Melinda graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor's degree in Science/ Physical Therapy in 1979. She has since worked in a variety of settings including several hospitals (inpatient total joints/orthopedics, neurological disorders such as MS and strokes, and amputees), skilled nursing homes, and private practice PT. While at Timken Mercy Medical Center, she helped develop the Fitness for 2 exercise program for pregnant women. She spent the majority of her career in Ohio where she co-founded and worked at a private practice. In 2012, she moved to rural Indiana where she specialized in the treatment of headaches (migraines) utilizing craniosacral techniques and dry needling. In 2016, she moved to Virginia to help with her grandchildren and joined the staff at Back in Motion on a part-time basis.
Brauna earned her doctorate in physical therapy from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, in 2017. While at Marymount, in addition to learning hands-on manual therapy techniques, she completed a project on the benefits of exercise before, during, and after cancer treatment. Since graduation, she has taken advanced education courses in Parkinson’s Disease, women’s health, and osteoporosis care.
Melinda has worked with back and pelvic pain issues for years. She extended her knowledge in this area by attending Herman and Wallace seminars on women's pelvic health and became a pelvic floor specialist. Melinda utilizes a variety of manual techniques in her treatment of the pelvic floor. She is also trained in dry needling techniques and often uses this powerful tool to externally treat the pelvic floor and associated muscles. (check out our dry needling page). She is trained in the McKenzie Approach (cervical and lumbar), Muscle Energy techniques (MET--spine, neck and ribs), Strain- Counterstrain, Myofascial Release techniques (including ASTYM--use of tools), Spinal and Extremity Mobilization techniques, and Mulligan mobilization techniques. She is Upledger trained in Craniosacral techniques as well as Somatoemotional Release (SER), and Lymph Drainage. She has been to several Kinesio Taping courses (KT, ROCK tape) and teaches patients how to self-tape.
When she is not working, she spends her days watching her 2 sweet granddaughters or taking walks/hikes with her 2 Shih tzus and her husband Martin. She loves visiting local wineries. She also travels back to Ohio to visit family (2 sons) and friends or to attend Ohio State football games (Go Bucks!) Since coming to the TriState area she and her husband have also become Nationals baseball fans!
Whether you have a chronic issue, a current injury, or simply want to move and feel better, Melinda looks forward to helping you achieve your goals!
