About ALEX EWART, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS
Hello.
I am Alex Ewart. A physical therapist, coach, and athlete.
My goal is simple. To get athletes back to peak performance, whether they are injured, in a rut, or feel like there is something more they can do to be at their best.
Sport has been my life since I can imagine.
Growing up, swimming was my safe haven. Whatever I was struggling with, swimming was an outlet that I could always count on.
There has always been something about hard work, showing up, and striving to be at your best that has always resonated with me and been a guiding light through even the darkest of times.
What I didn’t expect is through the tough times, I set the stage for what was going to my professional career.
How did I get into PT?
During my sophomore year of college, my performance took a nosedive. Butterfly was my signature stroke, but suddenly, I found myself swimming times slower than I did in my freshman year of high school.
The summer after my freshman year of college, I thought losing some weight would boost my performance. At first, it seemed like it was helping. So, I kept pushing to shed even more pounds.
However, I couldn’t ignore the signs – I was always cold, moody, and constantly craving food. But I convinced myself it was all for the sake of my swimming. Little did I know, it was one of the worst things I could have done for my performance.
I sought the help of another physical therapist/trainer once I got back to school that fall, driven by my determination to regain speed and power in butterfly. However, things took a turn for the worse again. I wasn’t getting the attention I needed and was given generic exercises that didn’t address my sport- specific concerns. It was frustrating.
I experienced the same thing, this time as a runner while in PT school.
I was dealing with a nagging issue in my lower leg and it just wasn’t getting better. I went to a “running PT clinic” and had the same experience as I did in college. Lack of attention and generic exercises that didn’t address my concerns.
I knew this wasn’t going anywhere, so I reached out to another PT. The experience was night and day. I felt heard, I was given specific exercises that would help me get back to running, and was able to make progress again. Not only did I get back to running, but I felt stronger than before.
While frustrating, these experiences helped shape my mission– to help athletes avoid the same experiences I dealt with so they can get back to peak performance.
My first meet back as a sophomore in college was a disaster. I struggled to finish races, and it was clear that something had to change. So, I began to eat more and slowly started feeling like my normal self, except for one thing – my butterfly. It never quite bounced back.
It was perplexing, frustrating, and disheartening. I went from making top 8 in my freshman year in the 200 fly to not even making finals. It felt like I had lost all the strength and power in my butterfly.
To make matters worse, I began experiencing shoulder pain that started really mess with my swimming. I felt totally lost. I started to lose my passion for the sport I had always loved. Thankfully, I found an amazing physical therapist who helped me start making progress with my butterfly as I prepared for my junior year.
Professional Credentials:
Doctor of Physical Therapy from University of Maryland Baltimore.
Arcadia University Orthopedic Residency
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Orthopedic Clinical Specialist
Road Runners of America Run Coach
Dry Needling Certified
Certified Triathlon Coach