Doctor Jo prescribes physical therapy with a side of puppies
Apr 14, 2021 – minute read
Physical therapist by day and YouTube creator by night, Doctor Jo is on a mission to provide the best physical therapy demo videos of stretches and exercises for common injuries and syndromes available.
It all started in 2012 when a friend tried to find a video of exercises for his aching shoulder. Back then, Jo says, “There wasn’t much to find. And the [videos] he could find, he thought we could do much better. So we decided to upload a few videos to see how they would perform.”
They were an instant hit. So Jo and her friend uploaded another one. Then another. Today, AskDoctor Jo is nearly 800 videos strong, with more than 1.1 million loyal subscribers.
Over the years, Doctor Jo’s friendly, accessible videos have helped millions of people relieve everything from fibromyalgia to a stiff neck. That’s because “Doctor Jo” isn’t just a catchy name — it’s her actual title. A practicing physical therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy, Jo has devoted her career to helping people feel better, and she considers her YouTube channel to be an important part of that mission.
Frequently joined by one of her dogs — “the true stars” of her channel, she jokes — Jo’s videos have amassed over 128 million views. In part, that’s due to the way she connects with her audiences during what might be a painful experience.
“I find a little humor and cute puppies tend to make people smile,” she says. “Often when people are hurting, taking a moment away from their pain, even if it’s brief, helps make them feel better. I feel like being relatable and easygoing helps build a rapport with people.”
While Jo loves helping people online, she stresses that there’s no substitute for in-person treatment from a professional.
“First and foremost, having an accurate diagnosis is key to a successful recovery,” she insists. “Nothing beats a professional PT instructing you in person.”
But when a face-to-face appointment isn’t an option — something we’re all familiar with these days — having a trained professional like Doctor Jo demonstrate the exercises is a great option.
Through her channel, Jo reaches people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to a specialist, and she loves knowing that her videos can help relieve their pain.
“This has been one of the most humbling and rewarding things I have ever done,” she says. “Being able to help people all over the world is amazing.”