About Jeff Rau

Jeff Rau PT MS MPT CFMT FFMT FAAOMPT
Owner / Physical Therapist
Fellow and Certified Functional Manual Therapist
Fellow of American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists

“Each person has hidden potential, and it’s the joy of a therapist to help them find it”

Jeff, personally experienced physical accidents and injuries from sports and motorcycles in high school, college and later. He struggled to navigate the recovery process on his own because in high school he was just handed a pair of crutches and had to figure out how to deal with pain, disability and any recovery on his own. Jeff realized there were a lot of people suffering with things like low back pain or knee or shoulder pain and wanted to make a difference… specifically, people in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s who get told by a doctor there is nothing else for them to do and they just have to accept the limp or are just given “pills”, or just advised to rest and hope it gets better on its own.

Years after Jeff's personal injuries and struggles he found his way into physical therapy and then manual therapy. Jeff realized that there is now so much confusion about health care, many people aren’t 100% sure about how or where to go about accessing the best possible care. As a result of this he created a business focused on helping people to make better decisions about accessing great health care. Jeff doesn’t want to wait to be paid before he starts making a difference in people’s lives… this is why his website is loaded with free information that he gives away to people in pain who want to be sure about the choices they are making. As a result of this “give first” attitude, Jeff’s clinic has become one of the most popular in the whole of Texas and he is flattered by the interest in his work.

First trained with a Master of Science in exercise physiology (MS), Jeff worked in California and Texas, and wanting to help people use exercise for their fitness and health he even moved to a small country in the Indian Ocean for 2 years to help set up their sports medicine program.

Wanting to find more ways to help people with their injuries and problems he got a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy (MPT) in 2000 from University of Texas SouthWestern at Dallas (UTSW). He then added years of training as a functional manual physical therapist (CFMT) because he saw first hand the immediate benefit of and lasting changes made with skilled manual therapy. Manual therapy allowed him to help people find the causes for their aches, pains and hurts.

Passion-driven to further help people who had tried and failed with traditional treatments of stretching, exercises or just taking pills, Jeff completed Fellowship training with the Institute of Physical Art (FFMT). He is also recognized as a Fellow by the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT). But what does THIS really mean to YOU, the client…. Not much because Jeff really believes it doesn’t matter just what he knows unless you know how much he cares. He loves to use whatever skills he has to help you find the body solutions you are looking for and feel comfortable with. It means he has many ways to help people get better faster, but more importantly, he loves to solve the puzzles of how to help people find their physical potential.

Jeff pulls from both traditional training and an alternative mindset for an innovative and personally tailored approach to physical therapy. Manual Therapy treatment may consist of myofascial and nerve release for soft tissue, scars and nerves, muscles, joint mobilization and manipulation, viscera (organs), and proprioceptive neuromuscular re-education which re-teaches movement dysfunction for sport or daily life. With home program and awareness training, he teaches patients to empower themselves to improve.

In his experience as a collegiate athlete in volleyball, swimming and rugby, also 8 years and a black belt in American Karate gives Jeff a unique edge in treating athletes of all kinds. He also understands what it is to be without good information to help make informed health care decisions which affect the way we live and the families we love.

For Jeff, every patient is unique and he understands what works for one patient may not work for you. With experience in multiple schools of thought and various systematic approaches toward physical therapy treatment, Jeff stands among a very small percentage of physical therapists who look beyond your diagnosis to offer the most complete, effective, and efficient treatment possible. Instead of treating just your diagnosis, Jeff treats you… as a whole person. It is Jeff’s joy to help you find people find their way back into the meaningful activities which restores the sparkle in their eye.

Why We Started

Jeff started out, like Amazon, Apple and Disney… in his garage. Jeff Rau Physical Therapy was opened in 2015 to provide natural solutions for pain and stiffness which has not responded to traditional medicine or therapy and for people who want to find faster results for the time, effort and resources they invest.

As insurance plans continue to change and offer less choices, co-pays are higher and it takes longer to get the care you need, some of the people Jeff has worked with have waited for weeks or even years to get treatment, and then only to be disappointed.

Jeff has found ways to help moms and dads, homemakers and business owners, Olympians, and weekend warriors to get past the pain, stiffness or numbness tying them down. He loves to help people discover what is wrong, to know what options are available and enabling them to make informed healthcare decisions. He has specialty training and years of success helping people find rest when sleeping, finding the spots which are stiff, hurt, or numb (which others have missed). He loves to help people who are so frustrated trying to find a way to get back on the road towards hope. Hope for living life, with the families we love, the activity we cherish, and the freedom of independence.

Jeff's Credentials & Teaching Experience

  • Master of Science in Exercise and motion in 1990 from University of Arkansas
  • Master of Physical Therapy degree in 2000 from University of Texas SouthWestern
  • Certified as Functional Manual Therapist from Institute of Physical Art (IPA) in 2006
  • Completed Fellowship in Functional Manual Therapy in 2007 with IPA
  • Obtained Fellowship status in the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT) in 2007
  • Clinical Instructor for Physical Therapy Doctoral students
  • Teaching assistant for UTSW from 2008- 2011 and University North Texas Physical Therapy from 2010-2015
  • Advisory Board for University of North Texas Doctoral Physical Therapy program
  • Specialty training in visceral mobilization

About Physical Therapy, Manual Therapy and Fellows

As of 2013, in the USA there are over 204,000 therapists.

Less than 10% of these have specialty certification, as of 2015, about 18,000.

Less than 2% attain fellowship status in orthopedic manual physical therapy

and of that 2%, less than 5% are also certified as Functional Manual Therapists.

For more information you can visit the following websites:

apta.org
aaompt.org
instituteofphysicalart.com


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TIP: Ask Jeff about the time he wore a grass skirt, or the belly flop contest.

Jeff's 5 Favorites

Vacation: Disney with family
Food: Good coffee
Book: The Horse and His Boy
Team: Texas Rangers and The Dallas Cowboys
Hobbies: Outdoors, Fishing, time with family, rose garden