Dr. David Pavao is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who specializes in manual therapy, acute and chronic spine pain, headaches, sports injuries, TMJ, and vertigo. He is a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and serves as Performance’s Chief Clinical Officer and a Regional Director for the North. In his role as Clinical Officer, Dave oversees the professional development of clinical staff, which includes the Performance Student Curriculum, the Mentoring for Performance onboarding program, and the Performance Orthopedic Residency, as well as in-house continuing education to ensure our clinical team and patients have a Best Care experience at Performance.

He is currently an adjunct professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at his alma mater, where he earned the Academic Excellence Award as a student and the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2013. Dave also serves on the Legislative Committee of the Rhode Island American Physical Therapy Association.

When Dave isn’t treating patients or ensuring that all clinical staff at Performance are staying up to date on current clinical standards, he loves spending time with his wife Michelle and his 2 children, Aiden and Grace. He likes to stay active by playing soccer and tennis and coaching Aidan's soccer team.

Specialties:

Manual Therapy

Spine

Headaches

Sports Injuries

TMJ

Vertigo

Undergraduate Degree and Physical Therapy Degree:

University of Rhode Island – B.S. Exercise Science

University of Rhode Island – Doctor of Physical Therapy, 2009

Evidence in Motion Institute of Health Professions - Orthopedic Residency, 2012

Certifications:

Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist

Professional Affiliations:

American Physical Therapy Association

American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy