Welcome to the CEP Team: Michelle Hubbard, MSPT

In September 2021, the CEP family grew as we welcomed a new physical therapist, Michelle Hubbard, to our team. Michelle earned her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2000 and has worked in a variety of settings throughout her years in physical therapy to include orthopedics, pediatrics, geriatrics, and neurological patients.  She recently partnered with a non-profit foundation to help patients in the battle of Parkinson’s Disease.

Michelle also has a strong connection to the military community in the Tampa Bay area as she graduated from the United States Military Academy at West point and served in the US Army as an Intelligence Officer prior to becoming a physical therapist. CEP is honored to expand our support for our military by welcoming a Veteran to our team. 

Michelle is passionate about helping people live their healthiest lives, whether through her practice in physical therapy, or teaching yoga and fitness classes at local gyms.  With a strong belief in the mind-body connection, Michelle fits right in at CEP, where the focus is on treating pain or dysfunction by addressing underlying neurological imbalances. Of particular interest to Michelle was the use of NEUBIE pulsed direct current treatment, which has been unparalleled in addressing long-standing dysfunctions and decreasing chronic pain among our patient population. By impacting the body at the neurological level, we can change the inputs the body is receiving regarding pain and muscle function, thereby “correcting” the dysfunctional patterns that lead to chronic injury. Our patients have experienced phenomenal success with this technology, and Michelle is excited to expand this reach into the Parkinson’s community as well as to address other neurological disorders. 

Get to know our newest team member by reading the “Q and A” below:

Q: What made you decide on physical therapy after transitioning out of Army active duty service?

A: One of my core values that I developed while in the military was that of service to others.  In the army, taking care of troops and serving your country are inherent parts of the job.  Upon leaving the military I spent a short time in corporate jobs and felt that sense of service was missing and I learned I was not motivated by money.  I was always interested in healthcare and felt that physical therapy was a great way to be very involved with patient care and help people live healthier lives.

Q: While being stationed around the country on Army orders, you have had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. Upon returning to Tampa, what drew you to the specialized outpatient practice that CEP offers?

A: CEP’s mission aligns with my own personal values.  CEP provides patient-focused care and allows for most visits to be one-on-one, whereas many other PT clinics have therapists juggling 2-4 patients each hour which degrades patient care.  CEP also has an advanced approach to physical therapy utilizing the best science-based technology to help improve patient outcomes.  I have never seen another PT practice utilize heart rate variability (HRV) technology to help guide treatment and Neufit technology to address underlying nervous system imbalances/dysfunction.  CEP does not just look at the body part that’s injured, but looks at the whole patient and addresses the nervous system to help patients heal faster and have better outcomes.  

Q: Your experience working with neurological disorders is a great addition to extending the reach of CEP’s services. What excites you the most about integrating CEP’s technology into your practice?

A: ​CEP’s use of technology already has greatly improved patients’ lives by improving function that may have been missing for years in patients dealing with stroke, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders.  I am truly excited to see how many more patients can be helped.  The traditional approach of physical therapy addresses simply the “physical” aspect of injury (muscles, tendons, ligaments) akin to “hardware”.  Whereas CEP utilizes technology that can address the nervous system or “software” of the body to help fix underlying dysfunction that the body created to protect/guard these injured areas.  By addressing both aspects patients get better faster and have better outcomes. 

Q: You were a Division 1 swimmer at West Point and your children have followed in your athlete footsteps. How do you think this background helps you as a clinician?

​A: Yes, I was fortunate to represent West Point as a swimmer and both of my kids are very active in sports – rowing and volleyball.  I think this background gives me greater empathy toward injured athletes wanting to return to peak performance as well as patients simply wanting to return to normal functioning.  Everyone is impatient to feel better.  There is a balance between allowing time to heal but also helping the body heal in an optimal way.  Again, with CEP technology we are seeing much faster results with all our patients.  This is really exciting as a therapist to see our patients making progress quickly.

Q: CEP’s mission is to propel the field of physical therapy into the next generation and focus on optimal health throughout the lifespan. How do you envision access to physical therapy care and services provided changing in the next 5-10 years?

A: ​As science continues to evolve and create new technology to help provide more advanced patient care, I hope to see more practices embracing evidence-based therapy to help patients improve.  It’s very easy to become complacent and not keep up with advancements in research, so hopefully more practices will embrace these changes to progress the whole practice of physical therapy.  

All of us at CEP are excited to welcome Michelle to the team, and look forward to utilizing her unique skills to expand our reach to use CEP’s technology to optimize outcomes for patients with complex neurological conditions. If you would like to speak with Michelle about CEP’s services or how a specialized approach to physical therapy may help yourself or a loved one, please contact our office at (813) 849-0150 or email mhubbard@goceppro.com. 

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