Kate Amsden

PT, DPT, OCS, OMT, FAAOMPT

Director of Team Development and Community Outreach

Kate, who was born and raised in Washington state, is an athlete with a passion for optimizing movement and empowering people to be the strongest, healthiest versions of themselves. Though she travelled all over the country and world for her education, Kate’s love of the Pacific Northwest has brought her home for her physical therapy career. She is passionate about fostering a sense of community and belonging, and brings this to our team at Avant PT as our Director of Team Development and Community Outreach.

Kate enjoys treating vestibular dysfunction as well as various orthopaedic conditions, especially of the foot and ankle, knee, hip, spine, and shoulders. She completed her Orthopaedic and Manual Therapy Residency and Fellowship through the Ola Grimsby Institute, and is distinguished as a Board Certified Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. She loves working with patients to rehabilitate their ability to run, lift weights, play sports, hike, or other exciting activities they might be missing out on due to injury.

In her free time, Kate enjoys hiking, whitewater rafting, powerlifting, and high intensity interval training (HIIT). She is also an avid runner, and has completed multiple marathons and ultramarathons, including winning one ultra locally, but her favorite distance is the half marathon. Kate speaks basic Spanish and Norwegian and is always excited at the opportunity to practice these languages with her patients.

Board & Advanced Certifications

  • Physical Therapy: Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (2017)
  • Board Certified Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy (OCS): American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (2020)
  • Endorsement for Spinal Manipulation in Washington State (2019)

Education

  • Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT): Duke University (2017)
  • Fellowship in Manual Therapy: Ola Grimsby Institute (2020)
  • Orthopaedic Manual Therapist: Ola Grimsby Institute (2019)
  • Bachelor of Science, Health and Exercise Science: Colorado State University (2014)

Professional Affiliations

  • Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT)
  • Member: American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
  • Member: APTA Orthopaedic Section
  • Member: APTA Washington Chapter

Research

  • Cervicogenic Headaches and Dizziness as a Potential Source of Symptoms Associated with Post-Concussion Syndrome: A Case Report (2020)
  • The Prevalence and Effect of Burnout on Graduate Healthcare Students (2017)

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We make every effort to include your healthcare professionals and exercise specialists in a cohesive plan to promote your optimal outcome. We want to truly understand what drives you toward recovery.
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I would highly recommend Avant Physical Therapy to my friends, family, and coworkers... to everyone! Here’s why: I had back surgery in July 2016. After I finally got the okay to go back to dancing and working out, I would go to stretch to my right side and found the same pain I had before surgery was still there. It felt like my leg needed to be torn apart and put back together in order for the pain to go away. I began seeing Kate Amsden at Avant PT for pelvic floor rehab. On my 1st visit, she did an evaluation and immediately knew what was wrong with me. I started doing kegels and other pelvic floor exercises with weights everyday to strengthen a weakness in my pelvic floor, and self massage. After 2 months of physical therapy, I was able to stretch with no pain and I'm 100% back dancing again. I was in shock on how all of this worked! If it wasn’t for this amazing team I would probably still be in pain to this day. I would highly recommend Avant to anyone. They really do care about your well being.
J
I was recently dealing with a vestibular issue, commonly known as BPPV, and I was absolutely miserable. For those that don't know, this is where you experience sudden onsets of vertigo, and it can be absolutely debilitating. Not knowing anything about it, I went to my primary care doctor for this, and he suggested I see a physical therapist. I haven't had much prior experience with physical therapy, so I wasn't sure where to go. A friend of mine referred me to Avant Physical Therapy, and I can't stress enough how good of a referral that was. They are knowledgeable, caring and really go out of their way to make sure you are getting the right attention. With the help of one of their knowledgeable therapists, Dr. Kate Amsden, I was back to my normal self in no time! Obviously, the hope is that one never has to see a doctor of any kind, but I gotta say, I'm gonna miss the staff at Avant! They are the best. Hands down.
Bryce H.
I was referred to Avant last autumn after my back and shoulder were injured during a move to Seattle. The pain I was experiencing left me unable to sit at work and travel obligations left me exhausted. I worked with Kate who quickly helped me strengthen and heal. After 3 months I was seriously running again and at 7 months I completed a marathon. I now know how to protect my vulnerable spots and, at a minimum, have a trusted place to go if I relapse. Thanks to Kate (and Casey at the front desk) for making the experience so positive.
Nicholas L.
I’ve always had a goal of totaling 1000 lbs between my squat, bench, and deadlift, but a lower back injury made it almost impossible to squat or deadlift. I avoided both exercises for six months hoping the pain would go away--instead it seemed to get worse. When even just sitting for 30 minutes became painful, I decided to contact Avant. Within a month, Kate had me starting to squat and deadlift again, and six months later, I was back to hitting personal bests. I put off seeking treatment for so long to avoid hearing that I shouldn’t squat or deadlift, but rather than discouragement, Kate taught me invaluable warm up and mobilization exercises for these lifts that remain staples in my routine. Now that I'm back on track to my goal, my only regret is not contacting Kate and Avant sooner.
Andrew M.
I started my PT a few months ago at Avant. Kate helped me with two separate issues related to knee pain, and neck & shoulder pain. Kate analyzed my history related to these issues, listening to what I had to say, answering my questions, creating tailored exercise programs, and tuning them based on my progress & feedback. Besides being skilled at PT, she is a wonderful person. She genuinely took an interest in my well-being, making me feel comfortable and confident - I feel much better now, thanks to Kate! And Casey made it easy to schedule the sessions with my busy work schedule. I would highly recommend Avant PT, and especially Kate, for physical therapy needs.
P Sangal.
Last summer I had plantar fasciitis and I started doing stretches at home with minor improvement. After almost two months of suffering on my own I decided to go to get some help. I would highly recommend Avant. The treatment I received was very personalized and attentive. Kate Amsden very quickly understood my body's weaknesses and created an evolving plan to strengthen each one. After a few sessions with Kate I was seeing and feeling improvement. Now that I have finished my treatment, not only am I recovered but I am stronger in all daily activities.
Angie T.
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