DON'T LET PAIN HOLD YOU BACK!

Physical Therapy Harrisburg, PA

Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy in Harrisburg, PA truly values our patients. Our mission is to help people in pain get back to normal, naturally. Our big goal is to be the #1 rehab provider in Central PA. Our success rate is very high when it comes to our treatment services because we implement advanced technology and methods of pain relief.

We conduct thorough evaluations that lead to successful treatment plans for your pain relief, healing, and future injury prevention needs. Our sophisticated diagnostic methods, such as gait and balance analysis and strength evaluation help our Harrisburg, PA physical therapists determine which services you will benefit from most here at our clinic.

Our physical therapists are highly trained and experienced individuals! We are proud to offer specialized treatment services for any pain, injury, or discomfort you may be feeling.

Our Harrisburg, PA physical therapy clinic is located on Jonestown Road in Harrisburg--just behind the Fishbone skateboard shop on Route 22, in West Hanover Township, PA, making it a commonly frequented spot for pain relief. The schedule books up quickly, so make sure to contact our clinic today for more information. Our dedicated staff members are eager to help you recover.

Treating patients in Harrisburg, PA

Do you find that your pain makes it hard for you to move around freely and complete everyday tasks? If so, physical therapy could be an extremely effective solution for you.

Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy’s ultimate goal is to make the lives of our patients easier. This includes your hobbies and daily tasks. If you are having trouble with getting dressed, walking with confidence, going upstairs or even something simple like getting in and out of bed, a physical therapist can assist you.

Physical therapy often provides the best treatment for a variety of different pains, injuries, and conditions. Treatment not only provides relief, but it also teaches you techniques to prevent re-injury and avoid pain in the future.

Our Harrisburg, PA physical therapy clinic treatments in West Hanover Township, PA can help improve or restore your physical function and your fitness level. They can also help you move better and will relieve your pain. We offer a variety of services as well.

Click a photo to enlarge it

  • Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy
  • Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy
  • Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy
  • Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy
  • Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy
  • Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy
  • Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy
  • Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy
  • Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy

Address

5425 Jonestown Road
Harrisburg, PA 17112
Phone: (717) 901-9487
Fax: (717) 591-0956

Business Hours:

Monday: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Tuesday: 7:00 am – 12:00 pm
Wednesday: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Thursday: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday: 7:00 am – 12:00 pm

Connect Social

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy is a specialized physical therapy treatment that allows our certified physical therapists to manipulate joints and soft tissue with nothing more than their hands. That’s right – no intimidating equipment or machines, just hands. This form of treatment helps in relieving pain, decreasing restriction, mobilizing joints, reducing swelling, and increasing your range of motion.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is a treatment we offer for its safe, effective, and non-invasive way to treat pain and aid in the recovery of many conditions. Laser therapy can be used for both acute and chronic conditions, including neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain and sciatica, arthritis, bursitis, disc injuries, TMJ, sports injuries, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines, soft tissue damage, and MORE!

Therapeutic Exercise

Therapeutic exercise is a great way to restore function and live a pain-free life. Therapeutic exercise provides a multitude of benefits for anyone wishing to restore their strength, endurance, flexibility, or stability. In fact, physical therapy is used as a treatment for any pain, injury, or ailment someone may be facing.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy is excited to offer another healthy alternative to medications, injections and surgery. HBOT is a well-researched and clinically transformative therapy to help get you back in action.

Physical Therapy Harrisburg, PA Staff

Meet our team!

Our dedicated team at Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy consists of leading experts in the physical therapy community in Harrisburg, PA, in West Hanover Township.

The physical therapists at Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy are compassionate, caring, and ambitious when it comes to helping you reach your highest level of performance with the least possible amount of discomfort.

They will work to determine the root cause of your problems and provide quality treatment for whatever kind of pain, injury, or condition you are dealing with. They will also use their abilities to teach you how to prevent future injuries, which is an extra bonus!

Swipe to see more staff members

Dawn Hoover, HBOT Director

Hello! My name is Dawn Hoover and I’m the HBOT Director at Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy in Harrisburg. We are excited to offer Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), a safe and innovative healthcare option, to the Central Pennsylvania community. HBOT helps the body absorb more oxygen than normally possible, allowing it to recover quickly, fight infections and heal naturally.

My Journey

I’ve always been passionate about holistic, regenerative, and restorative medicine. For over a decade, I worked as a Physical Therapist Assistant in Harrisburg and Lancaster and then took a break to raise my children as a stay-at-home mom. Now, I’m back to work helping people overcome their health challenges and achieve their wellness goals.

A Little About Me:

  • I live in Harrisburg, PA, with my three children, two dogs, a cat, and a snake.
  • Crocheting is a hobby of mine, and I specialize in star blankets.
  • I am fluent in French.
  • I’m a huge high school and college wrestling fan, especially Penn State. I even have season tickets!
  • I’m learning volleyball and love to pepper with my family and friends.
  • I enjoy hiking in the mountains and sitting by campfires.
  • Fall is my favorite season. I like the crisp air, beautiful colors, and making apple dumplings, pumpkin whoopie pies, and apple butter.
  • I love optical illusions and stereograms.
  • I once won a trip to the Reading Music Festival in the UK and met Chris Cornell, Rob Zombie, Neil Young, and others. Now, if only I could meet Dave Grohl!
  • My father was a race car driver.

Out of these 10 fun facts, 9 are true. Visit the HBOT clinic to find out which one is false!

While you’re here, discover more about how we can help you heal, stay active, and optimize your health.

Brenna Strawser, DPT

Hi! My name is Dr. Brenna Strawser, and I’m a physical therapist at the Madden and Gilbert office in Harrisburg. I graduated with my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Lebanon Valley College in 2023, and I’m so excited to be part of the Madden and Gilbert PT family! I grew up in the small town of Port Royal in Juniata County, but I now live with my boyfriend, Alex, in Hershey. Alex and I met in PT school, and he now works as a physical therapist at the Madden and Gilbert clinic in Lancaster.

I chose this profession because I knew it would keep me on my toes and allow me to help and interact with different people. I find it incredible that I can use my own hands and knowledge to help people achieve their physical goals and heal naturally. Most of all, I love seeing patients get excited over their hard work and progress!

One thing you should know about me is I absolutely love my dog. His name is Indiana (Indy for short), and he’s a Brittany spaniel with a big personality. Finally, outside the clinic, I am an avid adventurer known for dragging Alex on some wild excursions. Together, we have been to 24 states and 4 national parks with a goal to see them all! Some of my favorite adventures include iceberg kayaking in Alaska, hiking to alpine lakes in Washington, and swimming in the Baltic Sea in Sweden! I can’t wait to work with you and hear about your adventures as well!

Noah Esbenshade, DPT, CSCS

Hello, my name is Dr. Noah Esbenshade. Growing up I loved sports and played many. That led me to go to Grove City College to major in exercise science, and I played soccer and 1 year of lacrosse while there. At that time, I wanted to be a strength and conditioning coach and did an internship at EXOS where I had the opportunity to work with a wide range of athletes, middle and high school through professional. It was at this internship that I realized that I like the problem-solving and personal relationships that the PTs got to develop with the athletes. So, I shifted my focus. I graduated from Grove City College in 2020 and attended Messiah University to attain my DPT in 2023.

Outside of PT, I enjoy spending time outdoors. I currently live in the Mount Gretna area which is a great place to run, hike, bike, train for triathlons although I’m not a very good swimmer, and play with my Australian Shepherd dog, Denali. I also enjoy spending time with friends and trying new foods. I look forward to meeting you in the clinic!

Rebecca Clouser, DPT

Hi! My name is Becca, and I am one of the physical therapists at our Harrisburg location of Madden PT. I wanted to take some time to share a bit about myself so that you can get to know me better!

I was born and raised in Palmyra, PA, just outside of Hershey. I attended Palmyra Area High School and quickly realized that I had a passion for working with people and all things science, especially anatomy. I played volleyball for all 4 years of high school, which is what ended up leading to my interest in physical therapy. I don’t have the traditional story where I was injured and attended PT that introduced me to the profession, but rather an important person in my life who suggested I pursue PT. Through playing volleyball, I had special opportunities to observe the care of injured athletes by shadowing with the athletic trainer. The athletic trainer at my high school noticed my interest in treating the human body and helped me set up a time to shadow a physical therapist. I immediately knew that I wanted to become a physical therapist after my first time seeing it in action, and the rest is history!

I always envisioned myself going to a school far away from home, but I could not pass up the opportunity to attend Lebanon Valley College for their nationally recognized physical therapy program. My dad still occasionally reminds me that I picked the closest school possible to my hometown, only 6 miles from where I live. Not quite the distance that I had originally considered when thinking about college, but I could not be happier with the decision I made! I graduated with my undergraduate degree in May 2021 and became a Doctor of Physical Therapy in May 2023. Through my time at Lebanon Valley College, I gained some of my best friends and learned countless skills that I use on a daily basis now in the clinic. As cliche as it sounds, I had some of the best times of my life while enrolled at LVC. Now, I am so glad to be a graduate of LVC as I have gotten to live my dream of working as a physical therapist for the most amazing company (that’s Madden, of course!). I couldn’t imagine myself living and treating anywhere else!

Fun fact, Joe (our Clinic Director for Harrisburg) taught one of my classes my second year of graduate school. His class completely changed the trajectory of my professional life and sparked my interest in manual therapy, which is hands on treatment that we use in conjunction with exercise at Madden PT. The most rewarding aspect of learning from my colleagues while I was in school is that I now work as a Lab Assistant for the same course to help share my experience and knowledge of manual therapy with current LVC students.

Outside of the clinic, you can find me doing a variety of things (especially anything with my friends and family- I am a social butterfly!). Spending time with the most important people in my life is one of the most enjoyable activities for me. My favorite pastime is reading, which is something I try to do every single day. My mom and I bond over books, and sometimes we even do our own mini Book Club! I have been a big reader for my entire life and rediscovered my love for books over the past few years- I actually have a standing goal every year to read 52 books, which is about 1 book every week. So far, I have managed to meet this goal! My favorite genres are thrillers and horror novels, although I do also love the occasional romantic comedy. I am a book nerd so I would love any recommendations that you may have for me!

I am a huge music fan, growing up listening to some of the all-time greats with my dad. I am a huge 60s, 70s, and 80s fan- I especially love The Beatles, Billy Joel, Elton John, Simon & Garfunkel, and Tom Petty. Despite my love for the classics, I also love listening to more modern music. I consider myself a massive Taylor Swift fan (I got to see her in Pittsburgh during the Eras Tour!) as well as Hozier and Noah Kahan. I am always looking for new artists, so feel free to send any new music recommendations my way!

Joe Hribick, DPT, CMPT, COMT

Dr. Joseph Hribick grew up in Lititz, PA and graduated from Manheim Central High School. He earned his Bachelor’s of Health Science degree in 2009 and Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Lebanon Valley College in 2011. Dr. Hribick graduated Valedictorian of his Physical Therapy class, was nominated for the American Physical Therapy Association’s Outstanding Orthopedic Physical Therapy Student Award, and was the recipient of the Academic Achievement Award for his graduating class. From a very young age, he knew that he wanted to choose a career that enabled him to make a difference in the lives of others on a daily basis.

Throughout school, he was very strong in science and math and grew up playing several sports including ice hockey and baseball. He has always been passionate about physical fitness and helping others live a healthy life. The profession of Physical Therapy fit him like a glove! He loves hearing his patients tell him how physical therapy has helped them get their lives back. He also loves being able to make an immediate change in his patients’ pain on their first visit and show them that their condition can be helped.

Outside of the clinic Dr. Hribick loves spending time with his wife and 2 young daughters and enjoys being very physically active. His hobbies include spending a lot of time outdoors doing activities like mountain-biking, trail running, backpacking, skiing, and competing in off-road triathlons. What he likes most is being able to share his experiences with his family and friends. You might be surprised to learn that in addition to working as a physical therapist, Dr. Hribick has a true passion for educating others. He has been serving as an Adjunct Instructor at Lebanon Valley College’s Physical Therapy Department since 2013. He primarily teaches Physical Therapy Doctorate students how to perform hands-on techniques to help their future patients. In addition, he travels around the country and helps teach and mentor other physical therapists in hands-on physical therapy treatment.

Christian Grove, DPT, CMPT

Greetings! My name is Christian. I grew up in the small town of Schaefferstown, located in the heart of PA Dutch country, in the southeastern part of Lebanon County (Lepin Condy). I attended the ELCO school district, where I played soccer and tennis. After graduating from high school, I began my physical therapy coursework at Lebanon Valley College. While there, I was a member of the LVC tennis team. In addition to chasing interests with athletics, I also pursued my passion for the arts by achieving a minor degree in studio art. During the spring semester of my sophomore year, I participated in a study-abroad program in New Zealand. I have had many opportunities to participate in clinical rotations throughout Pennsylvania; however, my most noteworthy clinical rotation was in Phoenix, Arizona, where I lived, studied, and worked for the final semester of my PT Program. In June of 2020, I married Jan, who is the clinic director for Madden Physical Therapy at our Hershey location.

I have worked at Madden Physical Therapy since 2017. I became a Certified Manual Physical Therapist in 2020 through NAIOMT and am now training for a Fellowship of Orthopedic Manual Therapy. I help to teach hands-on physical therapy at Lebanon Valley College and across the country to students and other working clinicians.

As I mentioned earlier, I played tennis in college. Carrying that love for tennis beyond my high school and undergraduate career, I continue to watch pros like Roger Federer and seize every chance I have to hit the courts.

In my free time, I love to listen to all kinds of music. Currently, my go-to is a slow grinding blues from artists like the great Stevie Ray Vaughan or BB King. I also really enjoy Bruce Springsteen, Chris Stapleton, Coldplay, the Eagles, Mumford and sons, Ed Sheeran, Eric Johnson, Los Lonely Boys, Old Crow Medicine Show, Rihanna, Johnny Cash, Trombone Shorty, Jack Johnson, Avenged Sevenfold, John Mayer, Fall Out Boy, Eminem, the Beach Boys, Gustav Mahler, James Taylor, and many many more. Don’t hesitate to stop by and tell me about any new music you may have discovered. I’m always looking for something fresh to listen to!

Growing up in the beautiful countryside of central PA, I cultivated an interest in being active and spending lots of time outdoors. As a young lad, my older brother Charles and I would spend countless hours running around making “forts” interspersed throughout my parents 7-acre farmette, playing homemade games including: “floorgis”, “the crabapple game”, “dodge the walnut”, and even “hey let’s see if we can cut that tree down with only a hatchet and a pipe bomb.”

Aside from being a master of good ol’ fashion fun, I pride myself in my breadth of knowledge of the world of J. R. R. Tolkien. I am huge Lord of the Rings enthusiast, having read The Hobbit and LOTR Trilogy, and am able to quote innumerable lines from the Lord of the Rings movies.

A little-known fact about me, of which only my closest friends are aware, is that I am constantly craving to play complicated strategy games. I love to play Settlers of Catan with friends and family. I also enjoy playing all kinds of card games. Over the years, some of my guilty pleasures include: dabbling in more eclectic games like Risk, Stratego, Magic the Gathering, and Mage Knights.

Some nickel knowledge about me

  • I have hiked on a glacier.
  • I am a coffee connoisseur.
  • I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
  • I have a remarkable collection of argyle socks.
  • I am foodie and wannabe chef.
  • I am a proud owner of a Martin guitar.
  • I love gear.
  • I have a newfound interest in stock market investing.
  • I can’t wait to get to know you better!

Sarah “Tilly” Martz, DPT

Hi there, I am so glad you found us here at Madden Physical Therapy!

I am Tilly… or maybe I should preface that legally my name is Sarah… But if you want to get my attention, I will respond much faster to Tilly!

You might ask… “Well why Tilly?” That is a very good question. Unfortunately it is not my middle name or a name passed down through the family, but I got the nickname back in middle school and still go by it today. There were three girls on my soccer team all with the name Sarah and all with the same middle name as well. They needed me to think of a nickname on the spot and all that I could think of was that my parents sometimes called me Matilda. (I think from an old song, “Waltzing Matilda” that my grandfather used to play in the car.) Anyway, Matilda got shortened to Tilly and it has stuck ever since. And I am definitely okay with that. The more you get to know me, you will see it is a good fit… I love to have a good time, tell a few bad puns along the way, and my hands are always a bit chilly! But you know what they always say, “Cold hands, Warm heart.” At least that is what I always say, and I am sticking to that as well.

A few more things about me…

I grew up in a small town by the name of Turbotville surrounded by cornfields and located in Central PA between Lewisburg (where Bucknell University is) and Williamsport (where the Little League World Series are held). I played soccer, basketball, and ran track throughout high school. I played in two soccer state championship games just down the road in Hershey throughout my time in high school. We came home with the gold medal both times, so Hershey quickly became a pretty sweet place for me. And the area quickly became like another home to me as I got my Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Lebanon Valley College. I continued to be active during college all while trying new things as I competed in Cross Country and Track & Field. I raced anything from the 400 meter to a mile on the track and up to a 6k on the cross country course. I know that may not sound too fun to many people, but it was quite the stress reliever at the time. I continue to stay involved with the LVC Cross Country team to this day as an Assistant Coach focusing on Leadership Development and Mental Training.

I also stay involved with LVC Physical Therapy by serving as a lab assistant to help teach the many hands-on techniques that you will experience here at Madden PT. Needless to say, I love teaching and coaching. Hence why, I love physical therapy. I get to spend time teaching patients more about their body and coaching them to reach their goals! I am very excited to become a team with you.

P.S. I am a self-proclaimed conversationalist, foodie, and traveler. My husband and I just bought a camper to renovate, so get ready to talk about life stories, delicious recipes, and fun adventures!

Mike Fink, PT, DSc, SCS, OCS

Dr. Fink has been a Pennsylvania licensed Physical Therapist since 2000. He is board certified in Sports (2006) and Orthopedics (2007) by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). Dr. Fink is currently a full-time Associate Professor and Chair of the Physical Therapy Department at Lebanon Valley College and part-time clinician at Madden Physical Therapy.

Dr. Fink is an Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom combat veteran with 9 years of active duty service as a United States Air Force physical therapist. Prior to his Air Force direct commission in 2001, he attended Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia where he earned his Masters in Physical Therapy. After 4 years practicing in outpatient orthopedics at Travis Air Force Base, Dr. Fink attended a Post-Professional Doctoral Sports Medicine Residency at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and was awarded his doctoral degree in Sports Physical Therapy by Baylor University. Dr. (Major) Fink’s last active duty position was as the Officer in Charge of the Cadet Physical Therapy Clinic at the United States Air Force Academy.

Dr. Fink has been a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) since 1998, on the ABPTS board of directors overseeing all Physical Therapy board certifications from 2009-2013, and former chair of the Sports Specialty Council that administers the Sports Physical Therapy board examination from 2019-2020. In addition, he is an APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor, a manuscript reviewer for multiple peer reviewed Physical Therapy journals, has authored several journal publications, and teaches Physical Therapy courses throughout the United States and abroad.

Dr. Fink resides in central Pennsylvania with his wife and their four children.

Dan Hinnerschitz, DPT, COMT

Dr. Daniel Hinnerschitz graduated from Lebanon Valley College with his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2012. Since then, he has been employed as a physical therapist at Madden and Gilbert Physical Therapy where he specializes in using hands-on treatments to effectively treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. Dr. Dan has gone through extensive and rigorous post-professional training in order to help his patients achieve exceptional outcomes. He has been the clinic director at our Dauphin location since 2018.

In addition to treating patients, Dr. Dan is also an Adjunct Professor in the PT department at LVC where he has been teaching since 2015. Dr. Dan’s passion for teaching goes well beyond the classroom. He also travels all over the US to train physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in the hands-on treatments that we use right here in Central PA at Madden and Gilbert Physical Therapy.

Dr. Dan is a native of Effort, PA located in the Pocono Mountains where he attended Pleasant Valley High School. When he was recruited to play football at LVC, he discovered their newly established PT program.

Dr. Dan always knew that he wanted to work in the healthcare field and this was the perfect fit for him. “What I like most about physical therapy is that I get to know my patients on a personal level because we spend so much time together.” Outside of work, Dr. Dan is a sports enthusiast. His favorite sports teams are Penn State, the Green Bay Packers, the New York Mets and the New York Rangers. He also enjoys traveling, hiking, and biking. You might be surprised to know that he spent an entire semester studying abroad in New Zealand in 2008!

Ava Huegel, DPT

Hello! My name is Dr. Ava Huegel, and I am a member of the Madden and Gilbert Physical Therapy team in Harrisburg. Here’s a little bit of history for you to get to know me better…I grew up in Strasburg, PA, and attended Lampeter Strasburg School District for the entirety of grade school. After graduation, I took some time and followed my high school sweetheart, Andrew, to North Carolina where he was stationed while serving in the Marine Corps. For approximately a year and a half, I lived and worked as a waitress in the tiny coastal town of Swansboro, NC (a must-visit spot if you appreciate incredible coastal views and food!). By September of 2017, he was finishing up his time in active duty and I was settling on my next endeavor which led us both to Annville, PA as I had been accepted at Lebanon Valley College.

I attended Lebanon Valley College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science degree in 2021 and a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2023. As a student, I was inducted into the National Physical Therapy Student Honor Society and was the recipient of the Distinguished Student Award for my graduating class. I’d like to admit that there was some spectacular epiphany moment that led me to decide on physical therapy as a profession…but realistically, it is more so that it checked the majority of boxes that I found important. I have always loved interacting with and teaching those around me as well as living a healthy lifestyle, and I find the balance between work and home to be vital in sustaining happiness. Physical therapy is a profession that makes it possible to achieve each of my core values and make a lasting impact in the community.

As far as my life beyond the clinic, I have a wide array of passions and hobbies that fill my time. Andrew and I were married in July of 2019 and now reside in Palmyra, PA with our two labrador retrievers, Archer and Sawyer, as well as a handful of chickens. We enjoy traveling to new places together (actually, we just finished up a 10-week cross-country road trip!) and spend lots of time completing projects to improve and personalize our fixer-upper home. I enjoy spending time outside consisting of hiking, fishing, paddle boarding or kayaking, and gardening; however, I do appreciate plenty of time tucked inside reading a good book (I am always looking for new book/author recommendations!).

Now you know a little bit about me, and I can’t wait to hear more about you! Let’s work together to focus on your goals, personalize your care, and ultimately achieve lasting results!

Chad Madden, MSPT, CEO

The Real Story About the Founder of Madden Physical Therapy…

Hi. This is Chad Madden.

For years, I’ve offered up a vanilla, professional, super-safe Bio…and I have it for you below…(just in case that’s what you’re looking for…)

If you’re looking for more though…the real dirt on me…I’ve gone out on a limb and revealed that for you as well…

Regular Bio:

Chad Madden is the Founder of Madden Physical Therapy and #1 Most Watched Back Pain and Sciatica Specialist in the World.

He grew up in West Hanover and graduated from Central Dauphin High School in 1995. He enjoyed a mediocre sports career in football, wrestling and track.

Realizing his strengths were in academics…and not sports…he earned his Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy at College Misericordia in Dallas, PA (outside of Wilkes-Barre). There he played 4 years of baseball…cementing his legacy as a mediocre athlete.

On September 2, 2003, he opened Madden Physical Therapy with a total staff of one receptionist…in a 2,000 square foot clinic on Prince Street. His oldest son was born 3 days later on September 5th…(Good timing!)

Chad’s treatment schedule is limited today as he focuses much of his time and energy working with and helping other Physical Therapy owners across the US and Australia. He is the co-Founder of that company…Breakthrough PT Marketing.

Chad presently lives in East Hanover on a 3 acre farmette with his wife, Stephanie, their 5 children (4 boys and 2 girls), 5 mini donkeys, 7 chickens, 2 cats and a one-eyed Border Collie, Georgia. In their spare time…just kidding…there is no spare time.

So that’s it…see…I warned you…pretty vanilla.

Now the REAL Juicy Stuff…

First, I’m a Bethlehem Steel Baby…

That means my parents met at Bethlehem Steel…and likely conceived me there.

They were young…and made it work.

How young? (My grandmother was 35 when I was born).

They have another son too…my brother…Steve.

Rather than share all the dirt on Steve…I’ll just say that for years I introduced myself as “Steve Madden’s brother.”

In comparison, I was fairly introverted growing up…read a lot of books…especially Encyclopedia Brown and the Hardy Boys.

(I still read a ton today….and have 500+ books in my office…my favorites are a handful of:

Classics from the late, great Charlie “Tremendous” Jones…)

On to sports…I love them…

I just never made a team I tried out for…

5 feet 8 inches…not fast…and skinny is a bad combination…

And frankly, I was just not that good…

In spite of my athletic shortcomings, I played 17 years of baseball, 6 years of basketball, 9 years of football, 3 years of track, wrestled for 2 years…and oh, yeah, played the saxophone and drums.

Why am I telling you this?

Well one of those years, playing football for the Linglestown Colts, Rodney Krasevic tackled me…and I broke my left collar bone.

Back in the day, there wasn’t rehab for a 13 year old with a collar bone fracture…just a butterfly brace for 4 weeks…then go back and play.

Well that didn’t work well…even a few months later…I still didn’t feel 100%…nor even close to it.

So after missing the basketball team at East Jr., it gave me a chance to start lifting weights…

And I noticed immediate changes to my 120 pound body…good changes.

And I saw that lifting and training could change a body.

The seed was planted.

So at this time, I’m pretty much a nerdy bookworm type who was good at science and math who just discovered weight training…

And by the time high school rolled around…I started focusing in on engineering…and taking engineering classes at Central Dauphin HS.

I need to give MAJOR credit to my guidance counselor at CD…Dale Houck…who helped me through some soul searching my Sophomore year…

At the time, the engineer work and career didn’t really appeal to me…I wanted to work more with people.

He recognized this (you know how lousy most 16 year old semi-rebellious boys are at clearly communicating…)

And recommended I start volunteering in a Physical Therapy clinic…to see if that resonated with what I felt my purpose was.

So I did.

And I started volunteering with Dale Hilbolt at 899 S. Arlington Avenue.

Dale was an awesome mentor and helped tremendously to really shape my early PT career.

After volunteering with Dale…I knew Physical Therapy was what I wanted to do.

Routinely, I’ll hear from people who come through Madden PT for treatment, “Wow…I remember when you were back on Prince Street…you’ve really come a long way.”

And I’ll share the same thing with you, that I’ve shared with them:

“The success is a reflection of 3 types of people in my life: People like Dale who helped me in the beginning…World Class staff who care…and the clients we have the privilege and honor to serve everyday.”

Speaking of the important people who nurtured me early on…

We’ve seen a ton of clients who either knew or were initially referred in by my late grandparents…Polly and Jack Madden who lived on Virginia Avenue by the old Central Dauphin High School.

I can remember stopping in after school…grabbing a bowl of Cheez-Itz and a soda…and asking Grandma to wake me up in 11 minutes…so I could make it back in time for a game.

The other thing I clearly remember is Jack (my grandfather) sharing with me his stories of being a beer salesman and promoter for Wilsbach Distributors…and how, in his 37 years of service, he never lost a customer.

That was super important to him…

And it’s something that really stuck with me.

After graduating from Central Dauphin in 1995, I received an academic scholarship to College

Misericordia in Dallas, PA (the College is now called Misericordia University).

It was an ideal setting for me…small, kind of close to home…but far enough away where I could go through the “figure out who I am” phase.

I earned a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy in 2000…and a Bachelor’s of Science Degree.

In my time there I played baseball for 4 years and also was elected Captain my senior year…and was the Assistant Coach my graduate year. And saying I was mediocre would be an overstatement.

After graduation and passing my Physical Therapy license exam…I first worked for Arlington Orthopedics. If memory serves me correct, the PT arm was called Arlington Rehabilitation and Sports Performance.

While I’m not a big fan of Physician Owned Physical Therapy practices…it was an ideal first job for me…and I did that for 2 years.

After that, I took a job as a Clinical Director with Dale’s company…formerly known as First Choice.

In the end, it wasn’t the right fit for me…and I really wanted to do my own thing.

So with my wife being 9 months pregnant (literally)…we opened Madden Physical Therapy on September 2, 2003.

My first son was born 3 days later…on September 5, 2003.

Not the best timing on my part…

But we made it work.

I’m not sure why my timing stunk so bad…I kept thinking if I didn’t do something “Before my first child was born”, I’d never do it.

I can distinctly remember cleaning the office and getting everything set up the day before we were to open (appropriately Labor Day)…and seeing Stephanie, my wife, have to take a break.

And thinking to myself, “Oh $#%&…I better make this work.”

And being committed to doing so.

And it has worked…

The main reason being because we have great people…

Just this morning, the father of a patient stopped me in the parking lot and said, “Hey, I’ve been to a lot of other places…and you have the nicest place. Great people.”

We put a lot of effort into creating a unique healing experience.

It hasn’t always been easy or perfect….

But it’s been an amazing journey.

If you’ve made it this far…I promised you I’d reveal some dirt…here it is:

1. My office is a mess.

I’ve been saying for 6 years now that I’m “reorganizing.” Let’s face it…my strength is in creating, not organizing. Right now, I have the #1 Videos in the world on YouTube for 6 different categories…created the Top 3 Program…am writing 3 books…led the creation of our one-of-a-kind Exercise Card System…so I’m creative. I’m not organized. But I’m surrounded with organized people.

2. I take on crazy BIG projects.

Someone recently said to me, “The thing I like about you is you pretend to act like you don’t know what the limit is.”

While that’s true, it drives some people crazy. I’m an idea man…not necessarily grounded in what most people accept as status quo.

This makes some uncomfortable…yet Madden PT wouldn’t be serving as many people as we are today…we wouldn’t be having people fly in from Colorado or Montana or Kentucky for Physical Therapy…or wouldn’t be coaching over 145 other Physical Therapy companies…if we would have accepted the self-limiting beliefs of others.

3. I’m almost always 3 minutes late…

Real World Update

In spite of my flaws…my wife, Stephanie, and I now have 6 kids (4 sons and 2 daughters), 5 mini donkeys (Peppermint Patty, MoonBeam, Haley, Cactus Kate and Pistol Pete), 2 cats – Lucky & Charms, and a Border Collie named Georgia.

Because Stephanie runs a tight ship at the house…and because of our World Class staff…I’ve been given the opportunity to go out and help 100’s of other Physical Therapists across the US and now in Australia (called “physios” in Australia).

I write 6 mornings per week…and study every night.

Our kids are super active…and both of our parents are supportive in helping us taxi and support.

And I’ll leave you with this:

My favorite verse is, “The stone the builder’s rejected has become the cap stone. The Lord has done this and it is beautiful in our eyes.”

And I think that’s a sound statement to represent my story…and probably your story as well.

So as I shared above, my World Class Team and I are super focused and committed to creating an Amazing Experience for the Clients we work with.

Are you looking for an Amazing Experience?

If you are…and you’d like to share your story…email me at chad.madden@maddenpt.com.

In the subject line write “My Story”.

When you do, I’ll have a special gift just for you.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Chad

PS – Again the easiest way to reach me is my email,  chad.madden@maddenpt.com. I’d love to hear your story…

Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy is here to make life easier for you

If you are in the Harrisburg, PA area or any of the surrounding areas, and you are looking for relief, your search ends here! We are here to help you reach your highest physical potential and get back to the life you love.

Our treatment plans are customized specifically to your goals. We take into account your symptoms, medical history, and any health restrictions you may have, before creating a plan of action for your recovery journey.

We know that is possible for anyone who walks through our doors to achieve their goals! At the end of the day, the Madden & Gilbert Physical Therapy team is here for you, every step along the way. Our success is dependent upon your success, and we strive to create a warm, welcoming environment where you can comfortably heal.

Are you ready to start making progress with your health? Call our office at (717) 901-9487 or click here to request an appointment with one of our experienced Harrisburg physical therapists today. We will be happy to meet with you and create a treatment plan for your journey toward health, healing, and pain relief.

What Our Patients Have to Say!

  • physical therapy Hershey PA

    I am ready to get back to my normal life since having my knee replacement. I can now do everything as before thanks to Madden Therapy & their great staff. The staff is so friendly & they gave 110%, they went above & beyond.

    - Anna N
  • physical therapy Hershey PA

    Knee and wrist pain from arthritis was making me feel so old! After ripping up my stomach with NSAIDS and doing cortisone shots with no relief, I limped into Gilbert to try something different.

    - Corina W.
  • physical therapy Hershey PA

    My rotator cuff injury made it difficult to do activities requiring lifting weighted objects, reaching to the side and behind, and reaching overhead. With Physical Therapy, my range of motion has improved and the pain has decreased.

    - Dennis W.
  • physical therapy Hershey PA

    My PT helped me to get back to normal. Prior to beginning PT I had pain in my neck and right arm along with numbness in my index finger. The pain would wake me early every morning and prevented me by eliminating the pain in my name and arm.

    - Deric M.
  • physical therapy Hershey PA

    Bursitis in my hip prevented me from walking, sitting and climbing stairs pain-free. Sleep was affected as well. The staff at Gilbert was excellent in working with me, teaching me and encouraging me through the exercises. Dr. Abbey, Rachel and Matt worked as a team and provided considerate and consistent care, and I am now pain free and grateful!

    - Diana D.
  • physical therapy Hershey PA

    When I first came to therapy, I had very limited motion in my left ankle. It hurt to walk and use the stairs. It also interfered with my balance. Danny worked diligently to increase my range of motion in the ankle as well as giving me exercises to help my balance.

    - Edna S.