Release Physical Therapy Washington DC — Physical therapy clinic in Washington, DC

Sally is an amazing physical therapist at Release Physical Therapy in Washington, DC. I came in with Achilles tendon pain that completely stopped me from running. As a competitive runner training for HYROX, this was incredibly frustrating. Between her expert manual therapy, focused shockwave treatment, and personalized strength and rehab program, I’m excited to say I’m back to running pain-free — and competing in HYROX next weekend. If you’re a runner dealing with Achilles tendonitis or chronic tendon pain in DC, I can’t recommend Release Physical Therapy enough. The level of care, advanced technology, and one-on-one attention truly sets them apart.

Deborah has been my physical therapist for quite some time, and working with her has truly made a difference for me. From the very beginning, she took the time to really listen and understand what I was dealing with, not just physically but in terms of my goals and daily life. She’s incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and thoughtful, and she explains everything in a way that makes you feel confident and supported rather than overwhelmed. I’ve seen real, measurable improvement under her care, and I always leave sessions feeling stronger, more informed, and encouraged. Deborah genuinely cares about her patients and their long-term progress, and it shows in everything she does. I’m very grateful to have worked with her and would recommend her without hesitation.

Had a great experience! The entire space is super clean which is really appreciated. My PT used the focal shockwave on me and I would definitely do again. Overall I will be back and very pleased with my session with PT Sally.

I highly recommend Release Physical Therapy. I've been coming here for several months and I've improved so much. Sally, my PT, is incredible! I have multiple issues and she makes sure to address each of them. She helps me understand the potential causes and how my treatment will adress them, which I highly value in a PT, as I like to be an active participant in my treatment. Also, they provide shockwave therapy, which is rare to find. Go see Sally if you're tired of being in pain and want to continue with your favorite activities! She is also super fun.

I have been coming to Release Therapy for several months for shoulder and ankle pain and my visits are usually the highlight of my week. Mia Smyser is a wonderful therapist, with an exceptional understanding of the hidden connections in the body. She does amazing manual therapy and knows just the right points to press to relieve the pain. Her dry-needling technique made a huge difference, and the shockwave treatments helped as well. Mia is very knowledgeable and attentive, and the personalized care is something I really value. I have noticed considerable progress with my issues. I also want to mention that it is a pleasure to deal with this place overall, scheduling appointments, etc. You are always made to feel welcome. The receptionist, Emily, is very efficient and friendly.

Release is great! Whether you need help with a specific injury or rehab need or just want maintenance PT, they are able to accommodate and come up with the right treatment schedule/plan for your needs. Mia and Steph are wonderful - very professional while clearly caring deeply about their patients and making sure you leave the office better than when you walked in. The office is also very welcoming, clean, and very quiet. Highly recommend to anyone who needs or is interested in getting physical therapy.

I’m a long-time patient and huge advocate for Release!! If you have hit a wall with injury rehab and are still in pain, you need to go to Release Physical Therapy. I am a complicated case—eight knee surgeries deep, with my latest ACL reconstruction requiring a bilateral hamstring graft. I’ve been to 14 different PT practices in my life; Release blows them all out of the water. Specifically, my work with Stephanie Lam has been life-changing and I recommend her to everyone I know. Release specializes in high-level manual techniques you won't find elsewhere, or won’t find nearly as well-executed elsewhere. While other clinics can feel like they’re staffed by glorified personal trainers, the therapists here have a profound grasp of anatomy, biomechanics, and neuromuscular education. After over a year of diligent post-op work, I was still stuck. I lacked the eccentric quad control to walk down stairs or even sit down without relying on my good leg. After one session of expert trigger point dry needling with Steph, I called my partner to the stairwell to watch me walk down normally—no wobbliness, no pain. It was the first time since surgery my motor units actually fired properly. I cried tears of joy that night. • Expert Dry Needling: Dry needling is highly practitioner-dependent. If it didn't work for you elsewhere, it’s because they weren't doing it like Steph. She expertly hits trouble areas to get tons of twitch responses needed for a real release. I don’t need to remotely tell her where to go; she has an amazing sense of tracing myofascial pain to its root and targeting all the right spots like a wizard. (Have also had great experiences with Cari and Ethan when I can’t get in with Steph) Their extensive manual work allows your gym gains to actually translate into pain-free function in the real world. In addition to my knee, I’ve also had a lot of relief from getting my TMJ and ankle needled, as needed. • They also offer a top-tier focal shockwave treatment that targets much deeper than other clinic shockwave machines. To get the focal shockwave costs a little extra per visit, but the less-intensive radial shockwave is included. We also often use k-laser during my sessions. And Ethan’s active release technique also really helped me in combo with needling etc. • Appointments are a full 55 minutes and start and end exactly on time. • Online scheduling is seamless (6 AM – 6 PM options), the facility is modern, clean and top-tier (Nespresso/snacks/Wi-Fi), and they handle all insurance claim and record send-ins for you in case your plan reimburses some for out of network PT. If that’s the case, make sure you’re aware of what your insurance company needs at which points (eg, Aetna wanted a specific re-eval and note type at a certain point in my visits, and these are not automatically built into your treatment plan based on your insurance coverage like some in-network places do). If you’re tired of being stuck in your recovery, or don’t want to waste time and end up with permanent decrements in your post surgical rehab, definitely integrate visits with Steph and team into your journey asap!

I've gone to Release Physical Therapy multiple times over the past few years for different reasons, and every therapist I've seen has been excellent. Most recently I had a few PT sessions with Sally after experiencing unusual tightness in my legs and lower back due to long distance running. Sally listened well to my concerns and treated the issue with dry needling, manual work, and recommended some useful exercises for mitigation. I appreciated her attentiveness, and I am now running again without any tightness in my legs.

Wonderful location, and great services. A special shout-out to Sally Sroge DPT for her excellent training and treatment. She was kind, patient, and understanding during every session (but that doesn't mean she didn't push us when we needed it). She helped my wife through her PT after an ACL surgery, and has helped me with my lower back pain (dry needling was a new experience but I definitely found it was a great way to start releasing some of my more tense muscles or deep knots!). Couldn't ask for a better PT!

I have been a client of Release Physical Therapy for over 3 years and can't recommend their services enough. There are so many things that make Release superior to other PT providers - the ease of scheduling, the friendly atmosphere, the quality of the providers, the use of the latest technology. Sally has been helping address a recent shoulder isssue and she is fantastic. She is a great listener who builds trust and has patiently guided me through the process. Her technical expertise and delightful personality make the sessions very enjoyable.