Our Team

Juan Morales has a philosophy: “Treat the cause, not just the symptoms.” Juan developed an intense interest in physical therapy as an athlete in the schools of Rye, NY, and, after sophomore year, at a high school in Santiago, Chile. “Like everyone else, I was always getting nicked up playing football and basketball, and at first I’d just throw an ice pack or heating pad on whatever was bothering me,” he says. “But I eventually realized that I was treating symptoms alone, which meant that I wasn’t healing as fast or as permanently as I wanted.”

Juan decided to study kinesiology – the movement of the body — at Andres Bello University in Chile, and, after getting a two year degree, came to Sacred Heart University in Fairfield to finish his undergraduate in exercise science/physiology. He then entered Sacred Heart’s highly-respected clinical doctorate course in physical therapy, graduating from the three year program in May, 2009, shortly before joining Darien Physical Therapy. Juan has continued his education, with an emphasis on foot mechanics, manual spine techniques, balance and sports specific training.

Juan believes great therapy starts with the proper diagnosis, followed by hands on care, literally. “Once I identify what a problem is, I implement manual therapy – using my hands in most cases – to treat limitations. If I correctly evaluate a bio-mechanical issue, I can then work on the underlying problem or problems, not simply the symptom.