Morgan is a passionate physical therapist and strength coach located in northern Virginia. During her cross country and track career at Seton Hill University, she quickly learned that runners are told far too often to “just stop running” as a solution to their injuries. Morgan did not want to accept that answer, so she pursued her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and has dedicated her career to helping patients with challenging injuries that disrupt their quality of life.
As an avid runner and outdoor adventurer herself, Morgan is passionate about treating anyone looking for ways to stay active. Prior to her career as a PT, Morgan spent 5 years working in the athletic footwear industry where she developed expertise in run analysis, gait analysis, and shoe prescription. She additionally completed a post-doctoral residency program specializing in sports and complex orthopedic injuries.
She enjoys combining her background as a runner, strength coach, and physical therapist to create a personalized plan to help you achieve your goals, whatever they may be! The most rewarding part of her job is when she hears her patients are back to doing what they love. Morgan strives for each patient to feel listened to and empowered each session. Her practice is mobile, so she can work with you at your home, on the track, on the trail, or in the gym. She additionally has office space in Mclean if you prefer a clinic setting.
She looks forward to helping you feel your best, so you can move and live your best! To inquire or book an appointment, call or text (412) 721-1260 or email morgan.petro@movement-x.com
LOCATIONS SERVED:
Mclean • Tyson's Corner • Merrifield • Idlywood • Vienna • Falls Church • Arlington • Alexandria • Annandale • Fairfax • Great Falls
WHAT TO EXPECT:
• Board-Certified Sports Clinical Specialist
• Certified in Integrative Dry Needling
• Doctor of Physical Therapy
• Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Expert in Run Analysis, Run Retraining, and Shoe Prescription
Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, Seton Hill University (Greensburg, PA)
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (Slippery Rock, PA)
Sports Residency Training: Evidence in Motion (Fairfax, VA)
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I’m an amateur distance runner and I’ve been working with Morgan since the summer to improve my form and build a workout/recovery regimen to optimize my performance. In just a short time I’ve learned so much from her! She’s incredibly kind and very clearly an expert at what she does. Quite certain I was well on my way to an injury before we met. Looking forward to our continued work together!
Whytne, Aug 16Morgan is the best! Fun to work with and talk to, she’s very knowledgeable and enthusiastic in her work. She helped me find the source of the pain in my shins, and gave me daily workouts to do to improve my strength. Definitely would recommend her services!
Gabrielle, Aug 25When I experienced an ankle issue while training for a marathon I was referred to Morgan Petro’s by two people who had great experiences under her care. From the start, Morgan expressed an interest in understanding the whole situation: where I was in training, what I was experiencing and what my goals were. During our first session she assessed my overall conditioning and situation and identified the problem. She explained in easy to understand terms what was going on and how we were going to remedy it. She came up with a stretching and strengthening program that addressed the immediate issue and would prevent it from returning. I cannot say my results were typical, but I saw noticeable improvement in just a few days. We continued therapy sessions for a few weeks to monitor progress and adjust the program. Less than two weeks after being cleared to run I completed 14 miles with no discomfort. Morgan is not only professional and thorough; she is genuinely concerned about her clients. She reached out after our sessions were over to check on my progress and make sure all was well. Anyone in need of a Physical Therapist who is concerned about them as a whole should give her a call.
Robert, Aug 27Morgan has been my physical therapist for 2 1/2 years . She is Fantastic ! I am a hockey player, a dentist, and a home gardener. My body gets challenged. Over the past 2 1/2 years Morgan has fixed six or seven significant injuries of mine . The first time I went to Morgan for physical therapy I was having pain in my back. I’ve had a lot of pains in my back over the years and I’ve had a lot of PT. She performed what I thought was the most careful thoughtful exam I’ve ever had. She said “you have facet impingement syndrome “ and explained what was happening with my bones and tendons and muscles to cause the pain . No one has ever broken it down to that level for me. My return to full function was faster than ever before because her program was so specific to my problem. The degree of care she provides is number one. She has tremendous knowledge of muscle/tendon/joint anatomy and mechanics . She also has a large toolbox of diagnostic tests . The end result is that her diagnosis and treatment plans are accurate and specific and they’ve gotten me 100% better in relatively short periods of time . Can’t say enough good things!
Stephen , Aug 27Morgan is fantastic! She helped get Avery back to playing soccer within a few weeks. She is great with kids and extremely responsive to emails. I've recommended her to at least three friends already!
Avery, Sep 02Dr. Morgan Petro is a well-trained, passionate and enthusiastic physical therapist who knows whereof she speaks: A Cross Country and Track athlete at Seton Hill University who overcame injuries to achieve her goals. She earned a doctor of Physical Therapy from Slippery Rock University, completed a rigorous post-doctoral residency program, and is in top shape from running and hiking. She has an engaging manner. Dr. Petro helped me recover from a torn cartilage sustained while running, meeting weekly to work on flexibility and strengthen the muscles surrounding my knee after I had an adipose-derived stem cell injection. In our weekly PT sessions, she used manual therapy techniques, joint mobilization and manipulation, and sometimes cupping therapy. Morgan never pushed too hard, always asking me about the pain level I was experiencing. I can’t speak highly enough about the run analysis and run form retaining she conducted, which included video analysis from the front and side, and introduction of a metronome to help me shorten my stride, keep my shin vertical, and put my foot straight down instead of landing out front. Morgan followed up each session by sending me videos and a written exercise plan to help me continue to heal and so that I could perform injury-free. It worked. I told her my goal was to compete in a sprint triathlon 8 weeks after receiving stem cells. After her examination, and considering my general level of fitness, Morgan assessed that was realistic if I took it easy on race day. So she devised an exercise plan consisting of complete rest the first two weeks; three weeks of non-weight bearing exercises like water jogging and bicycling to improve flexibility and build back strength; then running while wearing an extender brace 2 minutes, walking 1, progressing to 3:1 and 4:1 over a period of weeks. I achieved my goal and credit Dr. Petro for helping me get there! Now it’s time to set a new goal.
Jeff, Sep 08Morgan is fantastic! She is easy to work with and extremely responsive to emails/texts. I've already recommended her to several friends!
Karen, Sep 08Morgan is an absolutely outstanding therapist and I cannot say enough good things about her approach, expertise, and care - during sessions and throughout the week, as questions arise. I am a Boston qualifying-distance runner who suffered a knee injury, and received multiple recommendations from runner friends to see Morgan. These recommendations were spot on - I have been working with her for over a month now, making substantial progress each week, AND Morgan has figured out an approach so that I can keep running throughout the process, as part of rehab. Morgan’s expertise is incredible, and in addition to a measured and effective approach to coming back from the injury, she has also identified several weak areas that could easily lead to other injuries if not addressed. What started as a very frustrating situation has become an opportunity to build back even stronger, and it’s all due to Morgan’s expertise not only in PT, but in running mechanics, form, cadence, etc. I will also emphasize again that - as any runner knows! - the last thing we want to do is to stop running. I have been impressed and amazed that Morgan has kept me running in a sensible way that has helped me maintain my fitness while still coming back my injury.
Diane, Sep 16Morgan is an absolute gem to work with. I’ve had two sessions with her so far to address some tendon issues and already feel improvements between the exercises she gave me and the treatment during our sessions. She literally goes out of her way to meet and help me and even kept going when it started to rain on us! Looking forward to our session this week to have her look at my running form to see what corrections I need to prevent my issues from reoccurring.
Debbie, Sep 22I have been very pleased with the outcome of my sessions with Morgan. She is thorough with her diagnosis and effective in creating a personalized, strategic treatment plan. Incorporating a variety of soft tissue work, as well as exercises, creating a home program, and analyzing and correcting my running form has led to better and, most importantly, pain-free performance. I would recommend Morgan to anyone seeking tailored and results-oriented physical therapy.
Courtney, Sep 27My recent session was excellent. After a few months of intense knee pain that kept me from running, I am now on the mend. I started seeing Morgan about a month ago, and am already seeing significant progress, and am confident that I will be able to resume the activity I love. A runner herself, Morgan has the background and expertise to translate my diagnosis into a customized physical therapy plan that will get me back on the roads safely. I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Carrie, Sep 28Morgan is a wonderful PT! She pays attention to great details and provides thorough assessments. Morgan has helped me transition from my college track career into my professional career. Our sessions have allowed me to strengthen and improve my running form as well as mobility. Morgan's background in running provides a relatable relationship in which she tailors her experiences and knowledge to my treatment plan. I always have a joyous time in our sessions and would recommend anyone to book a session with Morgan!
Danae, Oct 08Really happy. Morgan is super nice. She listens, she is patient, she is really knowledgeable.
Linda, Feb 09Morgan has a good knowledge of her patient's issues and an idea of treatments. I would definitely recommend her.Norma DesMarais
Norma, Feb 24Dr. Morgan has been so unbelievably helpful to me in my journey towards running pain-free. I came to her after a six-year struggle with shin pain and treatment from multiple physical therapists that did not ultimately fix my pain. Since our first meeting, Dr. Morgan has been kind and helpful and has listened carefully to my concerns. In our first session she evaluated my strength and mobility all throughout my legs and identified multiple areas of weakness and imbalance that were keeping me from being able to run efficiently and effectively. In our second session she evaluated my run form and further identified improvements to be made. Over the course of the past month, with her help, I have had significant improvements in my shin pain and have been able to run pain-free in addition to feeling stronger and having more endurance during my runs. I cannot recommend her enough -- if your goal is to be able to run pain-free, make an appointment with Dr. Morgan!!
Annie, Aug 03Morgan is amazing to work with. Very attentive and inquisitive and interested in achieving maximum results long term. I have just started with her, but already noticed a difference in mobility and pain relief! And she has helped me understand the multiple aspects of my diagnosis much better already!
Lara, Sep 01So thankful to have Morgan as my PT! Morgan listens carefully to your issues, asks great questions to help pinpoint the cause, and creates a tailored treatment plan to reach your goals. I have been working with Morgan for running injuries over the past few years, and she's helped me get back out and running strong every time (including helping with a complex sciatic nerve case!). Morgan is an empathetic and knowledgeable PT and she has a genuine care for her patients that truly stands out. I highly recommend Morgan to anyone recovering from a sports-related injury or for general PT!
Jess, Oct 04Morgan does a GREAT job listening to my symptoms and crafting a workout and running plan that has me progressing back to 100% pain-free running. Morgan is excellent at correcting running form to avoid re-injury and identifying areas for improvement. I've had a number of therapists prior to Morgan that couldn't figure it out for me. Highly recommend Morgan for all runners whether you are injured or just to want to be a better runner!
Scott, Dec 02Morgan Petro came highly recommended from a trusted friend. My daughter has a hyper mobility issue that Morgan was able identify, treat and develop a prehab program for. With the thorough examination, detailed treatment plan and outstanding communication it not only gave me peace of mind, it also gave my daughter an issue free lacrosse season. So thankful we found Morgan and were able to develop a plan to get to the root of the problem. Highly recommend her! TJ
Daniella, Mar 15Everything feels like magic after today's session! Thank you, Morgan!
Martha, Aug 16