Denise Smith | Source | Owner, PT, Certified Manual PT, Running Technique Specialist at Smith Physica...

Denise Smith graduated from Marquette University in 2002 with a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy, is a consultant for the Russian Olympic/National Triathlon Team, and instructs courses in Kinesiology at McHenry County College. Denise also travels the country as part of the Pose Method education team with a lecture series on injury prevention and treatment along with the running technique certification course.

She is a recreational runner and triathlete who loves spending time with her two active children and husband. As a busy mom, Denise understands the importance of using your time wisely and opened Smith Physical Therapy + Running Academy to help her patients get better faster and to help athletes run smarter.

Denise has spent her years obtaining certifications that allow her to treat each patient as an individual with a focus on hands-on manual therapy techniques, functional movement patterns, return to sports testing, and advanced treatment of athletes of all levels. Read about Denise's reasons for starting Smith Physical Therapy + Running Academy in this article by The Northwest Hearald.

Denise's advanced training includes: Certified Manual Physical Therapist, Pose Certified Running Specialist, Pose Certified Sports Technique Specialist, Functional Movement Screen Specialist, Gary Gray 3DMAPS Specialist, Certified Graston Technique Specialist, Y-Balance Test Specialist, ACL Injury Prevention and Return to Sport Specialist.

Her love of community drives Denise to give back with time. She is a proud member of City Council for the City of Crystal Lake and serves on several boards, including Leadership Greater McHenry County and the Downtown Crystal Lake Association's Org Committee. She volunteers for many charities and actively fundraises for local children's charities by acting as a race director for The McHenry County Santa Run and Patriot Run, Crystal Lake Aquathon, and Crystal Lake Half Marathon.