Katie Franke is originally from Chicago, IL.  She moved to the east coast to attend the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology and Physiology and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Katie discovered her passion for physical therapy while volunteering at a school for disabled children in Cape Town, South Africa and decided to pursue a career in the exciting and rewarding field of physical therapy upon returning to the US. She attended the University of Miami, where she earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. After Graduating from UM with her DPT, Katie spent the next 2 years treating in the outpatient sports setting at SPEAR Physical Therapy in NYC.

Katie’s clinical interests are rooted in orthopedics. Katie has treated a broad spectrum of patients in the outpatient orthopedic setting from pediatrics to geriatrics. In addition, Katie had the opportunity to treat Crossfit, NFL, and MLB athletes during the off-season; gaining exposure to advanced therapeutic exercise and strength and conditioning principles and their application to high-performing athletes and rehabilitation. Katie further supplemented this knowledge by becoming a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Katie has also worked alongside surgeons and therapists from the world-renowned Paley Orthopedic and Spine institute where she treated adult and pediatric patients following limb lengthening, deformity correction, joint replacement, and other orthopedic surgical procedures.

In her spare time, you can find Katie traveling, hanging out with friends and family, and exploring different restaurants and craft breweries. Katie loves the outdoors and staying active. She enjoys hiking, running, racket sports, SCUBA diving, skiing, rock climbing, and adventure sports.

Fun Fact: Katie has lived on 4 different continents – North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia