About Williams Physical Therapy
Meet Chris
Chris Williams, PT, DPT, PhD, is the owner of Williams Physical Therapy. She earned her PhD in biochemistry at Vanderbilt University, before leaving research to earn her Doctorate in Physial Therapy from Belmont University. This was followed by a residency and fellowship in orthopedic manual therapy through the Ola Grimsby Institute, where she honed her clinical reasoning skills., as well as manual therapy techniques and exercise repertoire. Additionally, Chris has participated in multiple sports, including triathlon, soccer and figure skating, which has provided firsthand knowledge of the demands on the body for strength, balance and coordination.
Chris’s approach utilizes manual therapy and exercise to treat muscular, postural and movement imbalances that lead to pain and dysfunction in the body. She recognizes and understands the muscular and fascial connections within the body and treats the entire person, not just the specific pain, leading to long term recovery and return to function. These principles are applicable to joint pain and dysfunction, headaches, dizziness/vertigo, balance, post-surgical rehabilitation and chronic pain related to injury or systemic issues.
My Why
I have worked in outpatient physical therapy settings from small private practice to large corporate models. In most cases, therapy was driven by outcomes, how fast can the patient get better and how few visits can this be achieved.
In my 20 years of practice, I found this model limiting, particularly with chronic issues. There are layers of pain and dysfunction and my goal is to untangle these layers for optimal return to function.
In today's health care environment, emphasis is placed on treating the pain and discharging the patient quickly and efficiently. Many times this approach has limited carryover, as the location of the pain is related to a distal body part or postural/movement imbalance, leading to a return of the pain. I look at the whole person in relation to the pain, including movement patterns, daily and recreational activities that contribute to stress on the area in question.
I reassess you every time you have an appointment, which allows me to tailor that day's session to what you need. I see you every visit, so the plan of care is continuous.
