A Balanced Approach
to Healing
At Back to Life Physical Therapy, we help people move beyond pain and limitation to rediscover freedom, confidence, and balance in their bodies. Whether you’re recovering from injury, managing chronic pain, or striving to move with greater ease, our approach looks at the whole person—not just the area that hurts.
Using the Movement System Impairment approach developed by Dr. Shirley Sahrmann, we analyze how your muscles, joints, and movement patterns interact across your entire body. This allows us to pinpoint the true cause of your discomfort, even when it’s not where your symptoms appear.
Each treatment plan is tailored to your unique needs and in addition to a movement retraining and exercise program, may also include techniques such as manual therapy, myofascial release, visceral mobilization, diaphragmatic breathing, biofeedback, and postural training. Our goal is to restore natural movement patterns so your body can support you with strength, flexibility, and ease.
About the Founder — Amy Selinger, PT, DPT, OCS
Amy Selinger, PT, DPT, OCS (she/her/hers), founded Back to Life Physical Therapy, Inc. in 1999 with a mission to help people with chronic pain live active, fulfilling lives.
Her early work in rehabilitation and acute care revealed how standard physical therapy approaches often overlook the complexity of chronic musculoskeletal pain. This insight led her to study the Movement System Balance Impairment model developed by Shirley Sahrmann, PT, PhD, FAPTA, from Washington University in St. Louis which is a method that integrates biomechanics, neuromuscular control, and functional movement to achieve lasting results.
A Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Amy is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the UCSF Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, where she teaches the relationship between the core, hip, and pelvis. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Southern California (MPT) and a doctorate in physical therapy from Temple University (DPT). Amy continues to expand her expertise and clinical knowledge in areas such as chronic pain science, visceral manipulation, and gender-affirming care as well as always studying in depth how the musculoskeletal system can improve.
About Zia Assad, PT, DPT, CLT
Zia Assad, PT, DPT, CLT (she/they), earned a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Western Carolina University in 2018 and has practiced in outpatient orthopedics since. They are a certified lymphedema therapist, sex counselor, and pelvic health specialist with a passion for helping people who have struggled to find answers, feel understood, and move forward with confidence.
Zia specializes in caring for individuals with complex or persistent conditions, people who feel stuck in their progress, athletes eager to return to sport, oncology patients navigating progressive and chronic conditions, and those experiencing a variety of pelvic floor conditions. Their approach to physical therapy is rooted in relationship, with the belief that each person is the expert on their own body. Through thoughtful assessment, attentive listening, and individualized treatment, Zia creates a collaborative care experience that reflects each client's goals and lived experience. By adapting care to the individual, they help people navigate pain, reconnect with their bodies, and build lasting confidence.
Known for their compassionate presence, strong clinical reasoning, and whole-person approach, Zia combines evidence-informed care, movement, education, and open communication to support meaningful, lasting change. Whether the goal is improving pelvic health, returning to sport, recovering after surgery, or enhancing overall quality of life, they are committed to helping every client feel seen, supported, and empowered throughout their rehabilitation journey.
Holistic Whole-Body Treatment
At Back to Life, we believe the body’s movement system functions as an interconnected whole—when one part is out of balance, others adapt, often leading to pain or dysfunction. That’s why our care goes beyond isolated symptom treatment. We look at how you move, how your body supports itself, and how your daily activities influence your overall function.
Our therapy approach specializes in treating complex, long-standing conditions such as:
Chronic back pain, hip pain, pelvic pain, and sacroiliac (SI) pain
Chronic neck pain, shoulder pain and upper back pain
Postpartum and post-surgical recovery
Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos and other hypermobility–related movement concerns
Balance and coordination challenges
Gastrointestinal and visceral dysfunction affecting movement and comfort
We also focus on how to return to normal activities as well as sports when you have been away from those activities as a result of pain and dysfunction.
We combine hands-on manual therapy, guided exercise, and patient education to uncover and address the root cause of dysfunction. Every session is a partnership—your insight, awareness, and progress guide the process.
Many of our patients come to us after trying traditional physical therapy without success. Here, they find a thoughtful, science-based approach that respects the body’s complexity and capacity to heal.
Our purpose is simple: to help you understand your body, move with confidence, and return to the life you love—balanced, strong, and pain-free.
Watch Amy Selinger’s TedX Talk:
Why We Develop Back Pain
Amy Selinger describes how growing up in our modern society, sitting and cumulative trauma may lead us to develop muscle imbalances that lead to musculoskeletal pain; particularly back pain.
