Instagram story viewer> @dwillofthe9> Tagged

Dustin Willis PT, DPT, PhD(c)

@dwillofthe9

3.3K

followers

3021

following

sports performance physio
residency/fellowship trained x 3
human interaction/pain/movement researcher
DPT Professor
pseudo poet
@doriankahlil 💜💎

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

THE JOURNEY | a lot of times, we only see two points on the continuum: when the rehab journey started, and when we reached the finish line. having a destination and goal to work towards ignites motivation when striving for excellence. so set it, orient your steps towards it, and build intentional milestones to get there with relentless pursuit. in both high tide and low, everything that happens in between is where the magic lies. all the unseen hours of dedication, the reps, the patience required to stay the course, and the confidence built to step back into the arena, more often than not is done without the audience.

so grind in the dark so you can let your light shine. trust the process, even when no one is watching, because resiliency and and character are built when we embrace adversity head on.

kamila’s story has paralleled the heartbeat of what elite athletes endure to get back to the game they love. what a honor it is to be a small part of your journey. proud of you | always

🎥: @nikshawfilms

3

7

“I’ve had a great experience working with Relentless. Whether I was dealing with an injury or just soreness from baseball, they always knew how to help. I’ve come in with elbow and shoulder soreness, or tight hips, and they’ve helped me recover through treatment, exercises, and workouts. Relentless has been a huge help in keeping me healthy and ready to play.” -Sheriff Hall c/o 2029 elite LHP in California-baseball

we are beyond proud of you my boy! go be great this year big ace energy. excited to watch you in the majors one day | shove 😤🔥

3

3

“Working with Kris and her team allows me to work harder, stay healthy, and be able to push myself toward my dreams everyday. The average person doesn’t understand what goes on with the body when put through intense movement and training everyday, but Kris and her team are able to “keep me in the fight.” The comfort, understanding, and due diligence to each and every client is unmatched. With the team’s high level of knowledge and hands on work I can’t speak more highly of the experience I have been given. The organization and reliability of Kris and her team is unmatched as well as their ability to adapt and communicate at an extremely high level. All and all, Kris and her team is who I trust everyday with not only my physical wellness, but my continued pursuit of my career and dreams. Thank you Kris and Team for all you do for me, I’m so blessed for your commitment and hard work supporting my dreams!”-James Heller, RHP Dayton Flyers

We are so incredibly proud of you and grateful to be a small part of your journey James! Top 96-97 in the works, go get em killah 😤🔥

3

0

because knowing the details about your athlete’s repair is important and here is why. the medial and lateral meniscus both help to attenuate force, but have slightly different responsibilities.

•medial meniscus: more of the vertical/compressive load manager
•lateral meniscus: because of its shape and orientation, it goes through more movement, so it is more of the shear manager

knowing the location, type of tear, and additional concomitant details about your athlete can be incredibly helpful when guiding clinical decisions with graded exposure to load. so how do we curate a plan specific to Kamila? one, understanding the demands of her sport helps with reverse programming of what she need to prepare her for movement acquisition on the beach. from there, we use dynamic fluid sequencing to use speed based priming of synovial fluid, dynamic load sharing through met-segmental demands, time under tension exposure, and then plyometric progressions initially biased to more vertical/compressive demands, and then more shearing type movement acquisition when appropriate.

be intentional, set criteria appropriate to their stage of rehab, and allow your athletes to earn their progressions. gotta give dwill and unc their flowers, for the tag team and Bernoulli wisdom respectively. team effort all around, we are just happy to support you and watch you progress Kamila! proud of you, one day at a time 💜🫶🏾

3

8

Wow my heart is extremely full. Year 2 of Camp Vincent Santa Barbara and the community of Santa Barbara showed up and showed out.

I want to express my thanks and gratitude to @iamgabevincent2 @lauren.brenn for allowing me to lead aside you guys and be apart of such a wonderful event.

Want to thank our fiscal sponsor @sansum_diabetes_research_inst for partnering and allowing us the resources to grow exponentially in year 2!

Thank you to @adidasbasketball for being official merch parter of the camp and lacing the campers up with gear.

To all our product sponsors who donated to the goodie bags and prize winners, without you the kids don’t have something to look forward too.

To our amazing high level coaching staff who didn’t take a second off and brought energy each drill, thank you guys for being professional and pouring into the campers.

Last but not least, to the parents, community of Santa Barbara, UCSB, and to Santa Barbara High school for hosting, this year was incredible and can’t wait until next year!

📸 @bellikemike

#CampVincent2026🏀

419

61

Camp Gabe Vincent 2026 📸

@campgabevincent

550

21

Super wholesome beach day with a wild start time! But people who grind at work bring their grind to their entire life. It's fun that Dustin is the second person to mention an eggs benedict. I do think that is one of the perfect breakfast dishes to include on a perfect day off. Glad even with a busy busy schedule, Dustin can imagine a day off.

Hope you enjoy another perfect day off!

14

5

Wednesday we had the opportunity to learn from @dwillofthe9 🧠🩺

We had the incredible opportunity to learn from Dr. Dustin Willis, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and an accomplished clinician, educator, researcher, and performance specialist.

Dr. Willis is a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedics (OCS), a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT), a Therapeutic Pain Specialist (TPS), holds a Certification in Applied Functional Science (CAFS), and is an EXOS Performance Specialist (XPS).

He also earned his PhD, completing his dissertation on the psycho-neuro-endocrine-immunologic mechanisms underlying the transformative power of compassionate care in healthcare.

His extensive clinical and academic background includes completing an orthopedic residency and three fellowships, serving as an interim dean, and serving as faculty at various physical therapy programs throughout Southern California.

Dr. Willis has also worked at the highest levels of sports performance, including serving as a Consultant Physical Therapist for the Los Angeles Lakers. He worked closely with Kevin Durant during the 2024 Olympics and trains LeBron James’ sons, Bronny and Bryce James.

Now based in the Los Angeles area, Dr. Willis has founded his own private company, Will Is The Way, where he works with professional basketball athletes. He also serves as an Associate Professor at Southern California University of Health Sciences.

We had the opportunity to dive deeper into the powerful connection between human connection and authentic patient-centered care within healthcare.

We also explored various continuing education tools to dive deeper into the healing power of compassionate connection as well as other various sports and orthopedic related materials.

Always grateful for opportunities to learn, grow, and expand our perspective on what it means to provide holistic patient care! 🧡 Thank you, Dr. Dustin Willis!

90

3

Probably one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve got to share. Thank you Dustin 🫶🏼

79

2

NBA Summer League 2026 was just what I needed! From the Elite Rehab Conference to virtual connections happening in real life- I feel refueled!

While I loved learning this weekend, it’s the people that really made it special. Find your people, your tribe, those you can learn from, those who cheer for you, those who don’t let you settle.

I’m grateful for the community of people God is developing around me! ❤️

let’s call this season ✨divine connections✨

268

17

family | because where i come from, there is not much difference between your immediate family and everyone else. bloodline vs chosen, to me, they are one in the same. even though mine may be an ocean away, i am beyond grateful to have a physio family who are of a different kind.

the work never stops. even when the last patient at the clinic has finished their session, we’re not done. so much of pursuing excellence is predicated around being a life-long learner, to be inquisitive, and to always seek wisdom no matter what stage you are at in your career. good physio’s are constantly refining their craft. great physio’s have an ability to take that wisdom and connect with whoever is in front of them to solve problems and communicate it in a simple yet salient way. those who seek to be of a different kind, are in constant pursuit of expanding upon those first two characteristics, but match it by being a genuine human, whose authenticity, selflessness, and humility shines through action.

re-charge weekend, leaving with brain gains, appreciation for the players who allow us to be a small part of their journeys, and for the lived experiences we get to make as a team.

missing bro bro, but what a blessing it is to be surrounded by others who are striving to be of a different kind. appreciate all three of you | always 🤙🏽

mahalo @erikmeirapt, we appreciate your organization for sharing knowledge when it comes to elite basketball!

3

13

🎤 Meet Our Panelist: Dr. Dustin Willis, PT, DPT

We’re excited to welcome Dr. Dustin Willis to the inaugural SoCal Sports Rehab Conference!

Dr. Willis is an Associate Professor and Student Success Coordinator in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Southern California University of Health Sciences and the founder of Will is the Way, a concierge physical therapy practice dedicated to high-performance care.

A lifelong learner, Dr. Willis has completed advanced residency and fellowship training in orthopedics, sports physical therapy, manual therapy, biomechanics, and movement performance. His clinical experience includes serving as a physical therapy consultant for the Los Angeles Lakers and working as a sports performance physical therapist with Quantum Performance, where he treated elite athletes—including Kevin Durant during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Most recently, Dr. Willis completed his PhD dissertation at Loma Linda University, where his research focused on the impact of patient-provider relationships and the healing power of compassionate connection. His work earned the 2025 Graduate Research Award, further reflecting his commitment to advancing both the science and the human side of physical therapy.

🏆 Join us on September 5th as Dr. Willis shares his expertise in sports performance, clinical excellence, education, and professional development alongside an outstanding panel of leaders in sports medicine.

🚨 Early Bird pricing is still available for a limited time!
 🎓 Student registration is already discounted—no promo code needed.

⚠️ Attendance is limited to 100 participants, and registration is already filling.

📲 Register through the link in our bio or scan the QR code on the conference flyer.

#SoCalSportsRehab #SportsPhysicalTherapy #SportsMedicine #SportsPerformance #DPTLife

23

1