Welcome to RISE Physical Therapy

1-on-1 Physical Therapy Treatment

San Diego's Premier Physical Therapy Provider

COVID-19 Update

RISE Physical Therapy is Currently Open and Accepting New Patients!

Telehealth is also available to new and existing patients

At RISE Physical Therapy, we strive to protect the health and safety of our patients, staff and providers. We are enforcing social distancing whenever possible and limiting the number of patients in the clinic at one time. Some instances are impossible to avoid contact with patients and providers. We are doing everything we can to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in all clinics. All staff members and PT providers are mandated to wear their PPE such as masks and gloves in the clinic. We are actively following CDC and WHO guidelines/updates. Please note that all patients in the clinic are required to wear face covering or masks as well.

Our unique one-on-one model of treatment means that you only come in contact with your PT provider while in the clinic. We do offer telehealth visits for all patients interested to help reduce the need for in-clinic exposure. We encourage telehealth especially for those who are at high risk according to the CDC or have any signs of sickness, Coronavirus related or not.

If you have any questions related to our care and clinic policies, please call the front office to speak with one of our staff: 858-755-5200

Please keep yourself informed and review the guidelines set by the CDC on their website, cdc.gov or the county hotline at 211.

View Our Locations & Affiliates

Services

RISE offers a 1-on-1 physical therapy treatment services to patients throughout San Diego.

image of Injury Prevention exercises in San Diego

Injury Prevention

and Exercise Programs

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Acute Injury

and Post-Op Care

image of Reconditioning exercises in San Diego

Reconditioning

following Deconditioning

image of Balance Training exercises in San Diego

Balance Training

and Exercises

image of Vestibular exercises in San Diego

Vestibular

and Neurological Rehab

image of Biomechanical Assessment exercises in San Diego

Biomechanical Assessment

and Body Analysis

image of Pediatric Rehab exercises in San Diego

Pediatric Rehab

and Physical Therapy

image of Elite Sports Training exercises in San Diego

Elite Sports Training

and Sports Rehabilitation

image of Infant Pediatric Care exercises in San Diego

Infant Pediatric Care

Torticollis, Plagiocephaly, and More

Insurance

RISE Physical Therapy is contracted with numerous health insurance providers to offer in-network physical therapy services.
These include, but are not limited to:

Commercial Plans

  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • ASH (American Specialty Health)
  • Beech Street
    • Capp Care & PPO Group
  • Blue Shield
  • Cigna
    • HMO, Special Needs Plan
    • CalMediConnect
  • First Health
  • Great West
  • Health Net
    • HMO (where not capped)
    • Covered CA Plans (including Enhance Care PPO)
    • Pure Care
    • Comm. Care (Direct Network Only)
  • Molina Healthcare (IPO & Covered CA)
  • Multiplan
  • Scripps (PPO & EPO)
  • United Healthcare

Federal Plans

  • Blue Shield Federal
  • CHAMPVA
  • Department of Labor
  • Medicare
  • Medi-Medi Plans
  • TRICARE
  • TriWest

Worker's Comp. Plans

  • All Plans
  • Align, MediRisk, One Call, Corvel, etc.
  • Anthem Market Place Worker's Comp.

We also offer affordable cash rates for all physical therapy and performance training services. Contact us to learn more.

Locations

RISE Physical Therapy has offices throughout San Diego County.

Our Amazing Team

Meet the members of the RISE Physical Therapy team.

Navid Hannanvash

Navid Hannanvash

PT, DPT, CSCS, FMR, CAFS, FAFS, AT Ret. | CEO & Owner

In addition to striving to set up environments to provide the most quality care to his patients, Navid enjoys spending time with his friends and family, walking his wolf Jasmine around town, and all things sports (especially basketball) and food related.

Alex Kelso

Alex Kelso

PT, DPT, FMR, CAFS, FAFS | President

Alex found physical therapy through his own physical struggles, which built his passion for working to improve the quality of life of his patients. Alex enjoys boating, working on anything with a motor, or cheering on the Florida Gators. He holds a doctorate from the University of Southern California, and is an Applied Functional Science fellow.

Rachel N. Litchfield

Rachel N. Litchfield

PT, DPT, CAFS, RYT | Vice President

Rachel's passion for movement began with dance, which inspired her to pursue a career in physical therapy. When not in the clinic with patients, she enjoys being outdoors with her dog Emma, creating art, and enjoying good food with family and friends.

Martin Nguyen

Martin Nguyen

PT, DPT, CAFS | Clinic Director: Solana Beach

Martin's interest for physical therapy was sparked by overcoming his own injuries as a competitive basketball player and long-distance runner while growing up in Texas. He enjoys taking the journey with his patients through the process of rehabilitation, teaching them about their own bodies, and watching them leave pain-free with a smile. Outside of the clinic, he enjoys playing pick-up basketball at the local gym, running along the beach, trying new foods, and exploring his new home in San Diego.

Angela Wunder

Angela Wunder

PT, DPT, CAFS

Angela's passion for rehabilitation and fascination with the human body brought her to physical therapy. She loves working with people from all walks of life, including our littlest clients who are just getting their start on life. She enjoys unwinding by exercising, yoga, or surfing, and spending time with her daughter.

David Bailey

David Bailey

PT, DPT, FMR, FAFS | East Country Regional Manager

David first became interested in physical therapy when introduced to Applied Functional Science in 2006. At the time he was practicing Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Qigong, and was working on his bachelors degree in Kinesiology at SDSU. David received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from University of St. Augustine in 2010, and completed his fellowship in Applied Functional Science in 2012. David enjoys hanging out with family and friends, reading, hiking and can be found exploring the various coffee shops around the county.

Mariah Weber

Mariah Weber

PT, DPT, YTT

Mariah was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she earned her bachelors at the University of New Mexico. In 2015 she moved to San Diego and completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at San Diego State University. Mariah has always lived an active lifestyle with a history of playing soccer, track, and tennis. She now enjoys hiking, running, and doing yoga.

Bradley Bourgeois

Bradley Bourgeois

PT, DPT, CAFS

Brad is a San Diego native with a passion for therapy that developed taking care of his own family. He earned his dual bachelor’s from SDSU and later earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of St Augustine. Brad enjoys working with people from all different backgrounds and tailoring therapy to fit their needs. He has a passion for new innovations and used modern technologies such as 3D printing to improve his and his patients’ day to day lives. Outside the clinic he enjoys hiking, adventures with his dog, and enjoying time with his family and friends.

Katie Hemphill

Katie Hemphill

PT, DPT, CAFS

Katie grew up in Anchorage, Alaska where she developed a love for the outdoors and living an active lifestyle. She also fell in love with the sunshine and warmer weather while completing her undergraduate studies at the University of San Diego and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at San Diego State University. Katie has always had a passion for dancing, and is excited for her career in physical therapy helping people move better and get back to pursuing their life passions.

Matthew Hemphill

Matthew Hemphill

PT, DPT, CAFS

Matt is a San Diego native who was drawn to physical therapy by his fascination with the power and adaptability of the human body. While playing sports during high school he suffered multiple knee and shoulder injuries and experienced first hand the impact that quality physical therapy can have. Matt earned his bachelor's degree in Health & Exercise from Regis University in Denver, CO, along with his Doctoral of Physical Therapy from SDSU.

Bridget Perry

Bridget Perry

PT, DPT, CSCS, CAFS

Bridget grew up in North Dakota, but until recently has spent most of her adult life in NYC. After a career as a dancer in the musical theatre industry and a plethora of mild dance-related injuries, Bridget, returned to NYC and earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from New York University. Her experience as a dancer has taught her the importance of qualitative movement, a skill she proudly brings to her clients in the clinic. When not in the clinic she can be found hiking and exploring CA with her husband, son, and Beagle-mix "Riley."

Deniz High

Deniz High

PT, DPT, CMT

Deniz is originally from the Bay Area, but completed her undergraduate degree at SDSU and doctor of physical therapy from the University of St. Augustine. She grew up playing all sports, but her main passion is for soccer where an injury brought her into the world of PT. She knows full well what it’s like to not be able to do the things you love due to pain. She hopes to help her patients live pain-free and improve their quality of life. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, baking, and any outdoor activities.

Kieran Patalano

Kieran Patalano

PT, DPT

Kieran grew up running track and cross country, where several injuries brought her to discover physical therapy. She became a certified athletic trainer during her undergrad and realized her love for being creative in the clinic with her patients. Kieran received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at San Diego State University and is passionate about working with kids and using functional movement to treat patients of all ages. Kieran enjoys running by the ocean, hiking, yoga, salsa dancing, and adventures with her two incredible dogs.

Lauren Union

Lauren Union

PT, DPT, CAFS

Lauren was born and raised in San Diego, CA where she earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at San Diego State University. She built her passion for physical therapy through her experience with a high school sports injury. She is a kind and compassionate person who strives to empower each patient to reach their goals and maintain an active lifestyle. Lauren enjoys puns, traveling, hiking, running, being a Young Life leader, and spending time with her friends/family.

Sean Siemens

Sean Siemens

PT, DPT

Sean grew up in Orange County spending most of his childhood on soccer fields all over California. He enjoyed playing multiple sports in high school and attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara where he was senior captain of their collegiate team. He initially got into physical therapy after suffering injury after injury during collegiate soccer. He was finally able to be injury free after finding his very own physical therapist. In his practice, he seeks to address all aspects of health including mental, emotional, and physical elements. In his spare time, Sean enjoys playing beach volleyball, surfing, and hiking.

Darren Mallinson

Darren Mallinson

PT, OCS, CAFS, CSCS

Darren is a European trained physical therapist with a wide breadth of experience. He received is training from the Hoogeschol van Amsterdam, and he has maintained a lifelong passion to help people return to their lives. Darren uses his physical therapy training supplemented with a Strength and Conditioning certification to treat the whole patient. From working with soccer players in Holland, dancers in New York, Surfers in San Diego, and injured workers in Seattle, he has been able to help many people return to the activities that they love. In his free time he likes to travel, hike, play soccer, surf and golf.

Darren Sumbillo

Darren Sumbillo

PT, DPT

Darren is a San Diego native who earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology at SDSU and his Doctorate in Physical Therapy at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. He developed his passion for health and fitness while working in the fitness industry, living in the gym, going on hikes, and playing basketball. He wanted to evolve and devote his skills to those who were limited by injuries and unable to perform their favorite activities. As a physical therapist, he believes that improving one aspect of someone’s life can positively affect all others.

Tyler Hoftsee

Tyler Hoftsee

PT, DPT, CAFS

Tyler was born and raised in San Diego and his journey with physical therapy began with a knee injury in high school playing baseball and football. He then wanted to help others achieve pain free lives with improved function and ability to achieve a happy life. Tyler received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Chapman University. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, camping, going to the beach, playing sports and watching baseball and football.

Sara Fisher

Sara Fisher

PT, DPT

Sara discovered physical therapy as a patient herself. She learned that movement was a powerful healer and wanted to help others the way her physical therapist had helped her. Sara enjoys spending time practicing yoga, getting outdoors and taking care of her (way too many) plants. She holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from California State University, Northridge and is a Registered Yoga Teacher.

Katie Gilliland

Katie Gilliland

PT, DPT, CAFS

Katie’s passion for movement began with her participation in sports growing up, including soccer, dance, water polo, and swim. She continued to learn about the human body while pursuing her undergraduate degree at UCLA and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of St Augustine in San Marcos. Katie loves to use her own experience with sports and movement to help others optimize their movement to be pain free and achieve their own personal goals. When not in the clinic she enjoys hiking, spending time outdoors, swimming, and cuddling with her cat Mango.

Royal Tu

Royal Tu

PT, DPT

Royal is a proud San Diego native who found his passion in physical therapy after experiencing his own injuries from weightlifting and playing sports. Fascinated by the science of human movement, he was inspired to pursue a profession where he could improve function, provide patient-centered care, promote long-term wellness and get people back to doing what they love. He received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from University of St. Augustine. Outside of the clinic, he enjoys adventuring outdoors with friends & family, playing basketball, volleyball, fishing and working on cars.

Gervin Prado

Gervin Prado

PT, DPT, CAFS, TPI-cert

Gervin was born and raised in San Diego, CA where he received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from SDSU and continued his education at the University of St. Augustine receiving his Doctorate of Physical Therapy. With an immense passion for golf, Gervin is certified through Titleist Performance Institute to increase his knowledge on full body assessments and its relationship to an individual’s swing mechanics. Gervin thoroughly enjoys witnessing his patients reach their goals and getting them back to their daily routines and activities pain free. During his free time he enjoys playing golf, hiking with his Pitbull Blue, and hanging out by the beach.

Zac Vano

Zac Vano

PT, DPT, CAFS

Zac is originally from Ventura county California but made his way down to San Diego to attend San Diego State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology as well as a minor in psychology. He then attended the University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences where he obtained his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Zac originally became interested in physical therapy in high school after suffering a shoulder injury while playing baseball. He was able to rehab his shoulder and found a passion for the healing capacity of the human body through movement. He is interested in sports and athletics and likes to focus on the body as a whole while providing his treatments. In his spare time Zac enjoys going to the beach, golfing, hiking, cooking and traveling.

Ross Edmunds

Ross Edmunds

PT, DPT

Ross is a sunny San Diego native who received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University in New York. Growing up, Ross was an athlete who received a multitude of injuries that led him to experience Physical Therapy firsthand and appreciate the beauty of movement and rehabilitation. In his free time he enjoys CrossFit and obstacle course racing as well as petting every dog that he can.

Luke Mathison

Luke Mathison

PT, DPT, CSCS

Luke grew up in Minnesota and, as a lifelong athlete playing hockey and collegiate soccer, he understands the importance of maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle as well as the pitfalls often associated with injury recovery. Earning his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from The University of Illinois at Chicago, he enjoys working with athletes of all ages and abilities, from amateur to professional, by reducing their risk of injury and helping them achieve their peak performance goals. Now living in Cardiff, Luke enjoys hiking, hunting, skiing, surfing, and spending time with his wife and daughters.

Heather Ester

Heather Ester

PT, DPT

Heather is originally from Kansas where she attended the University of Kansas. While in undergrad she realized the benefits of physical activity on her own mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. This was the catalyst for her curiosity in exercise and how it can be used for improving people’s lives. In her free time, she enjoys playing at the beach with her dogs, weight lifting and expanding her music collection.

Fernando Navarro

Fernando Navarro

PT, DPT

Fernando Navarro was born in Tijuana, Mexico but considers himself a San Diego local. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from SDSU and his Doctorate in Physical Therapy at The University of St, Augustine for Health Sciences. He developed his passion for sports performance and rehabilitation sciences while working with professional boxers and martial artists as a personal trainer. Fernando is dedicated to helping patients restore function and live their lives to their maximum potential by utilizing evidence-based treatment. He enjoys spending time with his family and training Judo and jujitsu.

Jake Hodgens

Jake Hodgens

PT, DPT, CAFS

Jake attended San Diego State University for undergrad, and received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine. While Jake enjoys all sports, he is particularly drawn to water sports and the beach. Much of his time during undergrad and PT school was spent coaching water polo, even coaching his school to a CIF championship. Unfortunately, he witnessed a variety of injuries which has lead to his desire to help injured athletes and drove Jake to pursue physical therapy.

Olga Mercado

Olga Mercado

PT, DPT

Olga was born and raised in San Diego where she also earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine. Her passion for physical therapy grew when she had the opportunity to work with children and seeing how functional mobility can help improve their development and overall quality of life. She enjoys working with patients of all ages and backgrounds and hopes to help her patients reach their optimal potential. Outside of the clinic, Olga enjoys spending time with her family, as well as, going on camping adventures and occasionally baking a cake or two.

Narueen Imam

Narueen Imam

PT, DPT

Naureen Imam specializes in orthopedic and neurologic physical therapy, with a special interest in serving patients with movement disorders such as dystonia and Parkinson’s disease. She is a certified PWR! Moves and LSVT BIG therapist and especially enjoys challenging -- and being inspired -- by her patients in Rock Steady Boxing classes. Naureen loves researching new approaches and cutting-edge techniques to build personalized plans for each individual she works with, with the ultimate goal of empowering them with the skills they need to overcome any obstacle. Naureen earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, her Master of Biomedical Sciences from Rutgers University, and her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Spanish from Emory University. In her free time, Naureen enjoys hiking, reading, and exploring San Diego’s ever-changing boba tea shops.

Ivy Colbert

Ivy Colbert

PT, DPT

Ivy is a physical therapist who specializes in orthopedics and Women’s Health physical therapy. In graduate school, she developed a passion for treating pelvic floor dysfunction. After receiving her doctorate in physical therapy at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, she went on to pursue further education for pelvic floor treatment through the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. She has worked in outpatient physical therapy, treating female pelvic floor dysfunction along with other various orthopedic conditions, utilizing skills in myofascial release, joint mobilization, trigger point release, and therapeutic exercise. She strives to treat the whole patient as she feels that consideration of their overall health and well-being is an important part of the rehabilitation process. When she isn’t treating clients, you can find her exercising outdoors or spending time with her husband, daughter and pug in beautiful San Diego, CA. She also loves a hot cup of chai tea, being by the ocean, and watching food and travel documentaries.

Michelle Garcia

Michelle Garcia

PT, DPT

Michelle earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences and Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology at San Diego State University. She is certified in LSVT BIG therapist working with Parkinson’s population. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and outdoor activities of hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking and playing flag football.

Ashley Syme

Ashley Syme

PT, DPT, CAFS

Ashley grew up in Northern California playing competitive soccer and continued to play through college. She moved down to San Diego to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology at San Diego State University. She earned her doctorate of physical therapy program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Outside of work, Ashley enjoys spending time in the mountains, skiing and snowboarding, hiking, camping, playing soccer, beach days at No Surf in Sunset Cliffs and (as of recently) roller skating.

Nickolas Boyol

Nickolas Boyol

PT, DPT

Nick grew up in LA county where he earned his bachelors degree in Kinesiology Clinical Exercise Science at California State University Fullerton. He moved to north county San Diego to obtain his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. He enjoys getting patients back to being able to do the things that they enjoy. He enjoys hanging out with his dog, hiking, and grilling/cooking with his family.

Contact Us

Reach out to RISE today and we'll get in touch ASAP.