Expert Orthopedic Care, Exceptional Service
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Dr. Laura Mannering DPT, OCS, Cert MDT

orthopedic-specialist physical therapy for back, neck, & extremities

reliable, efficient diagnosis & treatment using the

McKenzie Method

Superior Customer Service​
​
​I am the only person patients deal with from start to finish. There are no double
bookings, assistants, aides, appointments with other clinicians, or admininstrative staff. Appointments are easy to schedule, and convenient appointment times are available. Correspondence is replied to in a timely manner. I can be reached easily via phone and email. There are no waiting rooms and no hidden costs. My goal
is to reach your goals as efficiently as possible, providing reliable, ethical care and exceptional customer service.
McKenzie Method
 Movement and Education Focus​
​
My main focus is teaching patients how
to manage their own health in order to minimize the need for medical care in
both the short and long term. Orthopedic management typically entails regularly performing specific exercises as well as making any necessary postural modifications. Manual therapy is employed when necessary. I instruct patients how to measure the status of their improvement as well as monitor for and prevent recurrence. I prioritize movement and education over passive modalities
​due to better overall outcomes.
McKenzie Method
Orthopedic Expertise

​
In addition to my Ivy League bachelor's and top-ranked doctorate, I have extensive post-doctoral advanced training in diagnosing and treating orthopedic pathology. Patients often see results which "standard" physical therapy and other types of care failed to achieve. In many instances, the diagnosis and treatment I provide prevent the use of unnecessary - as well as costly and riskier - imaging, injections, medications, and surgeries. The rough average of necessary visits is six, though it ranges from 1-10, very rarely exceeding 10 visits.
McKenzie Method

Education
Bachelor of Arts, University of Pennsylvania
​
Doctorate of Physical Therapy, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine​
Certifications & 
​Memberships
Certification in the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy
(Diploma in the McKenzie Method - training complete, awaiting postponed final exam)
Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy (OCS)
Certified Clinical Instructor, APTA
Member, The McKenzie Institute​

I have been diagnosing and treating orthopedic injuries as a Doctor of Physical Therapy for ten years in Florida and the DC area. In college, I studied economics and Spanish, spending one year studying in Spain. I was also active in athletics - rowing for one year on the novice crew team, playing for the club soccer and tennis teams, and founding and running the club basketball team. Between my undergraduate and graduate degrees I worked in Asia for several years and volunteered for one year with AmeriCorps VISTA in Boston. 

I was drawn to MDT (developed by physiotherapist Robin McKenzie) about three years into my physical therapy career because of how quickly it produced results as well as its lasting effectiveness - both personally with a lumbar disc herniation and with my patients. Unlike with "standard" physical therapy, patients frequently experience a rapid reduction of symptoms in only a few visits. In addition, patients often see improvements which other treatments failed to achieve. One-on-one treatments (without assistants or aides) provide the personal attention needed to teach patients how to treat themselves through targeted movement. I have mentored many physical therapist and physical therapist assistant students as a credentialed clinical instructor and regularly attend, and assist at, courses across the country.

MDT, an assessment and treatment approach used by various licensed professionals who treat orthopedic disorders, has two levels of training. The first is certification, which requires attending several courses and passing a written and manual exam. The highest level, the diploma, requires a semester of online study, 9 weeks working full-time with mentors, and passing an exam. I have been certified in MDT for several years and, having completed the diploma training in 2019 in Texas, am awaiting the postponed final oral and manual exam. 

​Laura Mannering Physical Therapy
lauramanneringdpt@gmail.com
​(305) 842-4494
Washington, D.C.
​home and office visits available
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