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The Therapist
The Therapist
Kurtis Kessler, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC
Meet Kurt
Doctor of Physical Therapy | Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist | Athletic Trainer
Kurt Kessler is the owner of Higher Power Sports PT and specializes in helping athletes return to sport, improve performance, and build long-term resilience.
Background & Experience
Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training — Marywood University (2015)
Doctorate of Physical Therapy — Messiah University (2022)
Board Certified Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy (2024)
Athletic Trainer — Delaware high schools (2015–2019)
Impact Trained Athletic Trainer in concussion management
Covered NCAA postseason events and the Beast of the East wrestling tournament
Experience rehabilitating Division I-III athletes
Four-time Regional MVP as an athletic trainer
Advanced Sports Specialization
In 2023, Kurt completed a sports residency through Upstream Rehabilitation, the largest outpatient rehabilitation provider in the United States.
He later earned the Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS) designation, a board certification held by roughly 1% of physical therapists nationwide.
Additional recognitions include:
Clinician of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic region at Drayer Physical Therapy Institute (2023)
Top-five performer in patient outcomes across Upstream Rehabilitation (2023)
Current Role
UPMC athletic trainer: Lower Dauphin high school
Kurt currently serves on the medical staff for USA Field Hockey Masters teams, helping support athletes competing internationally.
Philosophy
Higher Power Sports PT was built on a simple belief:
Pain relief is not the finish line.
The goal is to help athletes fully return to performance while building strength, confidence, resilience, and long-term durability - not just temporary symptom relief.
Every athlete receives individualized care focused on:
movement quality
strength and power development
return-to-sport testing
injury risk reduction
long-term performance
Outside the Clinic
Outside of work, Kurt enjoys playing and watching sports as a passionate Philadelphia fan and spending time with his wife, Carly, and their sons, Eli and Julian.
Higher Power Sports PT serves athletes and active individuals across Lancaster and Dauphin counties with in-person care, while also offering remote services to clients anywhere. Founded in 2024 by Kurtis Kessler, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, the practice was built as an answer to the high-volume, burnout-driven model of traditional outpatient care.
After years of feeling limited by insurance constraints, divided attention, and packed schedules, Kurt created Higher Power Sports PT to ensure every athlete receives his full focus and best effort - from the first session to the last. Whether you’re a youth athlete, a masters competitor, or a weekend warrior, our mission is to help you reach higher levels of strength, performance, and resilience.
Our mindset is inspired by Colossians 3:23–24:
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”
This fuels our commitment to serve each athlete with excellence, care deeply on and off the field, and remind you that you were Made For More.
Call, text, or email to book a strategy call today.
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