Rehab United

Rehab United Specializing in physical therapy, massage therapy, and more with eight locations in San Diego.

In the summer of 1991, their final summer in high school together before Sean went off to college, “The Brothers Hill” had planned 3 months of friends, sports, travel and fun. On June 8th, their plans came to a halt when Sean received a scary phone call from a family friend that Bryan had been hurt badly during an indoor soccer game and to await another phone call with more details. After what see

med like hours of waiting, Sean finally received a call from their mother stating that Bryan had badly broken his femur and doctors were testing to determine the extent of the injury. It was soon determined that nerves and a major artery were barely missed, but Bryan would require extensive surgery and physical therapy in the hospital for a minimum of one week before he would even be allowed to go home. Sean dropped everything and spent the week in the hospital with Bryan to help him rehabilitate alongside Bryan’s physical therapist. Sean thrived on finding ways to encourage Bryan and guide him just to walk again. The best part was that it didn’t feel like work for Sean –it was fun! Bryan recognized and felt the same amazing experience from the patient’s perspective. Throughout the week they solidified themselves as a life-long team who would encourage each other unconditionally. They talked about how fun it would be in the future to provide the same care and encouragement to others as that “team”. During that week together in the hospital, Sean and Bryan realized they had found their calling – they were determined not only to become Physical Therapists, but to someday open their own practice together and provide a quality of care for their clients never encountered before. Sean and Bryan wanted to provide not just treatment services, but a global treatment philosophy founded on encouragement, empathy, passion, and giving the very best of themselves to others. With their mother joining them from Arizona to help get started, their dream of a family private practice become reality exactly twelve years and one day after Bryan’s “life-changing injury”! On June 9th, 2003, they opened Rehab United Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy, Inc.!

05/01/2026

Sometimes we need to find creative ways to challenge our patients! Try this the next time with yours! (Kidding, of course 😉)

04/29/2026

What Is Rib Flare?
Ever noticed your ribs sticking out or lifting upward when you stand or exercise? That could be something called rib flare.

Rib flare happens when the lower ribs protrude outward instead of staying stacked over the pelvis. This can affect posture, breathing mechanics, and core stability.

Common causes include:
• Weak deep core muscles (especially the transverse abdominis)
• Poor posture or anterior pelvic tilt
• Improper breathing patterns like chest breathing instead of diaphragmatic breathing
• Overextension during exercise without proper core engagement
• Pregnancy or postpartum changes that weaken the abdominal wall

When the ribs flare, it can lead to reduced stability and inefficient breathing patterns, sometimes contributing to back pain or movement dysfunction.

The good news? Physical therapy can help.

Exercises that may help improve rib positioning include:

• Dead Bugs – strengthens the deep core while keeping the ribs stable
• Bird Dogs – improves trunk stability and coordination
• Side Planks – activates the obliques that help pull the ribs down
• Diaphragmatic breathing drills – retrains proper breathing mechanics
• Hip flexor stretches – reduces pelvic tilt that may contribute to rib flare

Correcting rib flare isn’t just about posture—it’s about restoring proper core control, breathing mechanics, and alignment.

If you’ve noticed rib flare during workouts or daily activities, a physical therapist can help assess movement patterns and create a plan to bring your body back into balance.

04/28/2026

Confusing our clinic directors by saying what the person before them said ✨💞

04/28/2026

The WHY Behind Sleep & Nutrition in Recovery
Ever wonder why sleep and nutrition make such a big difference in recovery?

When your body is healing from injury or adapting to physical therapy exercises, it’s constantly repairing tissue and building strength. Sleep and nutrition are what make that process possible.

Here’s the science behind it:

During sleep, your body:
• Releases hormones that help repair muscle and connective tissue
• Reduces inflammation from training or injury
• Restores the nervous system so muscles can fire properly during movement

Nutrition supports recovery by:
• Protein helping rebuild damaged muscle fibers
• Carbohydrates replenishing energy stores used during exercise
• Vitamins and minerals supporting immune function and tissue repair
• Hydration keeping joints lubricated and muscles functioning properly

Without enough sleep or proper nutrition, the body may struggle to repair itself efficiently—leading to slower progress, lingering soreness, or fatigue during rehab.

The good news? Small changes can make a big difference:
✔ Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep per night
✔ Include protein in every meal
✔ Stay hydrated throughout the day
✔ Eat a balanced meal or snack after therapy sessions

Recovery isn’t just about the exercises you do—it’s about how you support your body while it heals.

✨Walk of Hope 2026 Recap ✨Thank you for having us as one of your pop up booths! Also special shout out to our very own ...
04/24/2026

✨Walk of Hope 2026 Recap ✨

Thank you for having us as one of your pop up booths!

Also special shout out to our very own providers Brynn, Madi, and Maya for representing our booth!

Here at rehab united we specialize in Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy. Pelvic floor therapy is a specialization focusing on the pelvic area, including the bowel and bladder, sexual function, gait, posture, and core control.

Through manual therapies, corrective exercises, and patient education, our goal is to improve pain, pressure management, posture, and overall function. Our providers have undergone advanced, specialized training in pelvic health to effectively assess and treat related conditions.

This past weekend we walked for community, hope, and those who struggle with infertility.

Also shoutout for helping out on the event and help others walk for an incredible cause!

04/22/2026

When you really are the one who should be doing your patients' exercises 👀

04/21/2026

The Importance of Sleep & Nutrition for Recovery
Recovery doesn’t just happen in the clinic—it happens after you leave, too. 💪

Two of the most powerful tools for healing during physical therapy are sleep and nutrition.

When your body is recovering from an injury, surgery, or working to rebuild strength, it needs the right fuel and enough rest to repair tissues, reduce inflammation, and restore energy.

Sleep is when the body does much of its repair work. During deep sleep, your body releases growth hormone, which helps rebuild muscle, repair tissues, and support overall recovery.

Nutrition provides the building blocks your body needs to heal. Protein supports muscle repair, carbohydrates help restore energy levels, and healthy fats help regulate inflammation.

When sleep and nutrition are prioritized, patients often experience:
✔ Faster tissue healing
✔ Improved strength gains
✔ Better energy during rehab exercises
✔ Reduced soreness and inflammation
✔ Improved overall performance in physical therapy

At Rehab United, we believe recovery is a full-body process—and the habits you build outside of therapy can make a big difference in how quickly and effectively your body heals.

04/17/2026

When you ask your client to relax, and you know exactly what they are NOT doing 😂

04/15/2026

Leg Day on the Gibbon Board 🔥
Balance, strength, and control all in one workout.
In this leg day session we challenged stability using the Gibbon Slackboard, a dynamic balance tool we love using both for workouts and in physical therapy at Rehab United.
Here’s the series we ran through:
• Single-leg crossover lunges to challenge hip stability and coordination
• Balancing squats to build lower-body strength while activating stabilizing muscles
• Forward and back lunges to improve control, mobility, and dynamic balance
Balance training does more than just test stability. It helps improve joint control, proprioception (your body’s awareness of where it is in space), and muscle coordination, all of which are essential for injury prevention and recovery.
Tools like the Gibbon board create a slightly unstable surface, forcing your ankles, knees, hips, and core to work together to stabilize your body. That’s why it’s such a powerful tool not only for athletes and workouts, but also for rehab and physical therapy progressions.
Whether you’re training for performance or recovering from an injury, building balance is key to moving stronger and safer.

04/13/2026

Creating Resistance in Physical Therapy
Not all strength training in physical therapy comes from simply adding more weight. 💪

At Rehab United, our therapists use multiple ways to create resistance so exercises can be safely progressed while your body heals.

Here are a few ways we increase the challenge during rehab:

• Changing squat depth or height – lowering the height of a squat or sit-to-stand increases muscle demand and mobility requirements.
• Adding external load – dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands increase muscular strength and control.
• Adjusting foot placement – a wider stance, staggered stance, or single-leg position changes how muscles activate and improves stability.
• Tempo changes – slowing down the movement increases time under tension and improves motor control.
• Surface changes – tools like balance boards, foam pads, or unstable surfaces challenge coordination and joint stability.
• Range of motion progressions – gradually increasing how far you move through an exercise improves mobility and strength together.
• Unilateral training – moving from two legs to one leg builds balance and reduces compensation.

These small adjustments allow physical therapists to progress exercises safely and specifically for each patient’s stage of recovery.

By manipulating resistance in different ways, we can help improve:
✔ Strength
✔ Balance and stability
✔ Joint control
✔ Injury resilience
✔ Functional movement for everyday life

Rehab isn’t just about getting stronger—it’s about getting stronger the right way for your body.

04/10/2026

We have to challenge our patients somehow or some way, handstands are just one way we can 😆

04/08/2026

Meet Charlie – Our New Carlsbad Clinic Director 🐻

We’re excited to introduce Charlie, the new Clinic Director at our Carlsbad location!

Charlie’s journey with Rehab United actually started as a patient in 2019. After experiencing an injury, he came to Rehab United for treatment and later returned again for additional care. During his time as a patient, he experienced firsthand the support, encouragement, and expertise from our team while working through his recovery.

That experience had a lasting impact and inspired him to pursue a career in physical therapy so he could help others the same way he was helped.

Charlie went on to attend San Diego State University for physical therapy school and is now back at Rehab United—this time leading the team as Clinic Director in Carlsbad.

Fun fact: Charlie says his spirit animal is a grizzly bear 🐻 — strong, resilient, and always ready to tackle a challenge.

We’re proud to have him leading the Carlsbad clinic and continuing the mission of helping people move better and live healthier lives!

Address

3959 Ruffin Road, Ste J
San Diego, CA
92123

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 7pm
Tuesday 7am - 7pm
Wednesday 7am - 7pm
Thursday 7am - 7pm
Friday 7am - 4pm

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