Dr. Austin Shutler, PT, DPT
PHYSICAL THERAPIST | ORTHOPEDIC AND MOVEMENT REHABILITATIONCalifornia License: 301054
Location: Healcove — Mission Valley, San Diego
Service: Physical Therapy
Dr. Austin Shutler is a physical therapist at Healcove in Mission Valley, San Diego. He provides one-on-one Physical Therapy for people recovering from injuries, navigating musculoskeletal concerns, rebuilding strength or mobility, and working toward a more confident return to activity.
His clinical experience includes outpatient orthopedics, athletic rehabilitation, occupational injuries, post-surgical care, injury prevention, and return-to-activity programming. He has worked with athletes, active adults, older adults, and people experiencing acute or persistent movement limitations that affect daily life.
Austin’s approach is thoughtful, movement-based, and educational. His care may include functional assessment, hands-on treatment, progressive strengthening, balance or coordination work, breathing mechanics, guided movement, and patient education based on the person’s condition, goals, and progress.
One-on-One Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation, and Return to Activity
Austin’s Physical Therapy care is grounded in careful assessment, dedicated attention, and a clear understanding of what each person wants to return to.
At Healcove, his work may support people recovering from orthopedic or sports injuries, rebuilding after surgery, navigating work-related strain, or addressing limitations in strength, mobility, balance, coordination, and movement confidence.
Each appointment is provided one-on-one without overlapping patient care. Treatment may include hands-on techniques, guided movement or exercise, progressive strengthening, breathing and movement education, and a personalized plan that evolves with the client’s response and progress.
Services Offered
Austin provides Physical Therapy at Healcove, including:
Physical Therapy Initial Exam & Treatment
Physical Therapy follow-up care
Physical Therapy reassessments
Orthopedic and musculoskeletal rehabilitation
Sports injury and return-to-activity rehabilitation
Post-surgical rehabilitation
Work-related injury rehabilitation
Strength, mobility, balance, and coordination support
Injury-prevention and movement guidance
Personal Injury Physical Therapy, when appropriate
VA Physical Therapy when authorized through the correct VA Community Care pathway
Focus Areas
Austin commonly works with people experiencing:
Orthopedic and musculoskeletal injuries
Sports and activity-related injuries
Work-related strains, sprains, and movement limitations
Post-surgical rehabilitation needs
Back, shoulder, hip, knee, or joint-related concerns
Reduced strength, mobility, balance, or coordination
Movement restrictions
Recurring or persistent pain patterns
Difficulty returning to exercise, sport, work, or daily activity
Guarded or uncertain movement after an injury
Injury-prevention and performance-related concerns
Changes in physical capacity following a period of reduced activity
The exact focus of care depends on each person’s symptoms, goals, history, examination, and progress.
About Austin’s Approach
Austin’s care is attentive, movement-based, and shaped around helping clients better understand what may be limiting them. For those who want to learn more about his clinical background, treatment style, and life outside the clinic, the sections here offer a deeper look.
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Austin believes that physical therapy should help people better understand their bodies and take an active role in their recovery.
His care begins by looking beyond the location of discomfort to consider how mobility, strength, balance, coordination, movement patterns, daily demands, and personal goals may be connected.
From there, he develops care around the person in front of him. Sessions may include hands-on treatment, guided movement, progressive strengthening, balance or coordination work, breathing mechanics, and education when appropriate.
Austin’s goal is to give clients a clearer understanding of what they are experiencing and a purposeful path toward greater function and movement confidence.
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Austin earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Findlay in 2021 after completing a Bachelor of Science in Health Science/Pre-Physical Therapy with a minor in Coaching.
His professional experience includes outpatient orthopedic care, sports and athletic rehabilitation, occupational injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation, injury prevention, and return-to-activity programming. He has worked with a broad patient population across insurance-based, occupational, athletic, and private-pay clinical settings.
Austin has also provided bodywork and recovery support to the Puerto Rico Women’s National Soccer Team and has experience leading adolescent sports agility and conditioning.
During his doctoral training, he served as a co-investigator on research examining thoracic-spine movement during overhead reaching in individuals with and without symptomatic shoulder pain.
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Austin’s relationship with movement began through football, basketball, baseball, and track. He later played collegiate football at the University of Findlay from 2015 to 2018.
Today, his movement practices include strength training, running, climbing, surfing, and yoga. Austin is also a Registered Yoga Teacher with 200 hours of training and has taught yoga, anatomy, biomechanics, breathing, body awareness, and movement principles in classes, workshops, trainings, and retreat settings.
His yoga background informs his understanding of mobility, breathing, awareness, and movement, but it is not a prescribed component of every Physical Therapy appointment. Care remains grounded in each client’s examination, clinical needs, and goals.
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Austin expands Healcove’s ability to support people through injury recovery, rehabilitation, movement limitations, and a structured return to activity.
Clients book Physical Therapy as its own distinct service. Within those appointments, Austin adapts care according to the client’s examination, condition, goals, and progress.
When another Healcove service may appropriately support the broader care picture, providers can help clients understand their options and coordinate care when appropriate.
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Outside the clinic, Austin maintains an active and varied relationship with movement through surfing, climbing, running, strength training, yoga, snowboarding, hiking, and other outdoor adventures.
As a Registered Yoga Teacher, he has taught group classes, movement and breathing workshops, and portions of yoga-teacher trainings focused on anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, injury awareness, breathing, and the nervous system. He has also helped lead yoga and wellness retreats, bringing together movement, education, mindfulness, and time outdoors.
Austin’s work beyond the treatment room has included youth agility and conditioning, personal training, wellness consultations, and volunteer bodywork and recovery support. When he is slowing down, he enjoys meditation, music, reading, and continuing to learn about movement, health, and the ways people connect with their bodies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Dr. Austin Shutler commonly work with?
Austin commonly works with people recovering from orthopedic or sports injuries, post-surgical conditions, occupational injuries, movement restrictions, and changes in strength, mobility, balance, or coordination. He also supports people working toward a confident return to exercise, sport, work, and daily activities.
The exact focus of care depends on each person’s symptoms, goals, history, examination, and progress.
Where does Dr. Austin Shutler practice?
Dr. Austin Shutler practices at Healcove in Mission Valley, San Diego.
What type of care does Austin provide?
Austin provides one-on-one Physical Therapy. Visits may include health and injury history, movement and functional assessment, hands-on treatment, guided movement or exercise, progressive strengthening, balance or coordination work, breathing mechanics, and patient education when appropriate.
What happens during my first appointment with Austin?
Your first appointment is a 60-minute Physical Therapy Initial Exam & Treatment. Austin will review your health and injury history, discuss your symptoms and goals, assess relevant mobility, strength, balance, and movement patterns, and provide initial treatment when appropriate.
He will then explain what the examination suggests and recommend next steps based on your needs and goals.
Is Austin a good fit for sports injuries or returning to activity?
Austin may be a good fit for people recovering from sports or activity-related injuries, rebuilding physical capacity, or working toward a return to exercise, sport, work, or everyday movement.
His background in athletics, orthopedic rehabilitation, progressive strengthening, and return-to-activity programming helps inform this area of care.
Does Austin incorporate yoga into Physical Therapy?
Austin’s yoga training informs his understanding of mobility, breathing, body awareness, and movement. Yoga is not automatically included in Physical Therapy appointments.
Each session remains grounded in the client’s examination, clinical needs, goals, and plan of care.
Can I book directly with Austin?
Private-pay clients may book a Physical Therapy Initial Exam & Treatment with Austin online when appointments are available.
Follow-up appointments and reassessments are scheduled through the front desk after Austin establishes the plan of care. Authorized VA Community Care and qualifying Personal Injury appointments are also coordinated through the front desk.
Start with Physical Therapy.
If an injury, movement limitation, or change in physical capacity has been affecting how you work, exercise, or participate in daily life, Austin can help assess what may be contributing and guide the next steps.