Theresa Chiaia, PT, DPT

Theresa Chiaia is a Clinical Lead in the Sports Rehabilitation and Performance Center at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). She has over 30 years of experience at HSS in many sections of HSS Rehabilitation and Performance. Theresa earned her PT degrees from NYU and her transitional DPT from University of New England. She has been an integral part of the Women’s Sports Medicine Center since its inception in 1996 and serves as the rehabilitation liaison for the HSS Patellofemoral Center. Her interests include working with the female athlete and conditions related to the Patellofemoral joint, ACL, shoulder impingement, adhesive capsulitis, and Return to Play. Theresa can see patients Direct Access (without a physician referral), is young athlete competent, and an HSS Advanced Hip Clinician. She is a Master Clinician in New York University’s Doctoral PT program. Theresa has served as the team PT for the NY Liberty of the WNBA, and consulted for NY Power soccer team, and NY/NJ Metrostars.

Theresa and her colleague, Polly de Mille RN, RCEP, CSCS have developed a Quality of Movement Assessment (QMA) to help guide athletes in their journey to return to play following lower extremity injury, and to aid the medical team in the return to play decision-making process.

She is published on topics such as the Quality of Movement Assessment, Osteoporosis, Hip Arthroscopy, Patellofemoral Pain, and Musculoskeletal Profile of Soccer Players, and Adhesive Capsulitis as a co-author with Dr. Hannafin.

Theresa enjoys mentoring on a formal and informal basis to help develop clinicians and in turn making herself better.