I injured my hip for the first time 8 years ago and never received a proper diagnosis. After starting my collegiate athletic career, I reinjured my hip and still never took the time to slow down and receive proper treatment. The pain lingered, preventing me from walking, sitting, or laying for long periods of time. Any motion that required bending often put me in extreme pain. After years of trying to rehab myself, I found myself feeling stagnant and frustrated with the fact that I was 23 years old and felt like I couldn't move. I wasn't able to workout the way I wanted to without warming up for hours, and still could not receive full range of motion, coupled with the fact that I was in excruciating pain for days after. I was discouraged due to the amount of time that had passed, and for how long I let myself sit in pain. With the opportunity to slow down this year, I found myself searching for a black physical therapist in the D.C. area. After talking with Dr. Dickson on the phone and explaining my pain levels and frustrations, I had my first appointment the following week. It's been two months and she has continued to change my life and what I feel like is truly possible for my body. During my first visit Dr. Dickson diagnosed me, took measurements, and made sure that I understood my diagnosis completely. There were things my hip was affecting that I never thought about, I had so much low back and knee pain, my left thigh and calf muscles atrophied due to my injuries. She used extremely detailed diagrams of the body and took her time to break things down. I felt immediate relief to finally know what was wrong and to know there was a plan of action, I was so thankful to feel like I wasn't going through this healing journey by myself and that I had someone that was committed to coach me back to full range of motion. We discussed my goals and a comprehensive treatment plan. Dr. Dickson uses a wide variety of modalities, including hands-on manual therapy, and extremely effective home workouts to reinforce the work done in our sessions. In two months, I've gone from having a consistent pain level of about an 7-8/10 to now having zero pain days. Previously, I'd stopped working out as much due to my pain, and now I've increased my activity levels and am still not having any pain. There are some days it literally seems like she thinks of everything, changing shoes, sleeping positions, walking, and standing habits. When I do have pain, Dr. Dickson shifts and adjusts based on my needs, she's given me stretches to do at work and always gives extremely timely responses when I have any questions or pain. My body awareness has increased so much. She consistently uses my feedback and everything I am learning about myself to continue to treat me. My treatment plan feels so unique and personalized and she's able to tell so much through her analysis. My core feels stronger, my body feels like it can really move. I find myself walking faster and more confidently. With her taking the time to educate and rehab me, I really look forward to my sessions. I look forward to stretching, being more mobile, and taking care of myself. I am excited for the rest of this journey and have really enjoyed getting to know her. I strongly recommend her to anyone that has lost hope because of long term pain. I've learned that the possibilities are endless. read more

Dr. Dickson is an extraordinarily skilled clinician, and my life has dramatically improved with her care! She is a top-notch physical therapist and has an exceptionally detailed understanding of the body- more than any physical therapist I have ever had. She understands how body systems are connected, and works to address problems through a thoughtful and integrated approach. What I appreciate most is that her work is extremely science-based; she keeps up with the literature, contributes to the professional community, and applies the most up-to-date science to her practice. Dr. Dickson has helped me understand the mind-body connection in a concrete and tangible way. I realize now, after starting to heal under her care, that my pain was affecting my mood and personality! I wasn't myself, decision making was harder, and my overall mood was lowered. Suffering with chronic tension made me emotionally tense. In recent sessions, I've noticed an immediate improvement in mood when she's helped me release tension in my back and shoulders. Similarly, Dr. Dickson has helped me better understand and control neural signals in the other direction- Just as muscle tension can affect my mood (body to brain connection), I can also control and "wake-up" dormant stabilizer muscles with guided practice (brain to body connection). She's helped me reignite the neural connection with those smaller and less-used muscles so that I'm actually able to recruit them in movement. It is really incredible what a difference that connection makes on both my mood and my pain levels! Dr.Dickson has helped me root-cause my pain more than any other clinician I've seen. She has a great gift, backed by extensive study and practice, for uncovering origin points of pain and dysfunction. She helped me realize that my migraines were jaw-tension pain, the jaw tension was from a tense neck, that was from tense shoulders, those tense shoulders were from weak back-stabilizer muscles due to sitting 8 hours a day at work, and gut issues were adding tension to the whole system. I never would have figured that out on my own. Her physical manipulation work, exercises, and ergonomic recommendations have significantly lowered my pain and improved my life. Now I am equipped with targeted exercises and I know what systems I need to work on. I would strongly recommend her practice to anyone in need of physical therapy! She's awesome. read more

I heard about Danelle from my Girlfriend who teaches ballroom dance and was working with Danelle on some knee pain. She had a great experience and so I thought I would give it a shot and I have been amazed at the impact it's made! I have had mild soreness and pain in various areas when doing activities. For example my knee and hip would act up after about a mile of walking. If I sat for a while at my desk my back and neck would act up. Nothing debilitating and I though that was fairly normal and had this for many years. I'd previously gone on and off to chiropractors when it got bad, and it seemed to help for a while but it would come back. PT was a game changer for me. I felt immediate improvement from session #1. While the exercises are hard work - she manages it so it's something I can do every day and not too long. I can move more easily and without pain. I can work at my desk all day and not have any issues with my back - and more physical activities don't cause issues anymore either. Because of this i've ramped up dance started playing tennis and I am more willing to walk more places instead of ubering. I sleep better and am not really as restless trying to find a good position. The more active lifestyle I now have snowballed into big weight loss (~ 25 Ibs so far). It's not that I couldn't do those things before, but it's so much easier to have that lifestyle if it doesn't cause mild joint pain or soreness later! It's just a much more enjoyable experience. I never realized how much of my energy is sapped from these seemingly minor issues. I would really recommend Danelle. Many people (old me included) think of PT as where you go if you have a serious injury. It's a big misconception. For me, I just had various joint pain that I had learned to live with. How much better would your quality of life be if any joint or back pain went away? How much better would your quality of life be if you could move easier and more efficiently? If you play a sport or dance, how much better could you be if your body was working more efficiently? read more

I've first met Danelle in 2011 when I've dislocated my elbow and, according to my doctor I had a 50% chance for full recovery. My elbow was hurting terribly and I could not strengthen my arm. After working 2 times per week for 2 months with Danelle, my elbow was back to normal. Not only I had fully recovered, but I did not experience any discomfort or motion limitation since then. During the past year I started to experience back pains. Despite changing my chair, my desk, my shoes, my clothes, and despite buying all possible CDs with exercises for back pains and actually doing the exercises, things got worse. Not only I could no longer properly do my job, but I also started to stay up during the night. The medical tests ruled out any possible cause of back pain other than muscles. So, I've searched Danelle on the Internet because I've felt that she could help me. I have 2 months of working with her and pretty much the entire day I am pain free. I still experience some pains at night, but I didn't finish the treatment yet. Danelle is an organized, knowledgeable, and very professional therapist. Her main goal is getting the patient back to normal life as soon as possible. She uses elaborated assessments to monitor the patient's progress and to decide the next treatment steps. She has clear benchmarks and explains the treatment process and what one should expect to happen at any stage. Her treatment involves a variety of techniques from manual massages, exercises, electric procedures, ice/hot procedures, and working with fitness devices. She carefully checks with the doctors the possible limitations patients have and also informs the doctors about the therapy progress. She stays in touch with the patients all the time, not just during the treatment visit. But, above all the things I've mentioned, Danelle is head and shoulders above many therapist due to her knowledge and experience. She is very skilled in figuring out what kind a treatment a patient needs even for very complicated cases. read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about my experience with Danelle! From the moment I walked in, I felt welcomed and supported. Despite only having 20 minutes per visit, Danelle worked efficiently and effectively on my sprained rotator cuff and, on a separate occasion, my achy knee. Her expertise was evident as she skillfully addressed my concerns with a variety of techniques. Not only did her treatments provide immediate relief, but she also took the time to recommend personalized exercises to aid in my recovery. What truly impressed me was her thorough approach. She came fully equipped with an arsenal of tools and modalities, ranging from dry needling to cupping, heat pads to stretch bands, and more. It was clear she had a comprehensive understanding of how to address a range of issues, from pain, to sprains, to strains and beyond. What truly set Danelle apart was her genuine care and attention to detail. Despite her busy schedule (she squeezed our entire cast in over the course of several hours, pretty much back-to-back), she always remembered my specific concerns and tailored each session accordingly. It wasn't just about treating the symptoms; she genuinely cared about my overall well-being. Thanks to Danelle's expertise and dedication (and listening to her exercise advice), I've seen significant improvement in both my rotator cuff and a decrease in my knee pain over the run of the show. I highly recommend her to anyone seeking compassionate and effective physical therapy care. Thank you, Danelle, for everything you are and everything you've done for me! Continued success! read more

I've known Danelle for just about 16 years. In March of 2017, I began to experience pain in my right wrist, which I assumed was carpal tunnel syndrome since I have a desk job. Initially I went to a chiropractor (since the location was convenient) and he assured me that he could fix my issue. Let's just say that 24 visits and $3,000 later, I was in more pain than I started with and I was very depressed because he told me that my injury was accident related. After a few visits with him, the pain began to radiate from the right side of my neck all the way down my arm and shoulder to my wrist...even my back was now aching. I figured something was not right with the care I was receiving, so I called Danelle because I trust her judgement and advice. She assured me this injury was NOT accident related. In just 8 visits with Danelle (and being consistent with the homework she gave me), I felt 1000% better. I could now drive, sit in traffic and sleep comfortably without being in excruciating pain. Even something as simple as doing my hair was causing me extreme pain before Danelle fixed me! Today, I'm extremely grateful that the pain I went through several months ago has vanished. I recommend Performance Plus Therapy, and especially Danelle because she is thorough and knowledgeable and most of all a joy to work with. The best part of my days was going to physical therapy, as weird as that may sound...because I felt better and better each time. Danelle is amazing! read more

Dr. Dickson is a consummate professional and is the absolute best physical therapist I've ever worked with. And I say "worked with" because of her unique approach to treating patients. She is a great listener and facilitates this by consistent communication not just in the office but between sessions as well. The back and forth communications have helped to better monitor my progress and make critical adjustments as required. This has resulted in quicker results, a greater understanding of my condition, as well as a strategy for how to manage my diagnosis and ongoing care and treatments on my own. I really appreciate her approach of performing a root cause analysis instead of just treating the symptoms presented to her. She is always well-prepared for every session and ready to pick up right where we left off the last time. She explains things in great detail so that I have a complete understanding of the situation and the underlying anatomy involved. Dr. Dickson incorporates the latest techniques and technology and offers a range of approaches to an issue. Her bedside manner during my very first dry needling session was impeccable...she completely explained every step in order to be sure that I was perfectly comfortable with the procedure. Her office is conveniently located in D.C. and offers office hours to meet any need. I can't recommend Dr. Dickson and Performance Plus enough!! read more

I've gone to Danelle for PT for two different problems, and both times, I've been thrilled with the results. She's helped me fix an IT band injury that threatened the stability of my knees and a hamstring injury that was causing significant pain during everyday activities. Both improved within just a few sessions with Danelle, even though both had lingered for months before I finally pulled the trigger and decided to get help. I'm also a dancer, and Danelle really excels at working with dancers and other athletes, because her dance background helps her understand our specific needs. In fact, I first heard of Danelle through my dance friends, many of whom have gone to her for help with various dance-related injuries. My favorite things about working with Danelle are her expertise in manual PT (it can be so painful but is SO effective!) and, most importantly, her ability to address problems systemically and educate her patients about their bodies. When I went in most recently for my hamstring, she not only fixed that issue, but also developed a core stability program and warmup routine to help me avoid similar injuries in the future. I feel like I'm dancing stronger and healthier now because of what I learned from Danelle. I highly recommend Danelle, particularly for dancers and athletes, but really for anyone who needs an excellent PT. read more

Best adult decision I've made. BLUF: Shoulder pain prevented me from enjoying exercise or significant physical activity and, thanks to Danelle, I bought a bike. I found Danelle through Definitions DC because I was having increased problems with a long-standing shoulder issue. I was nervous about my first foray into Physical Therapy but it had to be done. Speaking with Danelle on the phone put me at ease immediately - great listener, very patient, and reassuring. She offered an initial diagnosis to assure therapy with her was the right course of action and helped me work through my insurance requirements and paperwork. I was confident with my choice when I began feeling a difference in my shoulder during the first session. I ask a ton of questions and she is ALWAYS PATIENT and THOROUGH in explaining the course of therapy and what I was feeling during the treatment. Sessions with her are not only physically productive for healing but a great experience for self-learning and understanding how to prevent future issues. After a short couple months I feel great and have confidence that I can prevent, or at least recognize, future concerns to maintain a pain-free shoulder. Particularly for those putting off Physical Therapy - just call her. I'm betting it will be one of the best adult decisions you'll make too. read more

At eight months post op from ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair I was referred to Danelle by a wonderful ballet teacher. I was struggling in the ballet studio to get past the fear I had of re-injury. I was scared at any step I took, and I did not feel strong enough to competently complete movements that a year ago felt natural and effortless.  Under Danelle's extreme care and meticulous guidance she taught me how to quickly activate the muscles that had been sluggish and weak since surgery. She not only taught me exercises when we were together, but she also sent videos and thorough explanations for new exercises to add on certain days. She always followed through as well to make sure I was completing everything with vigor and quality. I always felt her support. She pushed me physically but also mentally to help me get past my fear. She reminded me that I was no longer broken but healed. She gave me confidence to trust my leg. All of this translated to the studio and I started to move more freely again. I no longer fret every time I take a step but now I am working on my performance quality. To move past that fear and weakness and feel free when I dance is a tremendously wonderful feeling. Thank you so much Danelle for getting that back for me! read more

I am 52 years old and experienced pain that stretched from from my lower back down to my hamstring on my left side. No matter what i did the pain would not away. I started thinking the worst(sciatic nerve pain or pinched nerve). After careful research i decided to search for a good physical therapist that could tell me what's going on with my back pain. I scheduled an appointment with Danelle in hopes of getting some answers. Danelle asked the right questions to try to get a better understanding of what was my problem. she evaluated me and was able to provide an intelligent detailed answer to what was causing the pain( Weak core muscles thus causing strain on the surrounding muscles). On that first visit her treatment provided some relief (35 % less pain ) and with each visit the pain became less and less. Today i am happy to announce i have No pain! i Rarely say this about a person but Danelle is a genius in her field of study and would highly recommend her services to any one who has been suffering with sports injuries or back pain. she has a keen understanding of how the body functions, what causes pain, how to eliminate it and what can be done to prevent injuries in the future. Truly a gem of a therapist. read more

I came to know of Dr. Dickson through a speaking engagement/discussion she had with a ballet company. She is incredibly knowledgeable as a physical therapist and has been instrumental in helping me diagnose the root cause of issues with my knee and calf and develop a plan for wellness. My sessions are done remotely yet she has been able to coach and inspire me to keep moving forward. She is able to remedy whatever issue I have by the end of the session and give me tips on how to maintain overall improvement. Her familiarity with dance and overall movement and how this impacts the body is impressive and she is able to tailor stretches, exercises, everything based on my needs. Her view and approach are holistic and she understands how a variety of internal and external factors can impact my ability to move with ease and without pain. She is a delightful, talented and dedicated person who is leading me on a journey to wellness. Although my progression has not always moved as quickly as we would like - Danelle's patience, skill and goodness encourage me to keep moving forward. She is one of a kind and would recommend her to anyone. read more

Would give 7 stars if I could. Best physical therapist you will find in DC hands down. Before I started physical therapy with Danelle, I felt pretty hopeless. I had had rotator cuff surgery, multiple injections, seen several other physical therapists and had little to no relief. But after my initial consultation with Danelle, I knew this one would be different. At other physical therapy locations I could not get the attention or care I needed. I was often passed off to aids and shuffled around different PT specialists--so there was no real plan. At Performance Plus, it is totally the opposite. Danelle gives you her full effort and attention the entire session--every single time. She has a long term plan for you with goals along the way. There is a path to recovery that is clear. I am in a totally different place with my pain and strength today because of my work at Performance Plus. Lastly, Danelle is just a fantastic person. She is super easy to get along with, couldn't be nicer, and is very very funny. All bonuses if you are looking for a top tier professional physical therapist. Go see Danelle ASAP! read more

Danelle is the best PT I have been too. I am 72 years old. I started to see Danelle in July, 2020 for hip pain. Our work together significantly alleviated my hip and back pain but, unfortunately, by September it was determined that I needed my right hip replaced. Surgery was November 4 and Danelle and I worked together through the last week in October. 3 days after surgery I was walking without a cane or a walker. When I met with my ortho 2 weeks after surgery he told me that my mobility was 6 weeks ahead of schedule and that he was "amazed" by my progress. I can thank Danelle for all of this. Because of her focused, attentive, knowledgeable work my hip replacement was literally a breeze. I went to one "insurance covered" PT session at another organization and it was deplorable; in addition the therapist said he really didn't know what he could give me to do because I was moving so well. I continue to do at home exercise that Danelle gave me and things couldn't be going better. Big shout out to Danelle. read more

Danelle is hands down the best physical therapist I have seen in my many years of being a student/professional/teaching dance artist. Being a dancer, many PT are just amazed at my range of motion and/or flexibility but don't realize the underlying problems that are unique to dancers--despite outward appearances. Her one-on-one attention enables her to adequately assess the problem(s), manipulate the muscles/tendons/etc that are causing the issue and then also gives useful exercises to continue treatment at home to maintain and/or strengthen what she's just fixed. If you're looking for a therapist that's going to strap you to a machine then give you some exercises to do while they help other patients or eat a sandwich in the back, this is not the therapist for you. On the other hand, if you want real results and relief from your pain, definitely give Danelle a call! Performance Plus Physical Therapy is the only PT I'll ever use. read more

Upon hearing that I had been suffering for years from debilitating abdominal pain while running, my cousin (who is also a physical therapist) recommended Danelle. Until I started seeing Danelle, I was unable to run for more than a mile without pain. I had previously enjoyed spinning classes and biking as well, but the pain had started to keep me from engaging in those activities, too. Enter Danelle. For months she worked patiently with me after every doctor had given up trying to help me and I had nearly resigned myself to having this pain forever. Now I am able to run three miles at a time without pain. We are going to continue working together until I am able to get back to my old self and am able to run a 10k race. I can't recommend Danelle and Performance Plus Physical Therapy highly enough. She is a true professional who is willing to do everything it takes to help her patients. read more

I am a professional Ballroom dancer and I have struggled with on and off knee pain for the past 3 years. Danelle's website advertises her Physical Therapist services with a strong background in dance and she did not disappoint- the way she integrates dance movements/visualizations with the exercises were relevant and functional. I had pretty much hit my breaking point with my knee pain, and I am happy to say I am getting back to dancing full-out thanks to her. Aside from the great work Danelle has done for me as a Physical Therapist, as a service provider overall, Danelle does a fantastic job bridging the gap between professionalism and more human, personal relatability. Generally speaking, I am pretty uncomfortable in medical spaces, and she did a great job consistently making me feeling comfortable in our sessions. I would recommend her services for dancers and regular clients alike. read more

I had the privilege of working with Danelle after a calf injury sidelined me from ballet in August 2019. She was recommended to me by a friend from the studio I attend. My friend highly recommended Danelle saying she was the best physical therapist she had ever worked with. I can wholeheartedly agree with that statement--Danelle is the best! She did a wonderful job of assessing my injury, developing a plan for my PT, and getting me back into the studio. She really took the time to listen to my concerns, answer my questions, explain all of the exercises, and check on my progress in between appointments. Danelle also showed me how honing my technique can help strengthen my problem areas and prevent future injuries. I cannot say enough good things about Danelle. I would never have been able to get back to class so soon without her help. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to work with her! read more

Danelle Dickson, director and founder of Performance Plus Physical Therapy was kind to offer me an PT evaluation and treatment after a recent car accident where I was rear ended and experienced whiplash. Her professionalism, talent, intuitive touch, and compassionate care were very appreciated. I experienced more range of motion, freedom from pain since last Tuesday's session and it has continued. She was kind to leave me her foam roller to use with clear instructions in its use to open up the restricted musculature in my back and cervical region. I highly recommended her. As a fellow rehab health care practitioner I was grateful to meet and be treated by a skilled colleague. Fanny M. Mandelberger, OTR/L, CMT Holistic Occupational & Massage Therapy Takoma Park, MD read more