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San Diego Elite Physical Therapy

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Phone or Fax to: (760) 630-8060

San Diego Elite Physical Therapy

Call Now!

Phone or Fax to: (760) 630-8060

Want Help To Decide If Physical Therapy Is Right For You?

Talk To A PT On The Phone

Ask About Cost & Availability

If you're not quite ready to book an appointment yet, you might have some questions you would like answered first. Click below to request to speak with a PT first.

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Ask About Cost & Availability

We understand you may want to find out a little more about the cost & availability of physical therapy before booking an appointment. If that's you, then click the button above

to Ask About Cost & Availability, click here.

Free Discovery Visit

Ask About Cost & Availability

Free Discovery Visit

Are you unsure if physical therapy is right for you? Or maybe you would like to try our services before making a decision? All you have to do is fill out the simple form above.

Click here for a Free Discovery Visit

About San Diego Elite Physical Therapy

Why Choose Us

Each team member at SD Elite Physical Therapy is a California Licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy. This means that we specialize in biomechanics, human anatomy and more-over the CAUSE of pain. We want you to live long, happy and healthy, while continuing the activities that you love.

How We Can Help You

Our team is not limited to just improving performance. We provide an array of skills for injury and pain rehabilitation, ranging, but not limited to, low back pain to total knee replacement surgery.

Feel the Difference

You won't just see an improvement, you'll feel the improvement! Our goal is to decrease your pain - and score card -for the long run. We provides a scientific breakdown of each movement involved in a golf swing to make you play more effectively and efficiently.

Our Services

Sports Perfromance Personal Training

Our therapists are CSCS certified which means they have an Elite level of knowledge when it comes to training and exercise. The Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification is nationally recognized and only distributed to those who are experts in the field of exercise.

Injury Rehabilitation

Sports Perfromance Personal Training

Our team's goal is to rehabilitate your injury back to functional health though exercise and proper performance. Pain medications and injections only mask your symptoms. We want to fix the cause of the injury so that you live your life pain-free!

Injury Prevention

Sports Perfromance Personal Training

Injury Prevention

Although we can rehabilitate injuries, we would prefer to prevent the injury in the first place. Our skilled biomechanics specialists can help you for the long run, allowing you to play and perform for years to come.

Our Team

Dr. John Dawson PT, DPT, CSCS, TPI

John graduated as a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine, San Marcos. Along with his doctorate, he is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, which is one of the highest post-bachelor’s degree, exercise physiology certifications in the country. One of John’s many passions in this world is golf. He loves everything about the sport, which led him to specialize in golf performance and rehabilitation as a career. John is certified by the Titleist Performance Institute, ensuring that you are getting the highest quality training and instruction and with each session! To top it off, John also received his bachelor’s degree in Spanish, which allows him to help and communicate with a vast number of people in our community! From low back pain to post-op total knee replacement rehab, John can help you get back to happy and healthy living. Come in and ask for John. He is always happy to help!

Testimonials

Pain and weakness in the hands

Dr. Dawson's extensive knowledge was evident to me from the beginning of our first visit. He recognized the cause of the pain and weakness in my thumbs, and prescribed a regimen for me that has provided immense relief for that problem. In addition, he helped me by preparing custom videos of his prescribed exercise routines designed to strengthen my injured knee. Not only did he personally show me the exact ways to move my knee and position my body during the exercises, but I have found at home that I sometimes refer to the videos he made while we were together, for clarification. I appreciate Dr. Dawson's patient and caring approach. I felt that he was working for me, every minute of our time together. I hope to enjoy practicing for at least another 20 years, and I believe that Dr. Dawson will help me achieve that goal!

-James Perkins, D.V.M.

Neck pain following a car accident

This review is for John the Physical therapist who I have been seeing for approximately 3 weeks now. I was in a car accident a few months back and have tried chiropractic, acupuncture, and injections with no relief from the neck pain until I started treatment with John. He is extremely knowledgeable, has not only relieved the pain but taught me exercises to strengthen the area so I don't relapse in the future. I wish i had gone to him from the beginning!

-Tammy B

Chronic Ankle pain

Absolutely amazing. Dr. John Dawson helped me by showing me how to treat my bad ankle. I now have a larger range of motion and no pain. In only a week all of my chronic inflammation was gone, and after learning the correct way to walk, I am finally able to exercise properly. I can now do squats, circuit training, I hike once per week, and bike 30 mins a day. Any heavy activity would have caused massive pain levels and muscle spasms. Since I started working with Dr. John, my pain levels have gone to a ZERO.

He is the best in the biz.

-John C.

Return to competitive cycling

Let me preface with my injury. 5 years ago, I was hit by a car while cycling. I went through 2 years of physical therapy and was diligent with my exercises but I still have chronic back and neck pain. This year I tried physical therapy again at a bigger name therapy clinic and I was surprised by how little manual skills the therapists possessed. I started to feel hopeless about my chronic issues...

until I met Dr. John. And oh my gosh. He took his time to listen to my medical history, and then took a thorough physical assessment of my neck and back pain. He found this one particular small muscle in my neck, did some technique, and boom. I felt the tension in my neck go away!!

I know it's important to follow up with exercises. But in my experience, I now know that it is equally important to have a physical therapist like Dr. John reset my body for proper movement!!

-Vivian F.

Severe Neck, Low back and Sciatic pain following a motorcycle accident

For services rendered and his immeasurable passion for his work.

Sharing is caring ... Don't see enough of that these days. Personally, I like to exchange laughter & smiles and communicate honestly and without agenda. Too many of us take life for granted, people need to realize we're all in this together; give a little and care a little. With the staff at SDElite Physical Therapy ... same difference, an outstanding staff.

Of Dr. John Dawson: From his initial assessment, to restoring my confidences, to making me aware of my physical limits ... and communicating why ... it is 'his' art of healing, his mannerisms & his commitment to preserve wellness. It's really about how willingly he shares his knowledge.

We all have a road to pave and choices to make ... All our choices inherently affect those in our life. How we identify those who lead by inspiration, provide & instill motivation is why recognizing Dr. John Dawson is worth these few words.

Lastly, do yourself a favor:
If you are the road of recovery, find directions to SD Elite Physical Therapy. Sharing is caring ... you learn that too from Dr. John.

Thank you Dr. John and most sincere thank you to your excellent staff.

-Raul M.

Low back pain with Crossfit

I hurt my lower back the beginning of this year and it wasn't the same since until I met John. Little daily movements would make the pain act up constantly, then it would mellow out until I would inevitably do something else to anger my back again. I tried to google stretches to help, but none of them mitigated the pain at all. When I went to John, he immediately could tell me exactly which connection point in my body was the problem; he even took the time to explain some human anatomy and physiology. Just talk to him and you can tell how genuinely passionate he is about the body and physical therapy by how much he knows! John showed me a series of exercises I could do daily to help stretch out and relieve the muscles from the current stress. The weeks following, I did the prescribed exercises. John was extremely thoughtful and would follow-up in between and ask how my back was doing. Well, I am writing this about 1 month after talking to John, and I have to say that he has fixed my lower back pain. Movements that would have upset my back few months ago I can do now with no problem. I'm even back at the gym doing regular workouts without modifications! Never taking my lower back for granted again. Thank you, Dr. John Dawson!

-Florence C.

San Diego Elite Physical Therapy

San Diego Elite Physical Therapy

San Diego Elite Physical Therapy Introduction Video