What drives us to be Premier?

When you were an infant, no one had to teach you how to creep, crawl, or walk.  It just happened.  Movement is an automatic process that occurs when various components of the human body communicate as one.  Although motion appears to be a simple process, it is not.  The nervous system modulates information to and from muscles, joint capsules, ligaments, bones, cartilage, and other tissues.  Mix this with information from the external environment and it complicates the process even more.  It is amazing that humans are not more sedentary out of fear of injury due to the numerous intricacies involved in our daily activities.  But, we move because that is what our bodies were programmed to do.  And we, at Premier Performance + Rehab, are obsessed with it.  

Through constant wear and tear, our bodies compensate and faulty movement patterns develop and normalize. These dysfunctional movement patterns can lead to injury, decreased performance, and other deficiencies.  Whether you desire to catch a heavy snatch overhead, throw a 100 mph fastball, run between the tackles to move the chains, launch off the ground to kick the game-winning goal, or increase your ability to complete daily tasks, the physical therapists at Premier Performance + Rehab can help you be Premier. 

SERVICES

Words we live by:

Investment

In today’s health care environment, quality is often compromised for the sake of quantity.  This is the impetus behind Premier Performance + Rehab.  We are physical therapists who provide every aspect of your rehabilitation experience. Because you are not working with aides and technicians, we guarantee the quality of care that you will receive.  By providing physical therapy in an one-on-one environment, it enables us to enhance your experience and reach your goals in a shorter time period. 

As independent practitioners, we are not in network with your insurance company.  However, we will provide you with a fee ticket that contains the necessary information to submit to insurance, if you have out-of-network benefits.  Our rates are $275 for the initial evaluation and $250 for each additional session.  Shorter sessions can be set up based on your individual needs.

Dr. Powell J. Bernhardt PT, DPT, MS, COMT, CMTPT, CSCS, DNSP

Dr. Bernhardt became interested in physical therapy during his childhood.  Although a congenital abnormality limited Powell’s athletic production, he poured his heart and soul into helping others achieve their goals.  Dr. Bernhardt graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Honors Program at University of Maryland Eastern Shore with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He also obtained a Master of Science in Applied Computer Science.  Powell received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Temple University where he received several awards including the Matt Williams MPT Scholarship Award and the American Physical Therapy Association Minority Award for Educational Excellence.  Dr. Bernhardt is a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist, and Dry Needling Provider through Myopain Seminars.  Patients suffering from various neuromuscular and musculoskeletal dysfunction can benefit from this technique. He is also a Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist and Certified Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) Practitioner.  Dr. Bernhardt also has additional training from recognized experts on the physical therapy treatment of temporomandibular joint dysfunction and orofacial pain (e.g., jaw pain and headaches), vestibular disorders, visceral manipulation (i.e., gastrointestinal disorders), Reflex Locomotion, Fascial Distortion Model (FDM), Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), Blood Flow Restriction (BFR), ELDOA, and functional-based treatment approaches.  In addition, he has training with kettlebells via StrongFirst.  He also has taken instructional courses on Olympic weightlifting and the ALTIS Performance Therapy Program to help with his practice.  Dr. Bernhardt is a member of the Orthopedic Section and Pain Management Special Interest Group of the American Physical Therapy Association as well as the District of Columbia Physical Therapy Association.  He is licensed in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.  His is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Powell is also an adjunct professor at Howard University.  In addition, he has presented at numerous conferences and published journal articles as well as a textbook chapter on cervical radiculopathy. Currently, he is the Director of Performance Therapy for the Charlotte Hornets but still works in an advisory role with Premier Performance + Rehab.

Dr. Daniel Karp PT, DPT

Dr. Karp is a native of Washington State where he was an NCAA student-athlete. After experiencing multiple knee surgeries and his own rehab odyssey, he pursued a career in physical therapy to help others avoid a similar plight. Daniel finished his undergraduate studies with a major in Physical Education and minors in Biology and Psychology. Daniel earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy from Howard University in Washington, DC. He then went on to complete post-doctoral orthopedic residency training at Temple University. Dr. Karp is a full-body certified Active Release Technique (ART) provider. Daniel has continued his education in Functional Dry Needling, Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS), Reflex Locomotion, Fascial Distortion Model (FDM), Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), Blood Flow Restriction (BFR), ELDOA, visceral manipulation (i.e., gastrointestinal disorders), and has experience with both Russian Kettlebell Challenge and StrongFirst kettlebell courses. He also has taken instructional courses on Olympic weightlifting and the ALTIS Performance Therapy Program to help with his physical therapy practice.  Dr. Karp uses a variety of tools at his disposal to return individuals to optimal function. Daniel is licensed to practice physical therapy in Virginia and the District of Columbia. He is also a member of the Sports and Orthopedic sections of the American Physical Therapy Association.