Performance Specialist Matthew D’Elia, DPT, founded Force In Motion Therapy with the desire to help people recover and reclaim their active lifestyles. Power lifters and calisthenic practitioners, football and baseball players, crossfit and HYROX enthusiasts, golf and tennis lovers, and others can experience injuries. Ailments can be caused by a single wrong move or can build up over time through overuse or misuse of joints and muscles.

A high school sports injury led D’Elia to seek the help of a physical therapist, which led him to his career choice. He pursued premed studies at UMass Amherst and graduated with a dual degree in psychology and kinesiology. His interest in psychology was derived from both of his parents working in mental health capacities at Bradley Hospital, in Providence, where he gained some early work experience serving in various support staff positions. From a mind-body perspective, D’Elia distinguishes himself as fitness-oriented, manually skilled and psychologically informed. This is a powerful combination.

His treatment philosophy is a personalized systems-based approach. “I strive to understand each patient as a person,” he explains, “and develop a clear picture of who they are. The individualized parts of the body have to work together with the mind. I assess the situation like a detective to identify the root cause of the pain, immobility or imbalance, so we can correct it. There are many ways to achieve an outcome, and I need to figure out which approach will work best for each person.”

D’Elia completed his doctorate at the University of New England, in Portland, Maine, and acknowledges the influence of many mentors, including neurology professor Jim Cavanaugh, who taught him how different neurological conditions present themselves. “The nervous system rules all,” says D’Elia, “and the mind can block the nervous system, until it feels safe in a way that is going to help continue the recovery. Pain can be from a real issue, but after the physical issue has healed, mental aspects of healing may remain. Fear plays into pain. One response is to give up and accept it. Another is to face the challenge and address the perceptions and beliefs that are getting in the way.” D’Elia is particularly passionate about working with athletes that are motivated, proactive and determined to get better.

Through an individualized mobility and strengthening program, D’Elia helps people with their short-term and long-term goals. He outlines the three stages of healing: mitigating the inflammation;  remodeling motion; and rebuilding joint and muscle strength, resilience and capacity. He uses various modalities including dry needling with electrical stimulation to help trigger muscle activity.

“Improving function often requires a person to get stronger,” says D’Elia. “A great way to do this is to engage in resistance training, which will get one stronger by lifting at an intensity that is relative to one’s current capacity. Sometimes, getting stronger has some limitations, or situations don’t necessarily allow it. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training is a great tool I utilize to help people engage in exercise with the intensity necessary to make positive changes and strength. BFR is a great way to bridge the gap between needing to build strength and actually acquiring that strength.”

The physical therapy process can begin with a free Discovery Call to determine if the problem seems like one that can be solved naturally. D’Elia strives to help active adults and competitive athletes address the root cause of their pain without surgery and medications, so they can get back to enjoying the activities they love. He wants to help them figure out what’s going on and make the best decisions going forward, so they can live longer with a higher quality of life.