I went to Dr. James, and he was great! He took the time to actually read my *entire* intake form, and we got started right away since I was running late. He spends all of his time on you, and it's a 1-1 personal treatment. At first I was concerned about the cost since it's not covered by insurance, but you do get what you pay for. He is extremely thorough, as well as a down-to-earth guy. Unlike other PT places where you keep coming back week after week and someone watches you do exercises, he gives you a comprehensive plan that you can implement as soon as you leave. You can come back for a follow-up session at a discount, but in my case, since mine wasn't a full blown injury, it won't be necessary for a long time. He'll guide you through the exercises and show the proper form for them, along with explanations for what those exercises train for. In the long run, it's a higher cost up front, but I think I'm saving *more* money (and time) than had I gone to a regular PT place week after week; plus, they wouldn't know what to do with my fingers. He's a climber so he understands what pains and aches you have! The office I went to was inside the First Ascent Avondale gym - super convenient to us climbers! read more

I saw Dr. Lee for a tweak in my ring finger. He was able to quickly diagnose my issues and clearly describe a treatment plan. I followed the plan for the prescribed time and I felt significantly better! Through the plan he helped me work on my crimping technique and I now have far more tools available when I get out to the crag. Highly recommend seeing him for all your climbing PT needs! read more

I came to Dr. Lee with a wrist injury that had left me afraid to use the wrist for daily activities, let alone climb at my local gym. Within an hour, he knowledgeably explained to me likely why it had happened, how to use my wrist in a more stable way, and how to strengthen it to help avoid future injury. I was able to quickly resume using my wrist without fear, and get back to climbing. About 8 months after my visit I have not had any issues since, and I feel much more confident in using my wrist more intelligently (along with my other joints). I would recommend visiting Dr. Lee to anyone, not just climbers, and I am truly impressed by how helpful he was in the span of just one hour. read more

Dr. James Lee is a great PT! Before going to Dr Lee, I've been having troubles with wrist injuries on both sides for almost a year due to improper techniques at rock climbing and lack of proper antagonist muscle groups training. Dr Lee was very thorough in his explanation to me on why I had sustained the injury and the general ideas of what should be done to rehab/prehab. Having that understanding, alongside his advice on climbing techniques, was very reassuring; it helped me understand exactly what was wrong in my routine, and hence gave me confidence in carrying out exercises of a suitable intensity. Dr Lee also made sure I fully understood everything we discussed before the end of the session, which to me felt like going above and beyond, a big step up as compared to previous PT experiences I've had at bigger establishments. Two weeks into doing the exercises that Dr Lee recommended, I'm already feeling significantly better and stronger. I highly recommend Dr Lee to anyone in need of a PT, especially climbers! read more

I'm so glad I had a session with James. I'm a climber and have a long standing pulley injury that was limiting my ability to enjoy the full extent of climbing. I went to a general physical therapist early on and was given some general strengthening exercises and told to just stay off of it. It was super helpful to have someone knowledgeable in climbing injuries to discuss the best way to rehab and strengthen. There's a lot of info on the internet and Reddit but it's hard to know what advice to follow that's specific to you and your body. I'm glad I went and would recommend to others. Oh and I did this via telemed so easy to access for people not in Chicago! read more

I'm a climber with an A2 injury on my ring finger. A different PT told me to stop climbing for a few months, so I visited Dr. Lee for a second opinion. I'm happy I did. At the visit, Dr. Lee provided a helpful explanation of the physiology surrounding my injury and how that applies to climbing specifically. He then conducted a thorough assessment of my hang strength and finger strength. Based on the data he collected, Dr. Lee recommended how I can continue to climb and train without aggravating the A2 injury. Following the visit, Dr. Lee provided a helpful e-mail summary of his recommendations along with detailed data summarizing my hang and finger strength. Dr. Lee is an excellent PT. For anything climbing-related, I highly recommend him. read more

James is hands down the best PT I've ever been to. For anything climbing-related, I highly recommend going to him. I went in for an A2 injury on my ring finger and he did an assessment of each of my fingers as well as the total hang/pull strength I had. Even for people that don't have an injury I highly recommend going to him because the data that was obtained from this visit was crucial. Afterward, he gave me a detailed document on how I can improve my climbing and grip technique to not only alleviate the pressure on my A2 but also reach the potential that he was able to mathematically obtain using the data from each of my fingers. TL;DR Whether you have a climbing injury or not, definitely go see James because he does an excellent job and you'll definitely leave with something to improve! read more

Absolutely amazing. I had a wrist injury and had tried going to a normal physical/ occupational therapist and had very little luck. When I went to see Dr. Lee it was a completely different experience. He was so knowledgable on not just the anatomy of my wrist, but also how and most importantly WHY my wrist got injured. he has given me hope that my wrist will get better and be stronger than it once was. read more

I've gone to James Lee for finger tweaks, a strained bicep, and a sprained ankle and each time he has helped me not only rehab my injuries but become a stronger and healthier climber. He's always been quick to diagnose why my injury has occurred and what I need to prevent further injury in the future. I'd highly recommend James Lee for any physical therapy needs and especially for those climbing related. read more

James is a great PT, especially if you are a climber and are tired of hearing other PTs telling you to just simply stop climbing to recover from your pain or injuries. James will take his time, listen to your issue and make sure you can continue what you love AND get better. I've seen James three times for two different issues. First was my shoulder that would get worse after every climbing session. Without knowing what the issue was, I tried everything from massages, more yogas, thorough warmup before climbing. Nothing really helped and later I couldn't see my partner when belaying because of the shoulder-neck pain. So I decided to see James. The reason at that time to see James than other PTs that my insurance will cover was that I know what other PTs who are not familiar with climbing will say. Stop climbing if it causes issues. well, I didn't want to. James was really helpful and diagnosed what was the issue. I could understand why my neck and shoulder were in pain and he gave me several exercises which helped a lot. The second issue was my finger injury that happened outdoor. I was devastated because in a week I had another climbing trip planned. I decided to see James because I knew he will help me heal as fast as possible. He analyzed my finger strengths, told me to exercise and reassured that climbing won't be a problem(after exercising and some taping) It was good for me to understand that I am not pushing too hard on my fingers. Funnily I climbed my hardest route on that weekend!! I recommended him to my husband and my friend who are climbers. They are absolutely happy that they talked with James. read more

I've seen a number of PTs for climbing related finger injuries and got more out of Dr. Lee than all of the rest put together. He spent a lot of time doing detailed testing of my fingers and grip strength, analyzing what is causing my issues, and came up with a climbing specific training regimen he thinks will address them. Normally regular PTs just do some basic grip/putty/extensor exercises, some cryotherapy, and some manual therapy on the hand for 8-12 visits and call it a day, giving you no path towards preventing the injury in the future. This was a completely different experience and I'd recommend him most highly to anyone who climbs and is injured or cares about preventing injury. read more

Dr. Lee was very thorough, informative, patient and non-judgmental in his explanation of why my shoulder hurts when I try to do the monkey bars. A very pleasant first PT experience, and two weeks into his recommended home exercises, I'm definitely feeling the improvement. read more

I was taken care of the whole time. James takes the time to see what's affecting you and gives you realistic exercises you can do where ever you go. Very practical. He keeps in mind what's best for you. read more

Couldn't be happier in working with James. I've had elbow tendonitis from rock climbing for far too long and within a week of doing exercises he prescribed me, the pain has diminish to nearly nothing! Highly recommend visiting James, especially if you are dealing with any climbing related aches and pains. read more

James is pure magic! I saw James because of a persistent elbow injury that just wouldn't heal, and I kid you not, after one session with him, my elbow went from operating at about 50% to 95%. Totally amazing! I had another appointment with him to follow up and was complaining about a random rib/back issue I was having. He gave me a quick adjustment and it hasn't been an issue since. He's a very attentive listener, asks great questions as your describe your injury, patiently answers all the questions your throw his way, and gives appropriate and reasonable exercise recommendations. He's so knowledgeable, especially with climber specific injuries, and I can't recommend him enough! read more

James is an EXCELLENT PT and honestly one of the best ones around. I went to him after I injured my low back. I was in a lot of pain and had very limited range in motion. After a session with James, I felt a hundred times better and my movement range improved considerably- it was such a relief! I not only felt better, but I also understood why the injury occurred and how I could prevent it in the future. He also provided manageable exercises I could do at home to help my back. One of qualities that distinguishes James as a PT is that he diagnoses the root of the issue and takes the time to explain it to you and help you understand how you can continue to take care of your body. He also makes every session super effective and does all he can to provide the best treatment in every session. If you can't tell from my review thus far - I highly recommend James for PT. Don't even bother going elsewhere. Trust. read more

James Lee is a very caring and professional Doctor of Physical Therapy as well as an integral member of the Chicago climbing community. I met him at BKB 2 years ago and have seen him a couple of times for climbing related injuries, he's very patient, thorough in his check-ups and evaluation, and follows up with you after your appointment. I have also attended many of his prevent injury (fingers, shoulders) and how to more effectively hangboard sessions he gave at BKB and found them to be very helpful. Being an expert climber himself, he understands climbing injury issues so well and can't imagine a better doctor to fix my climbing problems. Highly recommend! read more

I first saw Dr. James mid-November because of some severe back pain. Not only was he incredibly knowledgeable, he also got me out of pain. He suggested specific exercises I could do at home to strengthen my lower back and surrounding muscles. I've been back a couple of times and honestly I think my back is stronger than ever. I no longer have any back pain and I feel strong when I exercise. Couldn't recommend Dr. James more highly! read more

James is great - went to see him when I had a shoulder dislocation a little while back, and we set the goal of helping me get back to climbing V5+. I saw him three times and each time, he was attentive in offering new routines so things didn't get boring, while also strengthening the areas that were prone to have contributed to my original dislocation. I'm glad I saw James early on in my recovery process because it made sure I stayed on the right track. At this point I've been climbing again for a few months and getting back to previous levels, while also feeling safer and stronger at the same time. Thanks for the help, James! read more

Lee physical therapy has done wonders for me. I was having extreme elbow pain that was worsening for months and preventing me from climbing. I tried taking breaks from climbing and did some exercises that I found on YouTube thinking I could resolve the issue myself but nothing seemed to work. I discovered Lee Physical Therapy through First Ascent and was able to get an immediate free consult at the Avondale location. He seemed to understand my situation and recommended booking a 1 hour session with him, which we scheduled for the following day. That session opened my eyes to the root of my problem, during which he pinpointed the issue and prescribed me a workout plan that I followed for a few weeks. I noticed my pain disappearing with each climbing session after starting the workout program, and now I'm almost pain free after only 3 weeks. Now we're doing hang-boarding sessions to work on technique for preventing common finger injuries! James is a professional, an awesome guy, and really knows his stuff. I've been recommending him to every climber I know! read more

Dr. Lee is an amazing PT who is really knowledgeable and cares about his patients. I tweaked my back after landing awkwardly from a small jump. I could barely walk without extreme pain but Dr. Lee got me back on my feet through his sessions and teaching me home exercises. He explained and demonstrated areas of weaknesses or tightness and then followed up with ways to improve overall muscular strength, flexibility, and balance. Not only did my condition improve completely and quickly with the help of Dr. Lee, I now have a better understanding of my body and what I need to do to help prevent such injuries in the future. read more

James Lee administered a thorough and data based evaluation of my son's rock climbing related injuries. He made my son feel totally at ease and he communicated his assessment clearly. He demonstrated very helpful techniques and exercises that my son could learn to address his concerns and he wrote up a detailed summary with recommendations. He was a pleasure to work with and we are very confident in his capabilities! We highly recommend him! read more

I saw James as I had severe pain in left shoulder from climbing - he fixed me right away and it's not an exaggeration. I saw him a week after the injury - I had very little (10%) movement in my left arm and was afraid it would turn into a chronic injury. He gave me an adjustment and asked to do 3 exercises after which I was able to move my arm immediately after the appointment (95%). I still had some pain as I climbed the next day and had to take it slow. After two weeks of doing the exercises every day my shoulder was back to normal and even stronger than before the injury. I highly recommend seeing James for sports injuries - it was a magical adjustment for me and drastically improved my climbing in general. read more

James knows his stuff. Period. More importantly for me is that he knows his stuff with respect to climbing, which at this moment in the evolution of the sport in the US is a rare thing. I am looking forward to exhausting all his knowledge on how to protect myself from climbing and running related injuries, and achieving all my ambitions in these sports. read more

Have seen Dr. Lee twice for both post-surgery (broken foot) pt and more recently to treat climbing-related injuries (elbow and wrists). What I appreciate is that I don't have to explain to him what these climbing-related injuries entail, he's a climber himself so he gets it/is very knowledgeable. Additionally, his instruction have been super helpful. I was trying to treat certain injuries on my own but was coming up short. So I definitely have learned some new things/exercises from him. Would highly recommend him as a PT or even just as someone to consult! read more

James is an excellent PT. Before you see him, you will realize he is great about communication, was willing to come to my house, and was willing to schedule appointments as early as the next day. He also follows up to ask you about how your injury is feeling. Something I really appreciate about his treatment is that James donates a full of hour of his time to you each session. In other clinics I have been to I would see the DPT for only 15-20 minutes and otherwise by treated by assistants. A big plus for me was that James specializes in climbing, and could show me the climbing-specific movement patterns that were causing my injury. James realized that I had a postural problem (both during and outside of climbing) that was the root cause of the arm, shoulder, back and neck pain I had been feeling. He focused on treating the root of the problem rather than just the symptoms. I improved over the months that I saw James. My neck feels much much better, and I have way better range of motion in my neck and shoulders. I have a much stronger back and can sit and stand in postural alignment for long periods of time without fatiguing. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because I am still dealing with some residual tightness in my back and arm. Despite this, my body is much stronger than it was and I am doing many exercises pain-free that before would cause my back and neck to tighten up. I am expecting this last bit of tightness to dissipate as I continue James' exercise program. One difficult thing about seeing James is having to deal with insurance. Make sure you start submitting claims right when you get them to figure out how your insurance deals with out-of-network providers. In my case there was a separate out-of-network deductible. While dealing with insurance was difficult, the upside is that James could spend more quality time with me, a trade I was happy to make. I highly recommend seeing James, especially for climbing related injuries. read more

I've seen James for two different injuries, one for finger/elbow troubles (climbing related), and the second time for persistent lower back pain. This review is for his diagnosis and treatment of the lower back pain. He identified through his diagnostic work that my glutes and hip flexors were weak, which resulted in my injuring my lower back when I was doing some heavy deadlifts. He recommended that I strengthen these areas and then start doing squats/deadlifts again (which seems counter intuitive but I'll get to it in a second). After resting for a month and strengthening my glutes and HF, my lower back pain was manageable so I started doing HIIT and bouldering again. However, I realized each time, I would have soreness and pain for a week each time I exercised. James explained that it was because my posterior chain was weak (since I had abruptly stopped doing squats/deadlifts). I took his prescribed squat regimen and one month later, I am now able to do more high impact exercises without pain to my lower back. TL;DR, if you have lower back pain, don't blindly go get an MRI and pay thousands of dollars, see James and he'll diagnose the weak areas of your body that are causing the lower back pain and then prescribe you exercises that will help you, no matter how counter intuitive they may sound at first! read more

If your goal is to get back to climbing strong, I highly recommend working with James. I had a few fairly minor but persistent injuries, and I felt myself holding back in my climbing because I didn't understand if I was one wrong move away from something catastrophic. After seeing James, I have a way more thorough understanding of my injuries, and some solid exercises to help me get back to crushing. I usually avoid doctors because I don't want to be told not to climb. James gets climbers and is an expert in climbing mechanics. If you are still trying to understand finger injuries (or any other weird climbing-related pains) by googling them, shut that down right now and go see James. He is super helpful, approachable, and knowledgable. read more

Awesome visit. Very knowledgeable about climbing injuries. Came in with a popped A2 pulley injury and James gave me exercises and advice for getting back on the mend. If you're looking for good PT and / or advice on climbing specific injuries, I would highly recommend. read more

I had a great experience here. James is both knowledgeable and approachable, explains the condition and the treatment in detail, and packs a lot of treatment into one session so you get a lot for your time and money. He gives well-defined, manageable home exercises and during the session you have his undivided attention and expertise. My acute strain was resolved in a few sessions and he also helped me address chronic issues that I've experienced for years. read more

The space is soothing and very climber friendly. I always get so much out of the time we have together. James cares deeply about getting you back on your feet, and leaving feeling empowered to rehab what's ailing you. read more

In short, James is The Man. If you are a climber, he knows how to fix you. I was having problems with one of my fingers and within a month James had me back climbing pain-free. He gives exercises that can be done at home and walks through everything he's doing and why. Even if you're not a climber, James has the answers. I know I'll hurt myself again climbing, and when I do, I will be back in James' office for sure. I would highly highly recommend. read more

Usually I'm way too lazy to post anything on yelp, but James is amazing. I was blown away by his depth of understanding of the human body and how each body part correlates with the other. This really shines through in his one on one sessions with you. He will tell you what the normal range of motion of something may be (ex: walking) and compare it to how your individual movement may deviate from that norm. He literally just saw me walk a few steps and immediately knew that my left hip flexor was weak even before he did any other diagnoses. He is so humble and is always trying to learn new things via podcasts, articles and seminars, and makes a conscious effort to continually freshen up on concepts he learned while in school. He really is a super dedicated, one-of-a-kind PT that I would highly highly (two highlys intentional) recommend to anyone and everyone. read more

Long story short he is amazing and you should see him if you need a PT. I'm a climber and came in with an a2 pulley rupture, maybe a4 partial rupture too, both on my pinky. I looked up PTs/OTs that specialize in these injuries/understand the forces/tensions that climbing causes on the body, and unfortunately I couldn't find anyone in my area or state. I came across an article by James Lee on medium about pulley injuries, and so I contacted him via phone to set up a call to see if he could help me. I called other PTs out of state too, in Salt lake City. James was extremely approachable and very obviously happy to help. Climbing is super important to me so I set up a visit with him and booked a flight. I came in after my 2nd Ortho surgeon visit who strongly suggested surgery. My finger was still swollen after 7 weeks, in pain and very stuck in one position, I couldn't straighten my finger all the way, and it got stiff so easily. James asked me about my goals in climbing, my history with the sport and how the injury happened. He gave me a few exercises, and one extremely useful exercise to mobilize my joint. I've been through A LOT of pts and through that process I have educated myself on my body, injuries, and how to find the right PT. I knew this guy was the real deal -He measured my hand strength, finger strength, and individual finger strength. He identified my strengths and weaknesses and where I could improve. Just doing the exercises he gave for one day made a HUGE difference. The next day my finger woke up in very minimal pain, I could even straighten it all the way and the swelling went down a bit! And through the day it didn't hurt and just stiffened up slightly. Just one day I could already see so much progress. He gave me hope with his expertise and because of it I am going to continue rehabbing with his suggestions before considering surgery. Highly recommend James, especially if you're a climber! read more

After playing softball, I started to have pain in my shoulders when I lifted my arms above my head or did the throwing motion. People were telling me I might need surgery so I went to get a second opinion. I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Lee and I have to say it was the best decision I made regarding the injury. After an adjustment and having me do certain stretching exercises, he was able to easily identify what the issue was. He explained to me in detail exactly what happened and is currently happening to my body. My range of motion in my shoulder before my consult with Dr. Lee was almost non existent. After some adjustments and stretching/strengthening exercises, my shoulder felt much better, almost normal. He thoroughly explained what to expect in the coming days and what I can do to strengthen the muscles around the irritated area. He also sent me home with videos to help me remember how to properly loosen up and stretch to speed up the healing process. I'm so glad I went to see Dr. Lee, he is a great PT and definitely knows what he's doing. read more

James is a fantastic Physical Therapist! I have been dealing with Back and Neck pain for years and after many visits to my Chiropractor and Massage Therapist, the pain would always come back. With one visit to see James, I had a better of understanding the source of my pain and how to improve it from it. Now I have better hope to live a pain free life with the help of James. You will feel amazing relief in the exercises and stretches you do with whatever pain you feel by the end of the session. Again I totally recommend James for his services and hospitality. read more

Dr. Lee Rules!! I've had issues with my sesamoid bone in my right foot for the last year and that has kept me from being competitive in my favorite activities (climbing, running, yoga). After hearing multiple fantastic reviews about his care, I finally reached out (after being treated by two different foot doctors/surgeons quite improperly). I wish I had done so sooner. He has a fantastic understanding of the WHOLE body instead of focusing on one specific area, he knows an injury or issue will affect your entire body. He gave me multiple exercises to work on those incredibly specific areas that have been affected. It was obvious during his initial assessment that he had found weaknesses that I didn't realize were so important to my recovery. After practicing the exercises, I can see instantly how helpful they will be. I plan to be back to my full self quite soon thanks to him. Tell all your friends, he knows his stuff and makes you feel so comfortable in the understanding of everything! read more