Verna Chen, PT, DPT, OCS is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. She graduated from the University of St. Augustine in Austin where she successfully completed advanced hands on manual therapy certification courses. Prior to receiving her Doctorate in Physical Therapy, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from The University of Texas at Austin. She has worked in a variety of settings but has a passion for outpatient orthopedics and helping active people get back to moving without pain.

Dr. Chen is certified in dry needling (CDN) and uses this dry needling technique as an adjunct to exercise therapy and neuromuscular re-education to treat muscular trigger points, chronic pain and to re-educate dysfunctional soft tissue. Clinical use of dry needling is a highly effective neuromuscular re-education tool that quickly gives the musculoskeletal system a ‘reset’. She frequently employs this technique to enhance the benefits of traditional exercise therapy for a variety of diagnoses including muscle sprains and strains, low back pain, hip and knee dysfunction, tendinitis, rotator cuff injuries, and neck/headache pain. Dr. Chen holds a holistic and functional approach to client care and rehab. She assesses and treats the entire body in relation to the injury or primary complaint.

When she’s not in the clinic or studio, Dr. Chen enjoys staying active in the gym and on the many hiking trails of Austin with her boyfriend and their foster pups. She speaks Mandarin Chinese and is attempting to broaden her medical Spanish. In addition to physical therapy and fitness, she also has a passion for reading, traveling, and bubble tea.