Athletico Physical Therapy - River North (East Bank Club)

"PT Julie O'Connel has been absolutely excellent during my time rehabbing from hip surgery. As a professional athlete I would recommend her to anyone playing at the highest level! She was able to get me back on the field before my surgeon had predicted. She is so knowledgeable about the entire body and made me a completely different athlete going back in! I am so grateful for my time with her!"

"Julie O'Connell is one of the best Physical Therapists in Chicago. I've been working with her over 20 years. As a professional dancer/athlete I have worked with many PT's and she is one of the best by far. I broke my foot had surgery and she had me back and ready in 3 months. I just saw my doctor and he was surprised by how quickly I healed. I highly recommend her. No nonsense PT for anyone that wants to get better."

"Julie O'Connell is an excellent physical therapist. For context, I am an adult recreational ballet dancer who takes intermediate/advanced classes 4-5 times a week, and I came to Julie with an ankle injury. Before seeing Julie, I had spent four months at a highly-rated physical therapy practice in Evanston with very little progress: I couldn't walk more than a mile without my ankle swelling up, and I was limited to exercising twice a week. Doctors also gave me conflicting advice: one told me I would need to have surgery, while another told me I could go back to ballet immediately. Julie not only cut a middle ground (and would have told me if I needed surgery), but she also identified an issue with my foot that neither the sports medicine doctor nor the podiatrist had caught. Julie immediately improved my quality of life: Within two sessions (less than a week), Julie gave me exercise options so that I could work out 5-6 times a week again. Within two to three months, I got the go-ahead to go back to ballet, after an ankle injury that had lasted over a year. One of the best things about Julie is that she can quickly pinpoint problems, even if I'm having a hard time describing them. Within seconds she can locate a tender or problematic spot in my foot or leg, and she then addresses the issue. Julie also knows a lot about anatomy and has been able to explain it in straightforward terms, which has helped me understand my foot and ankle mechanics better. Although I am not at 100% yet (I still can't jump or turn), my technique in ballet class has already improved because of Julie. In particular, my point is better and I am much more stable on my standing leg. P.S. Molly, one of Julie's assistants, is also very encouraging, kind, and knowledgeable! She brings a lot of great energy to Athletico. Edit: Although Julie is a good physical therapist, her and Athletico's cancellation policy is not very accommodating. I have attended 30 sessions without canceling, but when I woke up sick one morning and called to cancel in order to avoid getting her and other patients/staff sick, they said would charge me a fee. This seems like the wrong incentive structure."

"This entire team is incredible. They are super positive. Excellent at what they do and fun to be around. I've gone to Semie twice for two different things and I love working with her and the whole team there. They go above and beyond and their energy is incredibly positive. Top quality care and professionalism and they care about their patients."

"Had a great PT experience at this facility in recovering from a ruptured Achilles. Semmy was very helpful in leading each of our sessions over the 4 month recovery, making each visit both productive and enjoyable. Everyone at the clinic was great to work with, made scheduling easy, and was flexible when I needed to make changes to before a visit. Would recommend them for any PT needs."

"All other clinics have been ruined for me since this one set the standard so high. Everyone, from the aides to the front desk are spectacular, but the absolute best is Julie O'Connell. I am hyper-mobile, so sports (or really just life) injuries are frequent. I haven't met anyone as skilled at putting me back together when I break myself as Julie. It's hard work, but the reward for enduring is high. I have quite literally walked into an appointment with her on crutches and walked out without. I have never seen anyone else use some of her techniques before, and results are transformative. She is committed to correcting the root of issues, not just the symptoms, and always gives it to me straight. After 2 knee surgeries worth of recoveries with her and many others, I cannot recommend this clinic and Julie more. They are life changing."

"I've been working with Julie O'Connell since November while rehabbing after hip surgery in August, and I can't recommend her enough. She helped clear up my pain quickly and has incredible knowledge and understanding, especially when it comes to getting me safely back to dancing. I'm so grateful for her care, expertise, and support throughout this process."

"I did physical therapy to address an arthritic knee. When I started I was unable to walk without pain, and today I'm able to run again. My physical therapist, Cat, was a consummate professional. She challenged me and made me feel supported every step of the way. In addition to Cat, the entire environment was upbeat and supportive. All of the therapists, assistants, and interns were invested in my recovery. Shout out to Marquis, Molly, Kyndall, Symone, Jade, Leo, Naomi, Colin, Steph, Semmy, Julie, Jorge, and the rest of the team!"