Your Favorite PT

Christopher Thurston, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT
Physical Therapist
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Board Certified clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy
Certified Orthopaedic Manipulative therapist
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy
Concussion Rehabilitation Specialist
Vestibular Rehabilitation Specialist
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Dr. Thurston received his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of South Florida in 2012 after completing his undergraduate degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Florida.

He became recognized as a board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) in 2015 and a Certified Manual Physical Therapist (CMPT) through the North American Institute of Manual Physical Therapy (NAIOMT) in 2016. In 2019, he became a Certified Orthopedic Manipulative Therapist (COMT) and a graduate of the NAIOMT fellowship program, earning the title of FAAOMPT (Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists).
 
He currently works at the University of Miami in the outpatient orthopedic setting treating patients with injuries related to orthopedics, concussion and vestibular dysfunction. In the fall of 2024, he was selected for the Outstanding Clinical Instructor (CI) Award by the Florida Physical Therapy Association. The Outstanding CI Award honors a CI who has demonstrated a consistent, exemplary commitment to education. 

He developed a course titled, "Two Truths and a Lie. Unpacking Cervicogenic Dizziness: Evaluation and Management." He has lab assisted for numerous ASPIRE OMT and NAIOMT's orthopedic manual therapy continuing education courses taught in the state of Florida. He is now a clinical instructor with ASPIRE OMT .  He hosts monthly journal clubs that are open to physical therapists interested in discussion of the latest research on topics related to the orthopedic setting.

​He has previous experience as a mentor in both sports and orthopedic residency programs and is an APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor. He has successfully completed Emory and APTA’s Vestibular Rehabilitation: A competency-based course. He has also successfully completed the Complete Concussions Training Course for Healthcare Practitioners provided by Complete Concussion Management, Inc. As a mentor and physical therapist, he is involved in the University of Miami’s Pro Bono student run clinic. In 2018, he had an abstract selected for poster presentation at the AAOMPT conference titled, “The Manubrial Test: A Novel Assessment for Regional Interdependence in Adolescent Overhead Athletes: A Case Series.”

He is the creator of Your Favorite PT mentor program designed for physical therapists seeking to gain advanced clinical reasoning and manual therapy skills in their journey to become master clinicians. Throughout his career, he has been involved in creating learning opportunities for his peers and interdisciplinary team through journal clubs, case reviews and numerous department presentations. Early in his career he served as a blog writer for Florida's #1 hospital in which he illustrated the management of current sport injuries from a physical therapist's perspective, writing about athletes such as Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning and the late Kobe Bryant.

He considers himself a lifelong learner and truly enjoys devoting the time to helping others reach their full potential. As a University of Florida alumni, Dr. Thurston is an avid Gator sports fan. He also enjoys music, the adventures of being a foodie and a good laugh with his family and friends.

My Journey.

When I first began practicing as a new graduate, I was one of only two physical therapists in a small clinic. My confidence was sky-high—patients were improving (or so I believed), and I felt like I had all the answers. That confidence was quickly re-calibrated during my second continuing education course. Unlike my first CEU, this course was a turning point in my career. I watched two physical therapists with more than twenty years of experience engage in discussions about patient management that far exceeded what I had learned in school and even what the latest clinical practice guidelines offered. It was a humbling moment—one that made me realize how much I still had to grow.

Fortunately, one of those clinicians worked within my organization and the other was affiliated with the fellowship program I would later choose to pursue. From that point forward, I made it a priority to seek mentorship from them in every possible way. Their guidance, combined with my own drive to improve, reshaped my professional trajectory.

When I entered fellowship training, I expected to gain advanced manual therapy skills and the benefits of one-on-one mentoring. What I did not fully anticipate was the depth of growth that would come from pushing myself through the rigor of the program. The COMT certification process, in particular, challenged me not just to perform techniques, but to clearly articulate my clinical reasoning, to communicate effectively with patients and colleagues, and to continually adapt my thinking. The experience forced me out of my comfort zone, and in doing so, gave me tools that proved priceless.

Today, my treatment philosophy is grounded, flexible, and eclectic. I no longer feel pressure for every assessment finding to perfectly match my initial hypothesis. Instead, I approach each patient with curiosity, thoroughness, and a willingness to let the clinical picture unfold. I am more confident in my ability to communicate findings, discuss management strategies with physicians and colleagues, and provide patients with clarity about their care. I have also grown more comfortable recognizing when referral is the best path forward—knowing that doing so is part of delivering nothing less than optimal care.

What began as a humbling realization early in my career has evolved into a guiding principle: that growth never stops, and the best care comes from combining knowledge, humility, and collaboration. This mindset continues to shape the way I practice, teach, and mentor others in the profession.