Mark V. Paterno, PT, PhD, MBA, SCS, ATC

As a physical therapist, I specialize in caring for athletes with musculoskeletal injuries. My focus is on those who have sustained acute or overuse injuries to their upper and lower extremities, especially ACL injuries.

At a young age I was exposed to the field of physical therapy and athletic training. This experience convinced me to pursue a career in healthcare. I’ve found that working with young patients and helping them regain their function is incredibly rewarding. It’s what motivates me each day as a clinician and as a scientist.

My practice is rooted in evidence-based care, and my philosophy of care is based on listening carefully to my patients. I believe that every patient has a story to tell about their injury, their condition and their goals for healing. Understanding their story is key to applying the right treatment at the right time for each patient.

My research focuses on improving outcomes after ACL injuries in young athletes. We first worked to identify the incidence and mechanism of a second ACL injury after ACL reconstruction. We are now building on our earlier work to create new criteria for releasing an athlete to resume activity after ACL reconstruction. We are also developing new models of care that can help with safe and effective transitions back to playing sports.

I was honored to receive the 2019 Ron Peyton Award and Lectureship from the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy. Our research was recognized with the 2018 STOP Sports Injuries Award from the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. And we also received the National Collegiate Athletic Association Research Award in 2010.

When I’m not helping patients or focusing on research, I enjoy spending time with my family.