Balance Physical Therapists

Lauren Polivka

Lauren Polivka, PT, DPT, CSCS, is a licensed physical therapist, certified Pilates instructor, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who received her doctorate degree in physical therapy from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. Her background stems from a Bachelors of Science in Applied Kinesiology and Physiology from the University of Florida in Gainesville. In her undergraduate studies, Lauren assisted in research with patients affected by stroke in the Motor Control laboratory and patients affected by spinal cord injuries in the Gait Laboratory. To complete her studies, she began her trip with Athletes' Performance in Tempe, AZ to complete a performance specialist internship.

Lauren's research in graduate school involved studying new methods to prescribe and monitor exercise intensity. She received clinical education from Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, TN, Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, CA and finally returned to Athletes' Performance complete a sports physical therapy clinical experience. Upon graduation, she moved to Washington, DC where she worked in a manual therapy and Pilates-based rehabilitation setting. For the past 8 months, Lauren worked at Core Performance Center in Santa Monica, CA where she integrated standard physical therapy techniques with the methodology of fitness expert, Mark Versetgen.

Lauren has presented at the American Physical Therapy's Combined Section Meeting, The National Institutes of Health and lululemon athletica stores. She is passionate about working with philanthropic organizations. These include serving as an ambassador for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Therapeutic Development Institute to further research treatment of Lou Gehrig's Disease, the advisory board for the Infinity Wellness Foundation to combat childhood obesity, and as an advocate for The American College of Rheumatology to further health policies for rheumatic related diseases. Lauren has also treated members of the NBA, MLS, MLB, NHL, NFL, US Men's Soccer, LPGA, and a variety of collegiate and high school athletes.

Her areas of expertise include:

• Managing post-operative orthopedic injuries
• Manual based treatment techniques (joint mobilizations and soft tissue release)
• Pilates-based rehabilitation techniques
• Bridging the gap between physical therapy and sport
• Acute injuries of the shoulder, spine, hip and knee
• ASTYM certified provider

Lauren's philosophy of evaluating and treating patients takes a holistic approach to the human body. Whether you are an elite athlete, weekend warrior or a working professional, Lauren's goal is to ensure that your quality of life and play are better than before your injury. She is dedicated to bridging the gap between rehabilitation and fitness training. This means continuous communication and teamwork with your trainers, instructors and any other individual you deem important on your road to recovery.

For more information on physical therapy services, contact Lauren by using our inquiry form.