About Us
In an industry where it’s becoming increasingly harder to differentiate between physical therapy and other fitness and manual practitioners, and where so much information and self-treatment methods are provided online, finding a physical therapist in-person that could provide quality medical care is more important than ever.
At Central PT, each session is 1-on-1 with the physical therapist and is a hands-on, whole body approach – first with an initial evaluation, and then with manual therapy and exercise that’s specific to how the patient presents. The focus is not only to treat the cause of pain, but also to restore centralized positions in the body, based on innate developmental motor programs, which helps to facilitate balanced and strong movement and decrease risk of future pain and injury.
Our mission is to provide quality physical therapy that is efficient, effective, and accessible for all.
Education
Doctor of Physical Therapy - Marymount University
Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine - Pepperdine University
Influences
Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS)
Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA)
Manual Trigger Point Therapy
Maitland-based Manual Therapy (Maitland-Australian approach)
McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy
License#: 291359
Nate Shin, PT, DPT
Owner, Physical Therapist
Nate is from Seattle and moved to the LA area in 2016. His journey began early on when he took a sports medicine class in high school, doing a job shadow with the Seattle Sonics’ strength and conditioning coach which spurred his interest in the field. As a sports medicine major in college, his natural knack for the human and exercise sciences and various life experiences along the way led him to pursue physical therapy, which he felt was a better fit than athletic training or medical school. He went on to receive his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2012.
Since then his growth as a PT has come through years of experience working with patients in the outpatient orthopedic setting as well as taking many continuing education courses. In 2016 he was introduced to Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) by a colleague which was a turning point for him as he started to understand the importance of neuromuscular control, proper breathing and trunk stabilization, and having more of a whole body approach. He credits DNS in helping him overcome his longstanding back pain stemming from a car accident in college (lumbar compression fracture) as well as a major injury in 2020 (multiple disc herniations [6mm]). In 2021 he started Central PT with the hope of being able to provide quality physical therapy to the masses. He continues to take courses to hone his craft and stays active with strength training, playing basketball, tennis, running, and hiking.
Languages: English, Korean, Spanish (conversational)
Quality movement first — then quantity. The deeper the roots, the stronger the tree.
Treatment Philosophy
(a) Every patient should be assessed and treated with a whole body approach, not just the area of pain. When one part is dysfunctional it has its effects throughout the entire body.
(b) Proper breathing, trunk stabilization, and joint centration are essential for anyone with musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction.
(c) Properly coordinating and controlling body parts through the central nervous system (neuromuscular control) is just as important for optimal function as working on flexibility, mobility, and strength.
(d) Pain in a certain body part may only be a symptom and not the root cause of the problem.