One-on-One Physical Therapy in San Diego
Understand what may be limiting your movement, and build a clearer path toward stronger, more confident function.
Healcove Physical Therapy combines thoughtful assessment, hands-on treatment, guided movement, and patient education within care designed around your condition, goals, and progress.
Book a Physical Therapy Initial Exam at our Mission Valley clinic.
Ask about VA or Personal Injury Care.
A clearer way forward begins with understanding
You may know what hurts without fully understanding why it keeps returning.
You may have rested, stretched, modified your activities, or tried working through it, only to find that the same limitation continues to shape how you move.
Physical therapy gives us a way to look more closely.
Through movement and functional assessment, your physical therapist evaluates how your mobility, strength, balance, coordination, and movement patterns may be contributing to what you are experiencing. From there, care is shaped around where you are, what matters to you, and what may help you move forward.
You do not need to arrive with all the answers. We begin by understanding the problem together.
Physical therapy may help when you are:
Recovering from an injury or accident
Navigating ongoing pain or physical limitations
Rebuilding mobility, strength, balance, or coordination
Returning to work, exercise, sport, or everyday activities
Feeling uncertain or guarded with certain movements
Experiencing a recurring problem that has not fully resolved
Struggling to make progress through rest or self-directed exercise
Working toward more confident movement after a period of reduced activity
Not every movement limitation has the same cause. Your initial examination helps determine what may be contributing to yours and whether physical therapy is an appropriate next step.
What physical therapy at Healcove may include
Your care may include a combination of:
Movement and functional assessment
We evaluate how your body moves through tasks relevant to your symptoms, daily activities, and goals.
Mobility, strength, and balance testing
Targeted testing helps identify areas that may need greater capacity, control, stability, or mobility.
Hands-on treatment
Manual treatment may be used when appropriate to address mobility, tissue, or movement restrictions as part of the broader plan.
Guided movement and exercise
Your physical therapist may introduce movements or exercises designed to help you build strength, coordination, control, and confidence over time.
Patient education
Understanding what you are experiencing can make the recovery process feel less uncertain. We explain what we observe, what we are working toward, and how your plan may progress.
A personalized care plan
Your plan draws on clinical evidence and experience while being shaped around your examination, condition, goals, response to treatment, and progress.
Not every session or client will include the same techniques. Care is selected according to what is clinically appropriate for the person in front of us.
Dedicated care, without overlapping appointments
At launch, Healcove Physical Therapy is provided one-on-one without overlapping patient care.
That means your appointment time is dedicated to your assessment, treatment, questions, and progression. Your physical therapist can observe how you move, adapt the session as needed, and give you focused guidance throughout the visit.
This is not a rushed or high-volume treatment model. It is a thoughtful process built around attention, clinical reasoning, and meaningful progress.
Your first Physical Therapy appointment
Physical Therapy Initial Exam & Treatment
Your first appointment is a 60-minute client experience designed to understand where you are and where you want to go.
Your physical therapist will:
Review your health history, injury history, symptoms, and goals.
Discuss how the problem is affecting your daily life, work, exercise, or activities.
Assess relevant mobility, strength, balance, and movement patterns.
Explain what the examination suggests.
Provide initial treatment when appropriate.
Recommend a plan for follow-up care based on your needs and goals.
Private-pay Initial Exam & Treatment: $260
.What happens after the initial examination?
Physical therapy is most effective when it follows a clear, assessment-informed progression.
After your examination, your provider will explain whether follow-up care is recommended and how that care may be structured. Sessions may change over time as your movement, capacity, symptoms, and goals evolve.
Follow-up appointments and reassessments are 45-minute client experiences and are scheduled through the front desk after your initial plan of care has been established.
This guided approach helps ensure that each appointment has a purpose within the larger episode of care rather than functioning as an isolated or self-directed visit.
Private-pay follow-up or reassessment: $185
Care designed for participation in real life
Progress is not only about performing an exercise correctly in the clinic.
It may mean:
Getting through the workday with greater comfort
Returning to the gym with more confidence
Moving through daily responsibilities more easily
Rebuilding trust after an injury
Feeling steadier on your feet
Participating in activities that matter to you
Understanding how to respond when symptoms change
Your goals help give the plan direction. We build care around what you want your movement to make possible.
Physical Therapy within the Healcove care ecosystem
Healcove offers physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, and movement-based care within one clinic environment.
Each is a distinct service with its own appointment, provider, scope, and plan of care. When another Healcove service may appropriately support your broader goals, providers can help you understand your options and coordinate care when appropriate.
Integration at Healcove does not mean combining every service into one appointment. It means having access to thoughtful providers who can see the broader care picture while staying grounded in the service you booked.
Meet the Provider
Dr. Austin Shutler, PT, DPT
Dr. Austin Shutler provides Physical Therapy at Healcove with a one-on-one approach centered on careful assessment, clear guidance, and progressive care.
His goal is to help clients better understand what may be limiting their movement and work toward stronger, more confident participation in everyday life.
Austin currently sees Physical Therapy clients on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Ways to begin care
Private pay
Private-pay clients may book a Physical Therapy Initial Exam & Treatment online.
Initial Exam & Treatment: $260
Follow-up or reassessment: $185
Follow-up care is scheduled through the front desk after Austin establishes the plan of care.
Book a Private-Pay Initial Exam
VA Community Care
Healcove accepts Physical Therapy referrals authorized through VA Community Care.
VA Physical Therapy appointments are not booked through the public online scheduler. Your care must first be authorized, and our front desk will help coordinate scheduling once the appropriate referral information is available.
Call About VA Physical Therapy
Personal Injury
Healcove accepts qualifying Personal Injury cases, including care related to auto accidents.
Personal Injury appointments are scheduled through the front desk so our team can review the case and obtain the information needed before your first visit.
Contact Our Personal Injury Team
Commercial health insurance
Healcove does not accept commercial health insurance for Physical Therapy at launch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral to book Physical Therapy?
Private-pay clients may book an initial Physical Therapy appointment directly. VA Community Care requires an authorized referral. Personal Injury cases should contact our front desk before scheduling so we can review the necessary case information.
Any medical referral requirements that may apply to your individual situation can be discussed with our team.
What happens during the first Physical Therapy appointment?
Your first appointment includes a review of your health and injury history, a conversation about your symptoms and goals, and an assessment of relevant mobility, strength, balance, and movement patterns. Initial treatment may also be provided when appropriate.
How long are the appointments?
The Initial Exam & Treatment is a 60-minute client experience. Follow-up sessions and reassessments are 45-minute client experiences.
Will I receive treatment at my first appointment?
Initial treatment is included when appropriate. The exact structure of the appointment depends on your history, examination findings, clinical needs, and available time after the assessment.
What kinds of treatment does Physical Therapy include?
Care may include movement and functional assessment, hands-on treatment, guided movement or exercise, patient education, and a personalized care plan. Not every client receives the same techniques.
How many appointments will I need?
The number and frequency of appointments depend on your condition, goals, examination findings, progress, and—when applicable—the terms of an authorization. Austin will discuss the recommended plan after evaluating you.
Can I book a follow-up appointment online?
Follow-ups and reassessments are scheduled through the front desk after Austin establishes your plan of care. Only private-pay Initial Exam & Treatment appointments are publicly bookable online.
Does Healcove accept insurance for Physical Therapy?
Healcove does not accept commercial health insurance for Physical Therapy at launch. We do accept private payment, authorized VA Community Care, and qualifying Personal Injury cases.
Can I use my VA Community Care benefits for Physical Therapy?
Healcove accepts Physical Therapy care when it has been properly authorized through VA Community Care. Contact our team if you have an authorization or would like guidance about the information needed before scheduling.
Do you accept Personal Injury cases?
Yes. Healcove accepts qualifying Personal Injury cases. These appointments must be coordinated through the front desk rather than booked through the public online scheduler.
Can I receive Physical Therapy and another Healcove service?
Yes, when each service is appropriate for your needs. Physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, and other Healcove services remain separately booked forms of care. Our providers can help coordinate across the clinic when appropriate.
What should I wear?
Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move and gives your physical therapist appropriate access to the area being evaluated. Our team can provide more specific guidance when your appointment is scheduled.
Let’s understand what is limiting your movement.
Begin with a one-on-one Physical Therapy examination and a care plan shaped around where you are, what you need, and where you want to go.