“Dani and I worked together remotely. She was able to help me fix some hip issues and glaring imbalances in my squat. Honestly I wouldn’t have been able to compete at the level I wanted to without her guidance through that time period. ”

“I’ve been officially in the business over 15 years now, unofficially 22ish years. In that time I’ve become unimpressed with the S&C, physical therapy, and fitness business from the education at the university level to the continuing education amongst those platforms. I’ve been very fortunate to build a network of brilliant people all over the world whom “get it” and don’t accept dogma as the way things should be done. ALL of those people are generous with their time and knowledge. Dani is one of those people. She applies her knowledge on herself. This is a big deal because she’s chasing world record numbers. Voodoo doesn’t work in the real world- results do. Through her writing and consultation with my staff at Umberger Performance, she’s provided insight in various aspects of human performance which has changed the way we approach many situations. She changed the way I teach squatting technique to our powerlifting team. She’s always thinking outside the box and asking very pointed and specific questions to provide logical solutions to injuries. The traditional PT model calls for band aids to injuries. She sees the bigger picture seeking to understand how the individuals body works and moves. Only after that does she provide a solution from her vast knowledge base. Not a text book carbon copy or a “guru’s” thoughts on “proper movement patterns. She’s in the minority with those beliefs. In this case, that’s a wonderful thing. Every athlete or coach could use some “Dani” in their lives. ”

“Dani has played an instrumental role in me continuing to progress in my strength pursuits, despite dealing with injuries. Her knowledge as a DPT and background as an elite power lifter give her a unique insight into how to diagnose and rehab an injury but also how to manage the specific requirements of a strength athlete. Without her help I would still be struggling with chronic pain.”

“I played rugby for close to 10 years; it was hard on my body. In the past, I had negative experiences with physical therapists, who never really solved any of my problems. I saw my PCP for recurring shoulder pain and was hesitant when she recommended PT. Dani changed my opinion about physical therapy. I could spend a good bit of time telling you all the things I appreciate about Dani as a PT provider, but for me, hands down the most important quality was that she actually listened. Dani took time to listen and understand my 12 year shoulder issue, got creative when my body didn’t follow the expected treatment trajectory, and was responsive when I had questions or issues pop up between visits. There’s never a dumb question with Dani; she always took the time to answer questions, explaining the anatomy and function behind what we were doing, and more importantly the why. My long standing shoulder injury required surgical repair, and I was lucky enough to keep working with Dani post-op. She was beyond supportive, encouraging when my anxiety got the best of me, and found solutions that worked for my body, situation, and lifestyle. I’ve worked with Dani on my shoulder, knees and related groin pain. Her goals are always simple, she wants you to feel better and to give you tools so you can keep yourself feeling that way. Dani doesn’t want PT to be in your life as a constant; she focuses on moving you forward. Dani gets everything going in the right direction, then gives you the skills and tools to care for your body yourself. On the chance that that you need some back up, she’s always there. I have no pause saying that I trust my entire body with Dani, because I know she’s going to care for it with the same attention as if it was her own. ”

“I first saw Dani about a year and a half ago in response to pain that developed in my upper back while prepping for a powerlifting meet. I was just about 8 weeks out and fearful that I would have to discontinue my training due to the severity of the pain. During my first consultation, Dani was able to identify the source of my pain and provide me with some simple at-home exercises to supplement my training. I appreciate the time that Dani took to get to know me- not just my movement patterns, but also my long and short term athletic goals. Within days, the pain in my back was alleviated and I was able to train and compete successfully. I continue to see Dani as I notice changes in my training and she is immediately able to identify my imbalances and get my training back on track. As an athlete herself, Dani understands the importance of addressing injury and pain while also keeping competitive goals in mind. While her expertise is second to none, her compassion and kindness is what I find most impressive. The sincere passion she has for her work is evident in the care that she takes with seeing her clients’ health improve- not by focusing on short-term pain management solutions, but identifying and treating the source of the problem with the goal of long-term physical wellness in mind. ”

“Through my decade plus of heavy lifting, I’d never consulted a trained professional. I would push myself each week, make progress, but inevitably get hurt and need to take time off. This was a fun game in my 20s but as a father in my 30s, getting hurt meant being unable to train but more importantly it meant I couldn’t play with my kids as much as I wanted. It was time to seek help. I reached out to David and Dani of Merge Performance because I knew they were experts in the field who also valued my goal of strength in the core powerlifting movements. With their help, I revised my squat mechanics, addressed the weaknesses in my deadlift form, and built core strength like never before. While I initially had fears that their programming would detract from my powerlifting focus, over the course of my 8 week program, I found that I felt healthier than any time during my strength training and came out on the other end stronger. David met with my multiple times, reviewed my training footage, and video-conferenced with me to show me new movements to incorporate. It was clear throughout that my health and growth as a strength athlete was their ultimate goal and I couldn’t be happier with my decision to reach out.”

“It’s both an honor and a privilege to be able to write a testimonial for Dani. Dani and I worked together when we were both coaches with Complete Human Performance, and she is one of the few in the industry that actually cares about her clients. She is also one of the few coaches that will talk with other coaches, like myself, and bounce ideas so we are all continually improving our craft. Whether it’s rehab or strength training, hiring Dani will be one of the best investments you will make for both your body and mind.”