I've been through PT three or four times over the last 25 years, and this was my best experience with it. The convenience of the location is nice, but more importantly the quality of care from the practitioners and staff and practitioners was excellent. They are a small, dedicated and caring group. I was in for an old shoulder injury that was causing debilitating pain. I came in skeptical of what PT would do for me (frankly, it was bad enough that I wanted surgery but my doc insisted on PT first). However, over the course of two months and 20+ sessions this team got my shoulder and back to a better place then they've been in many years. Jackie and David were my primary clinicians, while Emily provided care on 2 or 3 of my visits. All of them were friendly and professional, and empathetic to my pain. They all stayed coordinated on my progress and exercises to ensure that my care was appropriately integrated from session to session, even as I bounced around between them. They gave me clear instructions for my at-home exercises, and continually worked with me to progress my exercises, use resistance training to improve how my arms, shoulder, back and neck were working. Throughout the entire process, they clearly and consistently communicated the "why" behind each of the exercises, explaining the benefits each activity would provide. Moreover, the entire group was friendly and funny. Their attitudes, clear enthusiasm for their work, and camaraderie with each other made for a very positive environment in a place where folks are generally trying to deal with pain. Also, the support staff were great as well. Whitney and the rest of the team made scheduling easy, and were always supportive when dealing with (and appropriate level of) rescheduling as well as any administrative/account/billing questions. This is a great group of people. And while I hope I don't have to do physical therapy again, if I do I'll go to this location. read more

First off, everyone at this Athletico location is completely awesome. All super knowledgeable, incredibly friendly, and truly care about getting you back to your normal self. The dynamic between everyone is extremely positive and creates a great environment, so you're not like, "Ugh I'm going to go to Athletico so Jackie can kill me with the Graston technique which I know is super helpful but hurts like a B", but more like, "Oh cool I'm going to go spend an hour with some cool people who work wonders to get me better ASAP". Nicole and Whitney were always very accommodating and never annoyed (that I know of) when I'd have to change my appointments 12 times a week due to work meetings. I'd be annoyed with me, so props to them. About halfway through my PT I ended up moving offices and a different Athletico was technically closer to me, but I didn't want to leave the team at Merch Mart because they were just suburb. I don't plan on injuring myself again but if I do, I'd go back to them in a heartbeat. Pros - Excellent people who are friendly, top-knotch, professional therapists. Cons - Jackie may come after you with her Graston tools (kidding I know they're good... ;) ) All seriousness, these guys are the real deal. Go to them. read more

If you love gyms, this is located in a gym. I'm fine with gyms. I find the gray/blueish hue instills a tranquil, yet motivational ambiance. There is not a Taco Bell, however, located near this gym. I love Taco Bell. Perhaps that is why I busted my ankle. But who is to know? Not this guy. I would compare this location and it's service to my experience while eating a Crunch Wrap Supreme (CWS) (from Taco Bell). The delicate bedside manner is comparable to the soft, and lightly grilled tortilla encasing what is the CWS goodness. The feeling of warmth I get when walking into the Athletico is comparable to the warm feeling i get when my lips touch the ground beef and the melted cheese ecstasy. The physical improvements I feel in my ankle week after week are comparable to the lettuce/diced tomato one-two punch; it's hard work, but it's worth it in the end. The cooling sensation I feel when icing up with the fan on my head is comparable to the sour creme of the CWS which helps counter the hot saussss that smothers what is my CWS. Anyways, great service, great team and incredible bedside manner. My ankle feels great, and I couldn't have done it without them. I would recommend to anyone. read more

This was my 4th PT location, and was probably my best experience so far for a number of reasons: 1.) Emily, Stephen, and Elise were all great. I always got plenty of attention and exercises that I could do during therapy & at home. They were always very open with me about my progression through therapy rather than focused on keeping me as long as possible. This was really encouraging and motivating as I worked through my injury. 2.) Location is perfect for anyone working in the Merch Mart area (River North Gym). 3.) I NEVER had an issue scheduling an appointment when I needed it. I have pretty long work days, so this was a mandatory for me and not all PT locations have been able to accommodate me like Athletico Merch Mart. 4.) Two words: Rumble Roller.. I will probably buy one for myself now that I can't use it in therapy anymore. I highly recommend this location and these therapists if you are dealing with any sort of injury. They are knowledgeable, super easy to talk to, and will to work around your schedule. Most importantly, they genuinely care about getting their patients better. What else could you ask for? read more

I had a knee injury from running and my doctor sent me to see Emily at Athletico. I was in PT for a little over 2 months and had an extremely positive experience. Not only am I back to running, but I know a lot more about what I need to do going forward to maintain strength and flexibility in order to avoid getting injured again. I saw Emily for most of my appointments and Stephen a few times as well. They were both great at assessing where I was in the recovery process and explaining my progress to me, and clearly really care about their patients. Inevitably, PT is repetitive and can be a little frustrating when you don't see progress right away, but this clinic definitely makes it better by providing an enjoyable environment. Everyone on the staff is fun, personable, and easy to talk to. The clinic is quite small, which is a bit inconvenient but they do a great job working with the limited space they have. Otherwise, the location was extremely convenient for me and they were able to fully accommodate my schedule with plenty of flexibility. Thank you so much, Emily & co! read more

I came to Athletico after a nasty fall, which resulted in a fractured femur and a subsequent surgery. While I did have some non-weight bearing In-Home Physical Therapy immediately after surgery, I was still fairly home bound until I came to Athletico the week after I was released from my surgeon as being able to be weight bearing. While at Athletico, I worked with Stephen Crean, Emily Peele and Elise Sieracki in an effort to get my flexibility, strength and mobility back on track. In these past months, I can say with all sincerity that they made this experience much more fun than anyone would have expected. I jokingly will always consider the foam roller a torture device, but I can't express enough how much appreciation I have for their cheerful attitude and ability to create a positive environment. ...music choices were always on point as well! I highly recommend any member of this team if you are in need of Physical Therapy. Thank you to Athletico for providing such fantastic service and employing such a strong, talented and supportive team. read more

First things first: if you hate gyms, well...this is located in a gym. I hate gyms. And I hate gray. This Athletico location is inside a gray gym. Gyms depress me, and gray makes me feel like I'm in the Soviet Union or something. I had to use a gym locker room. I hate locker rooms. I don't want to look up and see someone's junk. (Don't care so much if someone sees mine; guess that's a double-standard, but oh well.) The locker room has a lot of gray in it. And it constantly has ESPN-2 on, and no matter what time I go there, it's always the same: two or three people screaming at each other about MLB or NBA. (So why did I go to this location? Because I can jump there from work.) But hey, my knee sucked, so I had to go. And I'm glad I did. Everybody -- and I mean *everybody* -- at Athletico was awesome. I (barely) walked in with excruciating knee pain, and after the first session I could tell there was significant improvement. Don't know what to say, other than...if you need PT, come to this Athletico. You'll be glad you did. Vote Quimby. read more

Thanks to Emily's help I can say "goodbye weak, painful and stiff ankle; hello long walks, bike rides and dancing." I was nervous about PT and had put it off despite the limitations and pain of my post-operative ankle. Emily made me feel comfortable the moment I walked in. She is amazing! Her knowledge of muscles, joints etc. is extremely impressive and she shares that knowledge in a very understandable and straightforward way. She's incredibly receptive to discussion about my injury or rehab program and I never hesitate to ask questions. She frequently checks in while I exercise, making sure the pace and intensity level is helping, not hurting. She changes up home exercise plans so they stay fresh and challenging. The location is fantastic - right next door to my work - and the room is small but it adds to the feeling that I'm receiving the attention I need. I leave my sessions feeling taken care of and that Emily is determined help me reach my goal. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend this great PT! read more

I have been receiving treatment at the Athletico Merchadise Mart for approximately two months for an ankle injury. I have been extremely happy with my experience, both in the outcome of my treatment but also the care and consideration the entire team showed me through my recovery. With a very busy schedule, I was always able to find availability and they were able to accommodate last minute schedule changes. They made the insurance submission process seamless and were a strong advocate for me when complications arose. The team created a welcoming and fun environment, which was important given the amount of time I spent there each week. I enjoyed getting to know everyone personally and feeling like part of the Athletico family. Most importantly the team was knowledgeable and tailored a recovery plan specific to my objectives. As I near the end of my treatment here I'm pleased with the progress of my recovery. In a strange way I will miss my time here when it's done. read more

All the therapists are very knowledgeable and helpful. You can tell they care about your well-being. I've worked with Jackie and Stephen the most but Emily is great too! I started developing other issues because of my surgery but they knew right away what I was doing wrong and I've corrected it and don't have any more pain. (They also helped me get a tighter tush so I'm thankful for that too!) I'm a little sad I won't be seeing them again because they make therapy fun and I had a lot in common with the staff, but if I ever injury myself or get another foot surgery they will be the first place I call. They're like a little family there. :-) Justin was great too, he was always on top of my exercises and counting for me when I wasn't -- oops! He will be sorely missed when he leaves. They also have very flexible hours and appointment times, if you can't do the full hour they will work with you. I highlyrecommend this location. read more

Athletico staff was great in working with me to recover from a hamstring pull. Over the course of a couple months I got to work with Emily, David and Jackie and was happy with each one's approach. Everyone was very thorough in addressing questions and I appreciated their sense of confidence in knowing how to address my injury. David was definitely the most intense in terms of the deep tissue massage - the improvement in diminishing my pain and improving function was well worth the discomfort. In the end I think I appreciated his assistance the most. The location is smaller and seems less hectic than others I have utilized which I liked in that it seemed allow for more focused attention during our sessions. I also liked that it was connected to a full service gym so there was access to a full array of machines and the changing facilities were larger than in a storefront PT location. read more

I received excellent care in recovering from a hip replacement at this Athletico facility. The physical therapists Emily, Jacqueline, and Kelly and assistants were professional and very knowledgeable. They worked as a team, which made it easier to schedule the appropriate number appointments each week to make consistent progress on rehabilitation goals. I was a bit concerned at first about seeing different therapists but it worked out very well for me. Each therapist was very knowledgeable about my rehab. I was impressed by their expertise, their interest in hearing my updates between appointments and their attention to detail. They were diligent in determining and observing exercises to insure that they were appropriately challenging and performed correctly. They were also very nice people who seemed to genuinely care about my progress. The experience was excellent for me! read more

I was training for the Chicago Marathon and developed a knee injury from running, my doctor recommended that I see Emily at Athletico in the Merch Mart, and what a great experience it turned out to be! I was in the clinic for 6 weeks, 3/x a week. The staff was very accommodating and helpful to guide me through my exercises. Both PT's, Emily and Stephen, were incredibly attentive and helpful, they developed a plan that addressed my issue and set me up for post-physical therapy success with a recovery game plan. The location is great, although the clinic is fairly small, everyone makes due and is able to get through their routine's without much trouble. Scheduling appointments at convenient times was also fairly easy. With the help of Emily, Stephen, and the PT Aide's, I was able to complete my first Marathon and I am extremely grateful for their guidance! read more

I was recently diagnosed with a small herniated disc in my lower back. My family doctor recommended physical therapy. Never having had any sort of PT in the past, I was skeptical. I picked the Mart location because of its convenience to work, but am glad that I did. Emily, the physical therapist, is top-notch. From the initial evaluation to my current state towards recovery, Emily has demonstrated the utmost in my personal recovery plan. She is extremely knowledgeable about all types of injuries giving confident feedback to her patients, including myself. While Emily might have 2-3 patients at a time, her attention never wanes and is always available for feedback and questions. Emily maintains high standards of herself which is effective in providing high quality therapy a patient expects and needs. read more

If there was ever an all-star team of Physical Therapists, this would be it. I couldn't be happier with the professionalism and commitment shown by Emily, Jackie and the rest of the staff at this location to help me get back to full strength. In seven weeks, I went from feeling pain in both knees when simply walking to work to being able to run for the first time in three years! Credit is due to the amazing team here and the tailored exercise & stretching programs and injury treatment they provided. Emily went above and beyond from the very start by accompanying me on my doctor's appointment and always pushed me to work harder when I needed it. I would recommend this location to anyone, not only because of the amazing improvement I experienced but it was also a fun and hassle-free experience throughout. read more

Jackie, Emily, and Kelly have all worked on my Achilles Tendonitis and knee pain. They were recommended to me by my Podiatrist. I wasn't sold on the idea of PT but was so sick of not being able to walk anywhere without pain, I decided to give it a fair chance. I stopped by this facility on the way back from seeing my Podiatrist and was immediately made to feel welcome and hopeful. I actually started my first session on the spot. I have been so impressed with their knowledge and dedication to my issues. Jackie even went with me to my Podiatrist appointment. The entire staff is very efficient and friendly, and I love that I get reminders about my appointment times. I am well on my way - can actually walk short distances without pain now. I will continue until I am "there". I am now a believer. read more

Had my first knee replacement done in November 2013 and had my physical therapy (PT) done at this location with Kristina Indriksons (who was excellent). I had my other knee replaced in February 2016 and came back again. Different team (Stephen, Emily and Elise), but same result. Super qualified people there. I had some pretty challenging things to deal with and I always felt comfortable with their recommended programs. Administratively efficient with billing / scheduling as well. Being attached to the health club makes a difference with all the equipment and other facilities. Results speak for themselves, I ran on a treadmill with no pain for the first time in 15 years yesterday. I am happy to be done now, but if I need PT in the future this would be my first choice. read more

I've had nothing but positive experiences at this facility. I've been coming in for a neck and shoulder problem and the amazing staff are what makes this place great. The PTs Emily, Jackie, and Kelly are all incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and patient - they make my sessions enjoyable even when I'm in pain. Nicole, who works the front desk, is very responsive and has happily explained my insurance benefits and billing questions. The PT assistants are also all very friendly, and help make the entire clinic run smoothly when things are busy. I really appreciate how flexible they are with scheduling. I travel a lot for work and I've never had a problem with rescheduling, and they always reach out to me when they've had an opening that better suits my schedule. Thank you guys! read more

Stephen, Emily, and Elise are the best!!! I spend 4+ months in physical therapy after a lisfranc fracture and they made the experience as pleasant as it could be. When I was getting frustrated, they would keep my spirits up about the progress I have made and be very encouraging. They listened to my goals and made a program that best suited what I needed in order to get back my strength without taking it too fast and risking reinjury. They are very knowledgeable as well and will tell you what they feel with various muscles in the body. They also attend a visit with my doctor to be able to answer questions he might have about my recovery. I would definitely recommend this facility to anyone that needs to go to physical therapy. They make a not-so-fun experience enjoyable! read more