
Dr. Jake Giese, PT, DPT specializes in shoulder pain, nerve pain, and manual therapy for active adults who want to keep training, not sit on the sidelines. With a background in biomechanics research and years spent inside the CrossFit community, he understands the demands athletes place on their bodies and the frustration of being told to simply "rest and do basic exercises" His approach centers on hands-on manual therapy paired with intelligent, progressive loading and specific care treating pain at its source while keeping patients moving toward their goals.
Dr. Jake earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Carroll University, building on an undergraduate degree in exercise science from the same school. A lifelong athlete, he grew up playing soccer, basketball, and track in Wisconsin before earning a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo.
Today he stays active through backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing, lifting, running, and cycling, experience that shapes how he coaches patients back to the activities they love rather than away from them.
Dr. Jake founded Flex Forward Physical Therapy & Wellness, based inside CrossFit Kilter, where he built the FLEX System — a proprietary framework guiding patients from Find to Loosen & Load to Educate & Rewire to Excel Beyond Pain. He uses VALD ForceDecks and DynaMo performance testing to bring objective, data-driven insight to rehab and return-to-sport decisions, and draws on osteopathic manual therapy techniques to get to the root of shoulder and nerve-related pain quickly.
Dr. Jake is committed to a hands-on, performance-first model of care that treats every patient like an athlete, because getting back to the gym, the trail, or the field is the real measure of success. His goal is to help every patient move better, feel stronger, and stay in the activities that matter to them.

Dr. Eric Soto PT, DPT was born in Hemet, California, and later moved to Waukegan area, where he went to high school. He began his higher education at College of Lake County before transferring to Northeastern Illinois University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Biology. He went on to complete his Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. A Mexican American and native Spanish speaker, Eric brings a background that allows him to connect with a wide range of patients and communicate care clearly, in whatever language patients are most comfortable with.
Eric's approach to physical therapy is rooted in using scientific research and evidence-based care to meet each patient's highest level of need and improve their overall quality of life. As a sport-driven physical therapist, he's especially passionate about promoting active lifestyles, with cardiac disease remaining the leading cause of death in America, he sees movement and exercise as some of the most powerful tools in his patients' hands.
Outside of the clinic, Eric values time with family and time spent outdoors in nature. You might also run into him at the library, at a local sporting event, or at the gym staying active himself.
Let's get it. 💪
Dr. Jake Giese spent his first years as a travel physical therapist working in almost every setting there was.
Through these experiences he quickly noticed there was a trend in all locations he worked...
Most patient care was focused more on the financial gain of the insurance company & company he was working for rather than the quality of care provided and needs of his patients. This did not fit Dr. Jake's core values.
He also noticed our healthcare system is setup to just patch you up with a "band aid" or quick fix and send you back out without solving the root cause of the issue, answering questions, or providing solutions. This leads to problems of unresolved pain, questions, frustration from patients, and people losing their ability to live the lives the way they desire.
Dr. Jake knew he needed to change healthcare, that is why Flex Forward was created. Flex Forward solves this problem by providing a hybrid model of physical therapy bridging the gap between physical therapy & performance with personalized coaching & technology all combined together... that gets rid of the insurance limitations and solves people's exact problems needed to enjoy their lives the fullest.
Our mission is to save millions of people worldwide from unnecessary injections, medications, & surgery & keep people living the lives they love without fear of injury, pain, or not being able to do an activity.
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