Dr. Coach Kelli Physical Therapy and Sports Training

Dr. Coach Kelli Physical Therapy and Sports Training A PT who actually cares about YOU. I am a physical therapist and high school sports coach. Our bodies are incredible places. Our minds are even more amazing.
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I grew up the youngest of 4 kids, playing sports while pursuing my academic career. An injury sidelined me for 9 months when I was 16, and since then my mission has been to keep myself and those around me healthy enough to play at their best. I can help you see that and unleash your potential to help your body let you do the things you love.

03/08/2026

I am biased towards the squat in so many ways.

Early in my PT career I was exposed to the work of Grey Cook, a PT who came out with the “functional movement screen”, and had been promoting it through books, (early) YouTube videos, and continuing education courses.

My college biology professor was in PT for his knee at the time, and hooked me up to go observe at her clinic a few times.

One of the most “functional movements” in human existence is the squat.

We do it as babies, we did it as hunter /gatheters, and we do it now with getting up and down off toilets and chairs.

The difference over all those years is the available and safe ranges of motion that change over the course of a persons life.

And I truly believe (unless there’s been an accident or serious mechanism of injury), that if you don’t use it, you lost it.

Most folks who can’t squat low with their heels on the ground simply haven’t done it since circle time in kindergarten.

If we kept that habit of sitting on the floor across a westernized world’s lifetime, we’d have fewer cases of arthritis and joint pain (look at the blue zones and argue against me)…

So, when I encourage you to squat, that’s why. When I encourage gentle mobility in that range , that’s why.

As always, my content is for awareness and educational purposes. Know your body. Be safe. Keep moving.

03/08/2026

There are probably 30 different ways to score a 9 on this test, (I haven’t done all the permutations and combinations of this…but I might…)

I want this series to show you how easy it is to manipulate the point system for scoring the test, and by playing with different positions, you can start to improve your own mobility.

That “play” becomes the gateway drug to moving better, moving more, increasing your life an healthspan, and being more capable.

I’m hosting a free webinar on March 12 at 6:30pm EST to help you , in real time, improve your score by a point. Comment “webinar” to reserve your seat !

As always, my content is for awareness and educational purposes. Know your body. Be safe. Keep moving.

Source - Araújo, C. G. S., de Souza E Silva, C. G., Myers, J., Laukkanen, J. A., Ramos, P. S., & Ricardo, D. R. (2025). Sitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Pregnant moms are often told to track their baby’s kick count. It helps them notice patterns and recognize when somethin...
03/07/2026

Pregnant moms are often told to track their baby’s kick count. It helps them notice patterns and recognize when something changes.

But what if we tracked our own daily movement the same way?

If someone asked you, “How much do you move every day?”, would you know the answer?

Most people wouldn’t. And that awareness alone can be powerful.

Comment “𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘” and I’ll send you my video series on getting up and down off the floor.

03/07/2026

This is the sit to rise test. It’s a significant and reliable test of cardiac mortality proven twice by Brazilian researchers and cardiologists in 2012 and 2024.

It’s zero dollars, 30 seconds tops. If you can’t do it, or are scared to try, you need help.

Most people don’t fail this test because they’re old.
They fail because they stopped practicing getting up.

Message me “move” and I’ll reach out to help you understand your score and assess your mobility.

The Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) is a simple way to assess strength, mobility, and balance. You start with 10 points total:
* 5 points for sitting down on the floor
* 5 points for standing back up

You lose 1 point each time you use a hand, knee, forearm, or other support.�You lose 0.5 points if you’re visibly unsteady or wobble.
A perfect 10 = no hands, no help, no wobble.�
Lower scores mean possible deficits in strength, balance, and non aerobic fitness.

Scores 0-4 are strongly associated with higher cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

Breathe.
Be consistent.

As always, my content is for awareness and educational purposes. Know your body. Be smart. Keep moving.

Source - Araújo, C. G. S., de Souza E Silva, C. G., Myers, J., Laukkanen, J. A., Ramos, P. S., & Ricardo, D. R. (2025). Sitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.


FloorStrength

03/07/2026

Stiff toes? Try this simple joint mobilization technique.

Step 1: Stabilize the long bone in the foot
Step 2: Apply a gentle pull
Step 3: Add small up-and-down movements

This helps create space inside the joint so it can move better.

Comment “𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘” if you want more mobility techniques.

03/07/2026

Most of the time when I’m up and down off the ground (which is 50 times a day because I have a toddler), I score an 8 on the sit to rise test, because I take a hand on the way down and a hand on the way up.

As I go through these scoring system videos , I want you all to understand 2 things -

1- there are dozens of ways to do this
2- each point you gain drops your risk of cardiac related death by 21%.

Each point becomes a gateway drug to better movement. And a longer life. And let’s be honest, a better life.

I’m doing a webinar on March 12th at 6:30pm EST to help you understand why this test matters and how to improve it in real time. Comment “webinar” an I’ll send you the link to reserve your seat !

Start where you are. Use what you have. As always, my content is for awareness and educational purposes. Know your body. Be safe. Keep moving.

Source - Araújo, C. G. S., de Souza E Silva, C. G., Myers, J., Laukkanen, J. A., Ramos, P. S., & Ricardo, D. R. (2025). Sitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

School taught us algebra, history, and physics.But no one taught us how to take care of the things that matter most:• Mo...
03/06/2026

School taught us algebra, history, and physics.

But no one taught us how to take care of the things that matter most:
• Movement
• Sleep
• Stress
• Fueling our bodies
• Community

After 10+ years as a physical therapist, I see every day how much these things impact our health and independence.

That’s why I’m on a mission to help people move better and live better.

Comment "𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘" and I’ll send you my video series on getting up and down from the floor.

03/06/2026

Floor Friday !

This is the sit to rise test. It’s a significant and reliable test of mortality in people 45-75 years old.

It’s zero dollars, 30 seconds tops. If you can’t do it, or are scared to try, you need help.

It’s based on the research of Dr. Claudio Gil Araújo and colleagues from 2012 and 2024.

Most people don’t fail this test because they’re old.
They fail because they stopped practicing getting up.

Message me “move” and I’ll reach out to help you understand your score and assess your mobility.

The Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) is a simple way to assess strength, mobility, and balance. You start with 10 points total:
* 5 points for sitting down on the floor
* 5 points for standing back up

You lose 1 point each time you use a hand, knee, forearm, or other support.�You lose 0.5 points if you’re visibly unsteady or wobble.
A perfect 10 = no hands, no help, no wobble.�
Lower scores mean possible deficits in strength, balance, and non aerobic fitness.

Scores 0-4 are strongly associated with higher cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

Breathe.
Be consistent.

As always, my content is for awareness and educational purposes. Know your body. Be safe. Keep moving.




Source - Araújo, C. G. S., de Souza E Silva, C. G., Myers, J., Laukkanen, J. A., Ramos, P. S., & Ricardo, D. R. (2025). Sitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

03/06/2026

If your big toe feels stiff, achy, or restricted, start here.

This simple, step-by-step approach helps restore motion, reduce joint pressure, and improve how your foot functions during walking and training.

The key is gentle stabilization and controlled movement, not forcing the stretch.

Move slowly.
Stay relaxed.
Work within a tolerable range.

Consistency beats intensity every time.

👉 Comment COURSE to get a structured mobility plan that actually works.

03/06/2026

This is the sit to rise test. It’s a significant and reliable test of mortality in the elderly.

It’s zero dollars, 30 seconds tops. If you can’t do it, or are scared to try, you need help.

It’s based on the research of Dr. Claudio Gil Araújo and colleagues from 2012 and 2024.

Message me “move” and I’ll reach out to help improve your score and mobility.

The Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) is a simple way to assess strength, mobility, and balance. You start with 10 points total:
* 5 points for sitting down on the floor
* 5 points for standing back up

You lose 1 point each time you use a hand, knee, forearm, or other support.�You lose 0.5 points if you’re visibly unsteady or wobble.
A perfect 10 = no hands, no help, no wobble.�
Lower scores mean possible deficits in strength, balance, and non aerobic fitness. Scores 0-4 are strongly associated with higher cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

Source - Araújo, C. G. S., de Souza E Silva, C. G., Myers, J., Laukkanen, J. A., Ramos, P. S., & Ricardo, D. R. (2025). Sitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

As always, my content is for awareness and educational purposes. Know your body. Be safe. Keep moving.

If you’re new here, I’m Dr. Kelli, and I’m on a mission to bring joy to the world through movement.Comment ‘𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘’ to joi...
03/05/2026

If you’re new here, I’m Dr. Kelli, and I’m on a mission to bring joy to the world through movement.

Comment ‘𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘’ to join my world and get my video series about getting up and down off the floor & what it means for your health and independence.

03/05/2026

“Train for Tomorrow Thursday”

A 9 on this test is still really, really good. Although a 10 is considered the gold standard and was the score all others were compared to, people who score a 9 are still highly functional.

Im hosting a webinar next week on the sit to rise test, and will show you step by step how to improve your score by a point in less than an hour. Comment “webinar”
To join us live !

Source - Araújo, C. G. S., de Souza E Silva, C. G., Myers, J., Laukkanen, J. A., Ramos, P. S., & Ricardo, D. R. (2025). Sitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

As always, my content is for awareness and educational purposes. Know your body. Be smart. Keep moving.

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185 Fairfield Avenue
Caldwell, NJ
07006

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+19737918318

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Our Story

I am a physical therapist and high school sports coach. I help prevent ACL tears in youth athletes, specifically young women who play soccer and basketball. I grew up the youngest of 4 kids, playing sports while pursuing my academic career. An injury sidelined me for 9 months when I was 16, and since then my mission has been to keep myself and those around me healthy enough to play at their best. Our bodies are incredible places. Our minds are even more amazing. I can help you see that and unleash your potential to help your body let you do the things you love.