About Dr. Lori
The Rebel Behind the Resilience
Lori Swanton, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT
I didn’t become a physical therapist to just chase pain.
I became one to dismantle the system that keeps people stuck in it.
Hey, I’m Dr. Lori — a fellowship-trained doctor of physical therapy with a functional medicine twist and a rebellious streak for challenging the cookie-cutter approach to health.
I live, breathe, and work at the intersection of science, movement, and unapologetic ownership of your health. And I’m not here for bandaid fixes, symptom-chasing, or gaslighting BS. I’m here to re-engineer resilience — from the inside out — for high-performing, movement-loving humans who know their body deserves more than "you're just getting older" or "here’s a stretch handout."
But it wasn’t always like this…
Like most PTs, I started by treating movement patterns, following protocols, and addressing the imbalances I found during an examination.
Stretch this. Strengthen that. Try some nerve glides. Add a little manual therapy.
Rinse. Repeat.
I wanted to believe I was making a difference, but deep down, I knew something wasn’t right.
Every treatment plan looked the same — regardless of someone’s lifestyle, stress levels, or overall health. Why? Because the system wasn’t built to care about those things.
The Start of My Journey: Playing by the Rules
When My Body Called Bullsh*t
Then…my own body started yelling.
Despite all my training, credentials, and so-called “healthy habits,” I started unraveling.
Fatigue. Bloating. Anxiety. Brain fog. Hormonal chaos.
And guess what my labs said? “Normal.”
Guess what the advice was? Useless.
Sound familiar?
So I did what I always do — I got curious, scrappy, and a little pissed off. I dove headfirst into functional medicine. Not as a trendy add-on, but as a lifeline. I studied inflammation, nervous system regulation, gut health, hormone cascades, detox pathways — and the tangled web connecting it all.
I finally figured out what was actually going on inside my body… and how to fix it.
And that changed everything about how I show up for my patients.
The Bigger Picture:
Healing That Doesn’t Happen in Silos
Through deeper assessments and functional lab testing, I started connecting the dots between body systems and the musculoskeletal issues most practitioners miss.
Stress and adrenal dysfunction slows recovery
Gut imbalances feed inflammation and fatigue
Hormone chaos affects strength, sleep, and resilience
Detox pathway blockages drive pain and brain fog
So now? I don’t just treat injuries.
I engineer resilience.
From gut to glutes, from hormones to hip mobility — I help active adults rebuild from the inside out, so their body keeps up with the life they actually want to live.
My No BS Resilience Code (aka, the rules I break + truths I live by):
👉 Symptoms are signals.
👉 You’re not broken.
👉 Recovery isn’t a linear checklist — it’s a layered conversation between your systems.
👉 The body heals when we stop guessing and start listening.
👉 Resilience isn’t built by “doing more” — it’s built by doing it smarter.
👉 And healing? It doesn’t happen in silos. And neither do you.
When I’m Not Rebuilding Resilience…
You’ll find me:
☀️ Chasing sunshine (3 winters in Alaska taught me that I am solar powered!)
❄️ Skiing fresh powder
💪 Lifting heavy and living loud
🧭 Biking or hiking Wyoming’s wild terrain
🌊 Getting salty or muddy (depends on the day)
Movement is my medicine — and I fiercely protect the energy that keeps me moving, so I can teach my clients to do the same.
If your body isn’t responding the way you expect… there’s a reason.
If your body isn’t responding the way you expect… there’s a reason.
Most people don’t need to do more.
They need clarity on what’s actually going on….
and what to do next.
Start with the Ability Mapping Assessment.
A simple, structured, personalized breakdown of wha’t holding you back and a clear path forward