Raise your hand if I’ve bumped into you at the park, the soccer field, or in ShopRite sometime in the past year… and you’ve said one of these classics:

“Kel, I’ve got to come see you.”
“I’ve been meaning to call you.”

Yup. I hear it all the time. And every time, my heart drops just a tiny bit as I ask:
“Uh oh, what’s going on?”

I used to say, “As a physical therapist, I’m here if you need me—but I hope you don’t.”

Because let’s be real: nobody wakes up in the morning thinking, “Gosh, I really hope I need physical therapy today!”

But here’s the truth bomb I’ve come to accept:
Everyone needs me.
(Or someone like me—your friendly neighborhood PT.)

🤔 Why? Because pain is sneaky.

People walk into my office with back pain, stiffness, cranky knees, post-op aches, or feet that just don’t want to play nice anymore. And while I genuinely wish people didn’t hurt, I’ve come to understand something deeper:

Everyone benefits from understanding:

• WHY something hurts

• HOW it likely happened (hey there, sleep deprivation, phone posture, and ultra-processed snacks)

• WHAT to do about it

And that’s what I do all day, every day. I explain pain. I explain healing. I give people a game plan to get back to the life they want.

Tell me one person who wouldn’t benefit from that information.
Unless they’re a PT too, odds are they’ve never heard this stuff explained like I do—clearly, simply, and in a way they can explain it back to their kids or spouse later that night.

🏋️‍♀️ A PT’s Secret Superpower? We treat the whole YOU.

Massage therapists are amazing. Trainers are awesome. But they usually work one side of the coin:

• Trainers help you strengthen the weak stuff.

• Massage therapists help you loosen the tight stuff.

PTs do both—and we do it with a deep understanding of how your body functions as a whole, not just the knee or shoulder you came in complaining about.

We help you understand your body so it can carry you independently and confidently all the way to 100. (Okay fine, 97. But let’s shoot for 100.)

🌙 The Science You Forgot (But Live By Every Day)

Remember learning about cellular repair or neuromuscular junctions in 9th grade bio? No? Yeah… most people don’t. And yet, every single morning, your body wakes up because those very processes worked overnight.

You open your eyes. You stretch your arms. You hit snooze.
Every one of those actions is a miracle of nerves, muscles, blood flow, and brain coordination.

Let’s take a second and appreciate just how many things have to go right for you to roll out of bed in the morning.

That’s why I stopped saying “I hope you don’t need me.”
Now I say:
“I’m ready when you are.”

🎯 PT Only Works If You Do

I’ve helped people recover from surgeries, play with their grandkids, and hike national parks—but only because they were ready to put in the work.

Time. Attention. Effort. A little money. Consistency.
Healing doesn’t happen by accident—it happens by intention.

That’s why this newsletter (and my whole practice) exists.
To educate, inspire, and hold you accountable to being the strongest version of yourself.

🚫 3 ($0) Ways to Stay Out of My Office for the Wrong Reasons

Here’s how to stay on my email list and out of my office (unless it’s for a high-five or a check-in):

1️⃣ Move.
Think in minutes, not hours.
Waiting in line? Stand on one foot.
Brushing your teeth? Squat.
These little things compound—kind of like interest, but for your joints.

2️⃣ Breathe.
At my last dentist appointment (shout out to my brother and dad), I box-breathed my way to a near spa experience.
Try it:
In for 4. Hold for 4. Out for 4. Hold for 4. Repeat.

3️⃣ Hydrate.
Your blood is full of healing goodies.
Circulation matters. The more hydrated you are, the better you recover.
(Seriously—here’s a quick read from the University of Rochester if you’re a science nerd like me.)

💛 The Bottom Line

Whether you’re hurting now or just want to keep living life on your terms, I’m here.
Not just if you need me—when you’re ready.

Thanks for sharing your time, energy, and trust with me. It’s the highest compliment I can receive.

Until then—
Keep moving.
Dr. Kelli
Dr. Coach Kelli Physical Therapy
185 Fairfield Ave. 1A West Caldwell, NJ 07006
📞 973-791-8318