Mendel Romanenko, DPT

Mendel Romanenko earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University, graduating with honors. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, which informs his integrative, patient-centered approach to care. His clinical training spans acute care and outpatient orthopedic settings, with specialized experience supporting dancers, acrobats, aerialists, and other performing artists through injury and recovery. Mendel brings a distinctive blend of scientific precision and artistic intuition to the therapeutic process.

With over a decade of experience as a movement educator and professional acrobat, Mendel continues to perform internationally while treating a wide range of clinical populations. He has worked with patients recovering from surgery, individuals with vestibular dysfunction or concussions, older adults, office workers, and athletes at various levels. His ability to tailor care to each person’s unique movement history, whether sedentary or elite, helps restore strength, confidence, and functional independence. Known for his sharp clinical reasoning, calm presence, and collaborative mindset, Mendel thrives in interdisciplinary environments.

A lifelong mover, starting with climbing ladders before he could walk and scaring his poor mother who did her best to keep up, Mendel grew up playing nearly every sport he could – an early foundation that later evolved into a career in the circus arts and acrobatics. He believes movement is both medicine and self-expression. As he often says, “movement is life.” During his early clinical training, he worked with a retired musician who had begun veering off path while walking, eventually leading to a fall that left him fearful of going outside alone. Instead of relying solely on conventional balance exercises, Mendel wove rhythm and coordination drills into their sessions, drawing on the patient’s lifelong connection to music. Within weeks, his gait steadied, and more importantly, his confidence returned. That experience reinforced Mendel’s core belief: healing deepens when people are seen not just as patients, but as whole stories in motion. Today, whether he’s helping a performer return to stage or an older adult walk safely in their neighborhood, Mendel strives to blend empathy, science, and creativity. He looks forward to continuing his growth in settings that value innovation, inclusion, and human-centered care – places where he can bring both handstands and heart.