Barrett Dorko, PT
Physical Therapist, Writer & Teacher | Silver Lake, Ohio
Barrett Dorko was a physical therapist, writer, and teacher based in Ohio who practiced for over 45 years and became the most prolific writer in the physical therapy profession, authoring more than 1,200 published essays. A graduate of Ohio State University (1973), he developed the Simple Contact approach and delivered workshops on manual care and pain in over 300 cities across the United States. Barrett Dorko passed away on March 10, 2024; his essays are preserved here on Physical Therapy Web with his permission.
Background & Experience
- BS in Physical Therapy — Ohio State University (1973)
- Solo practice in Ohio, 1979–2007
- Present at the founding of the APTA Orthopedic Section, 1974
- Trained with Bobath, Stanley Paris, Feldenkrais, Maitland, Kaltenborn, and Grimsby
- Prestige Day Speaker, Cleveland State University Physical Therapy Program
- Author of 1,200+ published essays — the most prolific writer in the physical therapy profession
- Workshops in 300+ cities across the United States since 1980
- Published poet; contributor to the National Association for Poetry Therapy