Why did you get into physical therapy?
I was first exposed to PT after tearing my ACL, MCL, and meniscus following my freshman year of high school. With full intentions of playing Division 1 soccer, rehab became a huge factor. Prior to this, I had always wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. Truth be told, I continued to have every intention of becoming an orthopedic surgeon, completing all the pre-med requirements in college and looking into the MCAT process. It was at that time that I began to have my doubts, and my advisor at the time recommended I consider physical therapy. I considered, I applied, and I started NYU’s DPT program approximately 2 weeks after graduation. The rest is history.
What do you do for exercise?
Growing up I was always very active and heavily involved in sports. I played soccer in college and then for a year when I moved to the city. I got tired of that and hung up my cleats, opting to run marathons and try my hand at rock climbing. That got me through a few years, and then I discovered CrossFit in 2014. I haven’t looked back since.
Tell us about your practice. Where, and what do you specialize in?
Up until recently, I actually had a few different settings in which I practiced. I practiced in two locations in NYC, one in midtown, Bespoke Treatments, and one in the Financial District, Reset PT. I also treated athletes out of my CrossFit box in Brooklyn, CrossFit 718.
Last month I moved to Los Angeles, specifically Mar Vista. I’m still figuring out where exactly I’m going to set up shop, but still traveling extensively to teach for RockTape. I specialize in orthopedics, and treat everyone from the elite athlete to the post-partum female. I’m proud to say that I also do pelvic floor physical therapy, a lesser-known field of PT that I was first exposed to while in grad school, but didn’t actually begin practicing until 2012.
What was your first experience with RockTape?
My first experience with RockTape was actually at a combo FMT Basic/Performance course taught by my self-appointed mentor, Perry Nickelston. I had been battling chronic knee discomfort* and swelling for almost a year, and by the end of the course I was able to perform a deep squat and had a plan of attack for treating the movement dysfunction that was causing my discomfort*. It was an absolutely life-changing experience that inspired me to become a RockTape instructor and set off a chain of events that catapulted me into the amazing position that I’m in today.
How do you use RockTape in your practice?
I use RockTape with nearly all of my patients to help with discomfort* and swelling, but my favorite usage is without a doubt taping of the fascial chains to improve movement patterns. Because RockTape comes in long rolls instead of short, pre-cut strips, there is an endless amount of creativity afforded when taping for neurosensory effects, and the results are incredible. When you change your movement you can change your life, and RockTape is a fantastic tool to help create these changes. 
What’s your favorite RockTape pattern & product?
My favorite pattern would have to be a tie between the blue argyle and the tiger print. Throw on a little argyle for those days you’re feeling preppy and sophisticated, or switch it up and unleash your inner beast with a little tiger print. Gotta love ‘em both! I must admit that I’m also pretty fond of RockRub. Patients absolutely love the scent, and there’s no greasy residue left behind. It’s a really nice product for manual or tool-assisted work.
How has the RockTape philosophy inspired you?
The RockTape FMT Basic and Performance courses really brought things together for me, changing the way I looked at the human body and my approach to treating. For the first time I really began to understand the power of movement, and the interconnected nature of every tissue in our body. Shortly after attending the courses (and reading The 4-Hour Workweek) I quit my full-time job, was brought on as an official RockTape instructor, and launched my own brand, The Movement Maestro. What started out as simply a landing page to introduce myself to the members of my CrossFit box has become a social-media based platform that I use to connect with folks around the world and exchange ideas about all things movement related. There is no longer such thing as a typical week, as any given day might find me traveling the country to teach, treating from one of three different offices in New York City, leading a mobility class at my CrossFit box, blogging, shooting an instructional video, hopping in on a podcast, or working out for two hours straight because my schedule now has the flexibility I always craved. I can truly say that I have the best job in the world, and it all started with RockTape.
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