About Debra Ellis

Debra R. Ellis, MSPT, NCS

Deb has been a Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy through the American Physical Therapy Association Board of Clinical Specialties since 1997. She has over 30 years of experience and has worked in a wide variety of practice settings since graduating in 1991 from Columbia University with a Masters of Science in Physical Therapy. She is a current and active board member for the American Parkinson Disease Association, Massachusetts Chapter.

Since 2004 she has been managing her combined outpatient/home care and consulting physical therapy practice, Deb Ellis Physical Therapy, in Amherst Massachusetts, specializing in the care of people with degenerative neurologic diseases. She has extensive experience with treatment and education/consulting with a wide variety of diagnostic groups including; Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke/CVA, Head Injury, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s), Muscular Dystrophies, Post Polio Syndrome, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Functional Neurologic Disorder (FND), balance disorders, various ataxias and rare chronic neurologic and metabolic diseases affecting neuromuscular function. Since 2009, she has been consistently coordinating and administering a 6 week evidence based exercise program developed at the Boston University Center for Neurologic Rehabilitation for community dwelling people living with Parkinson’s Disease. Additionally, Deb has broad experience developing safe exercise programming for people with osteoporosis.

She has extensive experience with spasticity management, having assisted with the development of a multidisciplinary spasticity clinic and program with the Physiatry department, including participation in intrathecal Baclofen trials when working at Baystate Medical Center.

As part of her practice she also participates in programming at the Atkinson Family Practice, an integrated care family practice in Amherst,MA. This currently includes balance screening clinics and coordination/participation in an ongoing multidisciplinary 5 week Osteoporosis education and exercise program.

Deb Ellis has a strong commitment to both holistic and evidence based exercise approaches.