Expert Running Physical Therapy in Gaithersburg, MD

Rated 5 stars across 231 reviews, Elevated Strength Rehab delivers one-on-one, doctoral-level care built for runners and active adults who refuse to settle for cookie-cutter PT. Stop managing pain — start running stronger.


Book Your Free Consultation

Still Injured After Weeks of Generic PT?

  • Stuck on a Plateau

    You've been in PT for months with little progress — the pain keeps returning and your return-to-running timeline keeps getting pushed back.

    Stuck on a Plateau

  • Treated Like a Number

    Large clinic PT means split attention, rushed sessions, and treatment plans driven by insurance billing codes — not your performance goals.

    Treated Like a Number

  • Cleared but Not Confident

    You were discharged from PT, but you don't feel ready. Your strength, speed, and confidence on the road haven't come back — and nobody tested them.

    Cleared but Not Confident

Gaithersburg's Performance-Driven Running PT Clinic

At Elevated Strength Rehab, every session is 60 minutes of one-on-one doctoral care — no aides, no shared appointments, no cookie-cutter protocols. We combine manual therapy, dry needling, strength-based rehab, and return-to-sport testing to get you back running stronger than before your injury.

  • One-on-one 60-minute sessions with a Doctor of Physical Therapy — every single visit, no exceptions

  • Cash-based, goal-driven care built around your return-to-running timeline — not an insurance checklist

  • Founded on the 4 R's of ESR: Re-set, Re-learn, Re-load, and Re-engage — a proven framework to rebuild resilience

Start Your Recovery Today

“I started here in the middle of a terrible flare-up. Dr. Jonathan Kim combined soft tissue work, dry needling, exercise, and recovery treatments — and got me back on my feet within a few weeks.“

Your Road Back to Running Starts with 3 Steps

  • Step 1: Assess & Reset

    Step 1: Assess & Reset

    Your first session begins with a thorough movement screen and hands-on evaluation. We identify the root cause of your sciatic pain — whether it's nerve compression, muscle imbalance, or faulty movement patterns — and build a plan tailored entirely to you.

  • Step 2: Rebuild Strength & Mobility

    Step 2: Rebuild Strength & Mobility

    Using targeted treatments — dry needling, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, and progressive therapeutic exercise — we reduce pain fast while rebuilding the stability and strength your spine and hips need to stay healthy long-term.

  • Step 3: Return & Perform

    Step 3: Return & Perform

    Once your pain is under control and your strength is restored, we load you back into the activities, sports, and workouts you love — with objective milestones and return-to-sport testing to confirm you're truly ready to go.

Book Your First Session

Running Injuries We Treat in Gaithersburg, MD

From overuse injuries that sneak up during training blocks to acute sprains and post-surgical recovery, our Gaithersburg physical therapy team treats the full spectrum of conditions that sideline runners and active adults. If you've been searching for running physical therapy near me, we have the expertise to get you back.

  • Runner's Knee (Patellofemoral Pain), IT Band Syndrome & Shin Splints — the most common running overuse injuries treated with targeted strength and gait retraining

  • Achilles Tendinopathy, Plantar Fasciitis & Ankle Sprains — lower-leg conditions addressed through manual therapy, dry needling, and progressive loading protocols

  • Hip Pain, Hamstring Strains & Low Back Pain — proximal running injuries restored with strength-based rehab and neuromuscular re-education

See How We Can Help You

5 Stars Across 231 Google Reviews

  • "Jonathan is the best trainer I have ever had. I have been going to PT for years and was a college athlete. He is the most detail oriented PT I have ever had. He fully customizes the training to your needs and [it's a] full one stop shop. He has changed my life from a physical and mental perspective. Can't recommend him enough."

    Jordan F. — Gaithersburg, MD

  • "Fantastic experience with Jonathan at ESR. I injured my lower body by training too heavy with poor form. He gave me a program that addressed my weak spots, and supplemented with treatments to help relieve pain. After living with 6 months of pain, I'm now able to train and recover normally. I get quality, focused 1-on-1 care for the full session hour. I absolutely recommend ESR."

    Mei C. — Gaithersburg, MD

  • "Finding Elevated has been a game changer. Jonathan is a dry needling wizard! I've had several sessions to help with mobility issues and a knee injury so I can alleviate my knee issue but still remain active at the gym, keep running races, and participate in competitions. Always received 1-on-1 dedicated attention. Highly recommend!"

    Gabrielle M. — Gaithersburg, MD

Meet the Doctors Behind Your Recovery at Elevated Strength Rehab

Dr. Jonathan Kim, PT, DPT

Founder of Elevated Strength Rehab and certified dry needling specialist. Dr. Kim combines 7+ years as a PTA with his doctoral training to deliver expert care for elbow pain, post-operative rehab, and sports injuries. Certified Functional Strength Coach and NASM Personal Trainer.

Dr. Kylie Hess, PT, DPT, CSCS

Duke-trained sports physical therapist and certified strength coach. Dr. Hess specializes in athletic performance training and injury prevention, bringing expertise in movement optimization and return-to-sport progressions for upper extremity injuries.

Visit Us in Gaithersburg, MD

Email jks@elevatedstrengthrehab.com

Phone (240) 515-4760

Office Rockville/Gaithersburg Area, Maryland

We're just 4 minutes and 1.3 miles from downtown Gaithersburg via Chestnut St and E Diamond Ave — conveniently located near Flower Hill Shopping Center, Walnut Hill Shopping Center, and Quince Orchard Plaza. Stop searching for foot pain physical therapy near me and come see us at 220 Girard Street STE C.

Ready to start your sciatica recovery? We're conveniently located at 220 Girard St STE C, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 — near Quince Orchard Plaza, Flower Hill Shopping Center, and Walnut Hill Shopping Center. Just 4 minutes and 1.3 miles from central Gaithersburg via E Diamond Ave: head southwest on Chestnut St, turn left onto E Diamond Ave, then left onto Girard St.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Cash-based PT means you pay directly for your care rather than going through an insurance company. This lets us give you full 60-minute, one-on-one sessions with a Doctor of Physical Therapy — not the 15-minute shared appointments that insurance reimbursement rates typically force on clinics. Many patients use FSA or HSA funds. Contact us to discuss your options.

  • Your first session includes a comprehensive movement screen and injury assessment with your DPT. We identify the root cause of your pain or dysfunction, set clear goals, and build a personalized treatment plan — all in one 60-minute appointment.

  • At every visit you work directly with a Doctor of Physical Therapy — never a tech or aide. Sessions are 60 minutes of undivided, one-on-one attention. We combine manual therapy, dry needling, strength-based rehab, and objective return-to-sport testing in one performance-focused model.

  • Both. We specialize in running physical therapy and treat common running injuries including Runner's Knee, IT Band Syndrome, Achilles Tendinopathy, Plantar Fasciitis, shin splints, and hamstring strains. We also work with basketball players, football athletes, golfers, post-surgical patients, and active adults of all levels.

  • Yes. In addition to our Gaithersburg clinic, we offer home visit and mobile PT services for patients who prefer to be treated in their own environment or have difficulty traveling to a clinic.

  • We use objective return-to-sport and return-to-running testing — including force plate assessments, isokinetic dynamometer testing, and movement screens — to determine readiness based on data, not guesswork. You won't be cleared until your body can prove it.

Contact us