking, skiing and maybe even stargazing on a clear night.

In Fitness,

Dr. Leah Vertullo, PT, DPT

Bachelor of Science, The Ohio State University, 2014

Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of Miami ,2017

Orthopedic PT Active PT, 2017-2019

Ohio Physical Therapy Association Membership Chair, 2018-2021

Certified Integrative Dry Needling, 2018

Travel PT (ask me how many states), 2019-2024

Herman and Wallace Women’s Health and Pelvic Floor Level I Certification, 2021

Clinic Management of the Female Athlete, 2022

USA Weightlifting Certification Level I, 2024

Clinic Management of the Fitness Athlete, 2024

The decision to pursue a career as a Doctor of Physical Therapy was an easy one. As an undergradu... Read More