Michael Smith

Director of Hand Therapy - PT, DPT, CHT, MBA

Michael is the founder and Director of the Hand Therapy Department at Movement for Life Physical Therapy. The majority of his time is spent both treating patients and as a mentor/clinical instructor for staff therapists and interns studying for the CHT specialty Board Exam for Hand Therapy.

To maximize patient outcomes, he regularly attends surgeries to observe the latest and varying techniques used by surgeons today to maintain close and clear communication with the physicians whose patients he treats. He collaborates with clinical development committee of the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency program at Movement For Life Physical Therapy where he serves as an instructor in treatment of the upper extremity for PTs preparing for the Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) exam. He is the first board-certified specialist in Hand Therapy (CHT) between Los Angeles and San Francisco with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.  Additionally, he is certified in myoelectric prosthetics through Touch Bionics.

Michael graduated pre-med with a B.S. in Biology from Fairfield University and his love of science led him subsequently to pursue study in the area of breast and ovarian cancer research where he received an Edmondson Fellowship at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. This exposed him to the trials faced by recovering patients and inspired him to enter the world of rehabilitation at the USC School of Physical Therapy. There he graduated with the nation’s first entry level class offering the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree on the West Coast. Michael’s primary area of study, as well as more than 25 years of specialty practice, has been orthopedic rehabilitation of the upper extremity including internships at Yale, City of Hope, Orthopedic Hospital of Los Angeles, and private practice at the Ventura Hand Center before coming to San Luis Obispo County in June of 2004.  

On a personal level he can truly relate to his patients.  Going through rehab following surgery for a broken hand while in PT school enables him to bring his own experience with surgery and hand therapy to bear daily in the clinic.

Education
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Doctor of Physical Therapy, May 1998

Grazidio School of Business, Pepperdine University, Malibu CA
Master of Business Administration, May 2004

Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut
Bachelor of Science: Biology/Premed, May 1992
Double Minor: Philosophy and Studio Art

Troy McClanahan

PT, DPT, CHT

Troy was raised in Southern California before attending Cal Poly SLO.  While there, he received his Bachelors in Kinesiology with a minor in Psychology. After graduation, he moved to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area to pursue a Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Arcadia University. Troy began his second clinical rotation at Good Shepherd Penn Partners (Penn Medicine) after finishing his first clinical rotation at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, California. At Penn Medicine, he discovered a fascination with the intricacies of the hand and took advantage of the opportunity to shadow both orthopedic and hand surgeons. Troy interned under a board-certified specialist in Hand Therapy, treating patients with carpal tunnel, wrist fractures, and tendon injuries, to name a few. This experience solidified Troy’s decision to practice hand therapy after graduation in January 2017. He subsequently moved back to the Central Coast of California to join the Hand Therapy team at San Luis Sports Therapy and has enjoyed serving the local community ever since. Troy stays up-to-date with current APTA and ASHT memberships and he plans to obtain his Certification in Hand Therapy in the near future. 

Education
Arcadia University, Glenside, Pennsylvania
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Jan 2017

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, California
Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology, Dec 2013
Minor: Psychology

Amy Gaffney

PT, DPT, CHT

Amy was born and raised in Southern California. She obtained her B.S. in Kinesiology from CSU San Bernardino and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from University of the Pacific. During her last internship training for her Doctorate, she had a rotation with a PT/OT hand specialist and fell in love with the specialty. Following graduation she pursued further orthopedic experience in outpatient clinics where she was the lead clinician for any hand/upper extremity injuries. Subsequently, she accepted a position with Movement For Life in our specialized Hand Therapy Department in order to solely focus on treating elbows, wrists, and hands with a team of specialists in the field. Since joining the team, she completed the 4000 hours of mentored case work with patients with just upper extremity injuries required for application to sit for the national specialty exam and has become a Certified Hand Therapy (CHT) specialist herself. She greatly enjoys getting patients back to living their lives, whether that involves regaining the ability to button a shirt or return to sport. She believes that no achievement is too small to celebrate with her patients.

Education

University of the Pacific, Stockton, California

Doctor of Physical Therapy, September 2019

California State University, San Bernardino, California

Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology, May 2017

Marissa McClain

PT, DPT

Marissa was born and raised in Atascadero, California and spent her childhood living on the Central Coast. She graduated from San Diego State University in May of 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy. Following graduation, Marissa moved back to the Central Coast to work as a physical therapy aide in our Atascadero clinic.

After 2 years, Marissa moved to Miami, Florida to attend the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences where she graduated with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in April 2021. During her time at the University of St. Augustine, Marissa found an interest in hand therapy and completed her last clinical rotation with our Hand Therapy team in the San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria offices.

After treating in a variety of settings during her internships, Marissa decided that she wants to focus her career on hand therapy and is planning on obtaining her Certification of Hand Therapy (CHT) in the future. In her free time, Marissa loves to cook, travel to new cities, go to concerts, and spend time with her family. Marissa is extremely excited to return to the Central Coast and serve her hometown community.

Education

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Miami, Florida

Doctor of Physical Therapy, April 2021

San Diego State University, San Diego, California

Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an Emphasis in Pre-Physical Therapy, May 2016

Megan Meisenheimer

PT, DPT, OTR/L, CHT

Megan was born and raised in California and became interested in a therapy career after participating in competitive sports and needing physical therapy herself. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Biology at UC Davis, where she was a student athletic trainer who traveled with the Women’s Soccer team, the Track and Field Teams and the Division I Football team. After her undergraduate studies, Megan began a unique program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in San Marcos, CA where she received both a Masters in Occupational Therapy and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She has a passion for treating post-op patients and enjoys learning about the latest surgical techniques through professional conferences and visits to the OR. She became a Certified Hand Therapist in 2018 and previously worked to create a nationally accredited Hand Therapy Fellowship in the SF Bay Area. Outside of work, Megan is an avid reader and enjoys rooting for her San Francisco 49ers and the San Francisco Giants. She recently moved to the central coast with her 2 children and her husband and they all enjoy being much closer to the beach.

Education

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, San Marcos, California

Doctor of Physical Therapy December 2015

Master of Occupational Therapy August 2014