Physical Therapist:
Dr. CJ DePalma, PT, CSCS, CF-L1

Meet Dr. CJ DePalma, PT And Owner

Dr. CJ DePalma, PT is the owner of The Movement Dr. and native to the Pensacola, FL area, which is where the physical therapy clinic is located. CJ and his practice have become known as The Best of Bay Best Physical Therapy.

He specializes in chronic pain management and rehabilitation through a unique approach of education, evidence, and movement. 

He has experience treating the general population, youth athletes, CrossFitters, CrossFit Games Athletes, olympic lifters, strongman athletes, professional athletes of various sports, and more from chronic pain issues, struggling with daily activities, to back-to-sport injury rehabilitation.

Beyond physical therapy, and treating his patients for their pain and injuries, CJ is extremely passionate about keeping these aches and pains away and helping his clients reach their health and fitness goals.

He loves working with people who are ready to set goals and partner with him to crush them!

Whether you want to run your first 5k, get your first muscle-up, get better at CrossFit, or be a competitive athlete, CJ is the man for the job. He works with athletes of all ages and experience levels, from youth, recreational, amateur, and professional.

Working with CJ, you can be sure you will have a balanced program that will help you progress to your goals without getting injured.

CJ works with his clients and patients at the physical therapy clinic in Pensacola, FL, as well as remotely/virtually. He has had incredible results with his treatment and coaching model with patients and clients all around the world. 

Contact Us About Working With CJ

“Thank you CJ for helping me get rid of my back pain I have had for the last couple of years! He is very knowledgeable when it comes to rehab. I highly recommend him to anyone who is currently dealing with an injury or for anyone who is looking to improve their athletic performance!”

-Nick Unger

“I tore the labrum in my right shoulder. After laying off overhead activity, getting a steroid shot, and completing Physical Therapy, I was still very limited in the gym just the same and had daily pain. I felt surgery was my only option in the long run to get back to doing everything I love. That was the path I was being lead down and believing, although I still wasn’t 100% sold.

Then I heard about and reached out to CJ, thinking it was worth a shot, and I am so grateful I did! I already felt hopeful after our very first meeting due to his optimism and confidence that I COULD get back to doing everything I wanted WITHOUT surgery. One month in working with CJ and complete 180 – I canceled my surgery. I am already improving and have less pain on a daily basis! It had been 3 months of no overhead activity or pull-ups, and one month in I’m doing banded pull-ups and overhead pressing with little to no pain! CJ’s non-traditional model and mindset has helped me have a different perspective altogether.

Now I feel silly for even considering surgery. I wish I would’ve connected with CJ sooner, but I am super stoked about the progress already and excited about what’s to come!”

-Abby Moore

“CJ understands performance and rehab far beyond what your average rehab provider does. If you’re serious about being at your best, he’s the guy to see.”

-Zachary Long

“CJ is always helpful and very knowledgeable. He pushes you to achieve things you didn’t think you could.”

-Carla Gilmore

“CJ is committed to each of his clients. He tailors every session to fit us. He is knowledgeable and always professional. We have been working together on my wellness journey for over 5 years. My goal is to be fit at whatever age I happen to be. Currently, I’m 52 and we are working on a better, more healthy me. I confidently recommend Dr. CJ DePalma.”

-Anita Webb

“CJ is the Steve Irwin of PT. He loves and believes in what he does, it shows. He will give you one on one undivided attention until you reach your goals. Be ready to work, he is. But you’ll thank him later. I’d give him an extra star if they had one here. This guy cares??“

-Rich Viggiano

“The most effective physical therapy I’ve ever had. In my experience, a family doctor will first tell you to stop being active and “rest” for several weeks before a follow-up appointment where the Dr may then schedule an x-ray or an orthopedic referral. Once you’ve bounced around to several doctor offices, you may be given a referral to a PT who’s simultaneously seeing other patients and who gives you set exercises based off of a pre-made worksheet that’s a cookie-cutter fix to whatever diagnosed problem you may have. The Movement Dr doesn’t seem to have a cookie-cutter worksheet approach, but spends adequate one-on-one time with you to determine the problem, and to best figure out the most efficient means of correcting the problem. I can say that, without a doubt, The Movement Dr provided the most productive and thorough physical therapy sessions this 38-year-old avid athlete as have ever received. I highly recommend The Movement Dr for anyone. He’s knowledgeable, engaged, thorough and I’d even say that he has a meticulous eye for movement. I’d give him 10 stars if Google didn’t limit me to only 5.”

-Joshua Owens

“I came to CJ with acute lower back pain. He did not waste any time in running me through a movement test to diagnose the issue. After explaining to me what was going on, he gave me a simple and thoughtfully designed plan to return to full health. He periodically checked in on me even after we stopped having appointments. As a former collegiate athlete, I can confidently say that his understanding of pain and injuries far surpasses any doctor/physical therapist that I have worked with in the past.”

-Justin Pagila

“CJ helped put my teen athlete on the path to game play absent of the usual knee pain and overuse injuries common in youth soccer.”

-Gregory Baker

“He is one of the most knowledgeable doctors you will find. Dr. DePalma will customize your therapy to get you back to 100%. Trust the process!”

-Harrison Whitehead

“Easy to work with, patient, and helpful! Highly recommend!”

-Patrick Waters

“I developed lower back pain after squatting too heavy too soon. Just a couple months after seeing The Movement Dr. and following the plan he laid out for me, my low back pain is gone and I’m squatting pain-free.”

-Christopher Weaver

“I had broken the 5th metacarpal of my left hand, which controls the rotation of my pinky finger. After surgery, CJ worked with me for several weeks. From barely moving it to being able to make a fist, CJ did an extraordinary job; you can’t even tell it was ever affected. Thanks, CJ!”

-Katie Reeves

“Over a year ago, I started having constant and immense shoulder/neck pain. I had an MRI done but it didn’t show anything conclusive and was told it was an impingement and to have physical therapy. Luckily, The Movement Dr. CJ DePalma was a resident Coach and Physical Therapist at my CrossFit gym. I had been working out for over six years and had never been in pain or injured before, so I was a little freaked out and scared. I think mostly, I was scared that I’d never be able to do what I loved (CrossFit) anymore without pain. But CJ stayed with me, encouraged me to stay positive, and helped me get through and over the pain. We modified movements when needed but I kept on moving. I am very grateful to him for his knowledge, advice, and help. I couldn’t have gotten through it without him. Thanks, Doc!”

-Bridget Granse

“I have gone to The Movement Dr. for three separate issues. One for a sprained wrist, one for a sprained ankle, and the most important one to me was lower back pain due to my job.

I suffered from lower back pain for 3 years before going to the Movement DR and I thought that was just going to be my life from now on. Waking up in pain, and having my legs go numb.

CJ worked with me to modify workouts and exercises to help me strengthen the affected areas. Thanks to the information and hands-on application I haven’t had any back pain since 2017.”

-Sagnak

“Super knowledgeable and tailored for athletes and just an overall cool dude. Highly recommend ?”

-Dane Goodwin

“CJ was great to work with! I was having issues with patellar tendinitis in both my knees and he put a detailed plan in place to help me get better. I was able to continue training while rehabbing, which was very important to me. Not only did he help me with my knee issues; but he also coached me up on lifts, gymnastic movements, and workout strategies. If you’re an athlete having some issues, I highly recommend giving CJ a call!”

-Ryan Ware

“The BEST in the area! His approach on recovery is so real and attainable. It enables every client to reach their goals. Thank you, Dr CJ!!! Also, he is amazing with my kids!”

-Dawn Hamil

CJ’s Story Behind The Movement Dr.

“Rethink Your Rehab”

“The Movement Dr. began because while in school, I was unhappy with my clinical rotations and what I saw in traditional Outpatient Physical Therapy. The requirement to see multiple patients at a time while sitting in front of a computer screen doing notes made me feel like I was handcuffed into providing subpar care.

I had a vision of a movement-based approach to treat everyone and all pathologies, with an emphasis on patient independence, and education. I give the patient the information and tools they need to get better on their own. By doing so, we see each other less often and have quicker results.

You will never walk into my clinic and be told to stop activity. Here we modify everything so we can keep moving.”

-Dr. CJ DePalma, PT

Unfortunately, many healthcare providers rely on outdated methods that simply do not follow the evidence. These practitioners make patients become reliant on methods that seem to be “quick fixes” but are not really fixes at all. 

CJ uses treatment methods that have evidence behind them and he stays up to date on all of the latest studies around pain and rehabilitation. He educates his patients about how bodies and pain work, so they have realistic expectations, are more confident, and more independent.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of fear-mongering and unnecessary language used by healthcare providers that actually can hinder the results for patients. CJ is honest and realistic with his patients, known for improving his patients’ outlook on their recovery, helping avoid unnecessary surgery, and providing lasting results.

 

Learn More About Our Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy & Training Resources By Dr. CJ DePalma, PT

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