Dr. Ashley Simmons - Not Just a Practitioner...

---

Dr. Ashley Simmons graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in NYC with Bachelor of Arts degrees in both dance and advertising in 2004.  After an extensive professional dance career, Dr. Simmons returned to school and received her doctorate from University of Maryland at Baltimore, School of Medicine. She has worked in outpatient orthopedics, specializing in rehab for dancers, gymnastics, complex conditions including EDS and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder, chronic pain, and aquatic therapy.  She has a passion for the dance population, focusing on injury management during performances, injury prevention, and education on health and overall wellness of the performer.  Dr. Simmons is certified in Graston technique, uses multiple manual therapy techniques, and is experienced in kinesiotaping.

As a professional dancer, Dr. Simmons began working right after high school.  She worked for Kings Dominion for over 10 years as a performer, choreographer, and on the creative team hiring the entertainment department. She was a featured dancer in musicals, commercials, and dance companies in New York city and around the country. She has also taught dance for over a decade, judged for multiple dance competitions, and was on faculty at local dance studios in Anne Arundel county.

Dr. Ashley Simmons has 18 years of professional experience in physical therapy, beginning in administration and billing.  This extensive knowledge of insurance practice helps mold her philosophy of care.  She encourages the patient to focus on what is really important, getting better, and not the insurance aspect.   The psychological involvement of injuries or illnesses  has a significant impact on the patient and their ability to recover.  Dr. Simmons takes that into consideration when developing her plans of care for her patients.   Too often, Dr. Simmons evaluates patients who have already been through a round or more of physical therapy where the true cause of their symptoms was not addressed.  In these cases, insurance benefits may have been depleted, therefore a full understanding of how the system works is of utmost importance to allow patients to achieve success.  Dr. Simmons often says that 50% of physical therapy is education.  She believes strongly in educating the patient on the why's of their condition or injury, so all aspects of their life can be addressed, not just the obvious limitation.  She does not utilize aides/technicians in her practice, and is one on one with her patients for the entire session, enabling the patient to get better faster and in less visits .

Dr. Simmons is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association, Orthopedic section and performing arts special interest group.  She travels to local dance studios and companies to do seminars on injury prevention and muscle education, as well as performing injury screens and dance evaluations in the studios and in the clinic.  She enjoys incorporating yoga, OrangeTheory Fitness, and running with her German Shepherd into her weekly exercise routine.  When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two energetic sons.

Perform for Life Physical Therapy was opened to help prepare all age groups for the biggest performance of all...LIFE!  We provide holistic physical therapy services to the community while addressing the mind, body, and soul connection to improve overall quality of life.