Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA)

Growing up Emily Domaille had always had a passion for anatomy and how the whole body works together. All through high school, she was very active in sports but with that came injuries which brought her to her first experience in working with a Physical Therapist. The PT she had was amazing and what she did for Emily made her realize that this was the career path she wanted to pursue.

In working at a private PT clinic, she was able to test and expand her knowledge as a newly practicing PTA. She was able to expand her techniques in the use of manual therapy in working with acute and chronic orthopedic patients. Emily is continually seeking new learning experiences to broaden her knowledge in the area of manual therapy that she provides for her patients. 

Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Wisconsin, Platteville, and an associate degree in Physical Therapy Assistant from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College – Green Bay, WI.

Q&A with Emily Domaille

Q. How long have you been a physical therapist assistant?
A. Since 2020.

Q. What areas do you specialize in?
A. Manual therapy techniques and chronic orthopedics.

Q. What brought you to your current style of practice?
A. My expertise in manual therapy came from working in a private practice clinic for over a year. This clinic taught me that the patients’ dysfunction is more than just what they are telling you but also what their body is telling me. You can understand a patient’s impairment by watching and listening to them but you also need to see how the muscle or joint feels to get a true understanding of what is going on.

I have worked in a skilled nursing facility, inpatient and outpatient hospital setting, and outpatient orthopedic clinic. All these sites have provided me with the skill sets that I have now in working with varying diagnoses and ages.  

Q. What can a new patient expect?
A. A new patient can expect me to provide a caring and welcoming environment. I want to get to know each one of my patients so they can feel comfortable with me while I am treating them. I want to create a fun, educational learning experience for each patient I have the opportunity to work with. 

Q. What recent industry trends have you found most noteworthy?
A. The idea that the whole body and the environment you are in works as one unit. If one aspect of that unit is off then it can cause other parts to become dysfunctional. To educate patients on this idea, it’s important to understand that you need to take care of your body as a whole and not just the part that is affected or experiencing dysfunction. Teaching patients also that the environment that they are living in, how they are taking care of themselves mentally and emotionally, and getting enough sleep are all factors that can affect the road to recovery.  

Q. What are your current personal wellness goals and how are you addressing them?
A. My current wellness goals are continuing to improve in rock climbing and getting in my weekly cardio. I always make sure to take time out of a busy week not only to get to the rock climbing gym to work on new rocks and improve strength but also to hang out with friends. This past year, I recently joined a recreational soccer league with a group of friends and forgot how much I missed playing. We may not win every week, but it’s not about the game for me but more so the exercise and enjoyment I get from playing and spending time with good friends.

Q. What are your top three favorite things to do/hobbies?
A. Rock climbing indoors or outdoors at Devil’s Lake State Park, hiking, and trying out new Frisbee golf courses locally, or taking a road trip to try new ones or visit old favorites.

Q. What is your favorite beautiful spot in Milwaukee?
A. I haven’t had the chance to adventure around Milwaukee too much yet. My favorite spot so far is Lion’s Den Gorge just outside of Grafton.

Q. What is your favorite place to eat in Milwaukee?
A. My husband and I moved to the Milwaukee area back in December of 2019, so just four months before Covid hit. Because of this, we haven’t had the opportunity to try all the fine cuisines that Milwaukee can offer. If anyone has suggestions that would be amazing so I can experience the amazing things of this city. 

Q. What do you do to de-stress?
A. The things that I do to de-stress are rock climbing, playing soccer, and getting outside. Anything that gets me outside doing something will always provide a way to relieve any daily stresses that can occur.

Emily Domaille provides physical therapy treatment