“Physical therapy practice is not only to restore patients back to their lives but also to allow them the confidence that physical and emotional healing bring. I strive to work with my patients to create a specialized treatment program for their condition and ensure that they have input into their treatment. Patient participation in the therapy program begins with understanding what is occurring in their bodies, and I feel this is fundamental in their care. As I created a clinical relationship with the patients I treated, I have also learned from them. I look forward to continuing this process of learning from my patients as I continue to grow in my clinical practice.”
Shayna’s interest in physical therapy started when she sustained an injury in high school for which she attended physical therapy as part of her recovery. From that time she discovered an opportunity to combine her love of dance with a career of helping people return to their lives after an injury or surgery. She carried this interest into her undergraduate coursework at Chapman University, from where she graduated Cum Laude and Gray Key, an award for maintaining a certain GPA while living on campus, with a degree in Kinesiology.
Shayna continued her education at the University of Southern California where she obtained her Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy in 2008. During her time at USC, she volunteered with Marathon Kids, an organization focused on getting kids exercising and eating healthier, as well as interned with a foot-and-ankle specialist, learning about the mechanics of these joints and the fabrication of orthotics.
Since graduating from USC, Shayna has worked at a sports and orthopedic facility treating a wide variety of ages and conditions. She was a senior therapist at this facility helping with the supervision of aides and newer therapists. She also served as the Clinical Coordinator of Education as well as one of the primary Clinical Instructors for physical therapy students completing their rotations.
She has specialized in treatment of the foot and ankle, and has continued to gain experience and knowledge in the measurement and casting of orthotics. Additionally, she has had the opportunity to work with dancers both young and experienced, in order to keep them dancing while returning from injuries. She became certified in Astym treatment and has found this technique beneficial in helping with the chronic conditions that are caused from abnormal tissue healing and has allowed her patients to get back to doing what they desire more quickly. She has also found this treatment very helpful in acute injuries to help with facilitating the healing process and improving the cosmetics of incisions. This technique impacted her care so powerfully that she is now an instructor for the Astym treatment, and travels throughout the country to teach other Physical Therapists the benefits and application of the technique.
Shayna continues to pursue additional knowledge in the practice of physical therapy. She feels very strongly that she can improve upon her patient care with the knowledge from her continuing education courses, as well as the knowledge that comes from working with physical therapy students, who bring in the most current knowledge for patient care.
- University of Southern California, Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy
- Chapman University, Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology, emphasis in Biokinesiology
- Foot and Ankle/Orthotics specialty training
- 10,000+ hours of direct patient care in Outpatient Orthopedics, Post-Surgical and Sports-Oriented Rehabilitation
- Certified Astym provider and Instructor
- Trained Dancer of 18 years
