What patients are saying
Overall rating
4.92
Average wait time
4.87
Bedside manner
4.97
“Iam not sure whether what i was told was enough because the therapist did not do any stretches on me ,she just taught me two more exercises other than the ones i was doing already so i felt there should be something more
”
Mythili S.June 9, 2023
“Dr. Ryan is wonderful, helped me get through my first marathon. I would highly recommend her to anyone seeking out Physical Therapy in Downtown area ”
BHMore than 1 year ago
About Dr. Johanna Russell
Dr. Johanna (Ryan) Russell, PT, DPT is a licensed physical therapist and owner of Refresh Physical Therapy. Dr. Russell graduated from St. Lawrence University in 2009 with a degree in Biology. She then graduated from Sacred Heart University with a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree in 2013. Dr. Russell has held past positions as clinic director, collegiate student athletic trainer and has expanded her credentials as a certified mat-based Pilates Physical Therapy instructor by the Australian Physiotherapy & Pilates Institute, certified Functional Movement Technique RockTape professional, and through specialty courses in running form and analysis.
Dr. Russell’s interest in patient treatment originated from her own rehabilitation experience. As a junior in high school, Johanna suffered a traumatic elbow fracture while playing softball, resulting in two reconstructive surgeries and a year of physical therapy. Dr. Russell’s rehabilitation led her to a career helping others prevent, heal and recover from their injuries. Her experience shaped her empathetic and individualized treatment approach.
Dr. Russell specializes in the treatment of orthopedic and sports related injuries ranging all abilities, ages and degrees of injury, from preventative treatment to postoperative care to chronic injuries. Refresh PT provides specialized recovery programs for neck pain, ACL reconstruction rehabilitation, rotator cuff tendinopathy, hip pain, plantar fasciitis, low back pain, IT Band Syndrome, Runner’s knee, and all other orthopedic conditions. With nine years of experience, Dr. Russell has worked as a clinic director and physical therapist for patients ages 8 to 87. She works with each patient to set personalized, specific and attainable rehabilitation goals.
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Office location
Dr. Johanna Russell, DPT also offers online video visits for patients
Education and background
Practice names
Education and training
- Sacred Heart University, Doctor of Physical Therapy
- St. Lawrence University (Biology)
Awards and publications
- Johanna Russell is a Certified Functional Movement Technique RockTape Professional
Languages spoken
- English
Provider's gender
Female
NPI number
1346675998
Patient reviews
All reviews have been submitted by patients after interacting with the practice.
Overall rating
4.92
Wait time
4.87
Bedside manner
4.97
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39 reviews
Most relevant
Knowledgeable PT who helps me heal from and prevent running injuries. Couldn’t do it without her!
More than 1 year agoDR
Really helpful and friendly! Gave me a lot of advice and explained the information clearly.
July 18, 2022Initials hidden
Iam not sure whether what i was told was enough because the therapist did not do any stretches on me ,she just taught me two more exercises other than the ones i was doing already so i felt there should be something more
June 9, 2023Mythili S.Verified patient
Dr. Ryan is wonderful, helped me get through my first marathon. I would highly recommend her to anyone seeking out Physical Therapy in Downtown area
More than 1 year agoBH
Great physical therapist with amazing rapport and an office that makes you feel comfortable. Joanna is clearly very knowledge and knows how to impart that knowledge in a way that's easy to understand.
Efficient and straightforward staff, with the only issue being they were slow or often failed to pick up the phone when I made a call about appointments.
August 14, 2022Jaidev P.Verified patient
I am a very injury-prone runner and Dr. Russel from Refresh PT not only got me back into running with strength training, stretching, and various massage/release techniques, she also taught me how to manage these issues and to catch them early. She explains it and answers all of my questions in a way that I can fully understand. Through working with Dr. Russel, she was able to resolve my IT band issue, a groin strain, various ankle/foot issues. I’ve worked with a few PTs before and Dr. Russel stands out as the best among all of them. If you need a PT in Boston, Refresh PT is the place to go!
More than 1 year agoAF
I've been a patient of Dr. Russell's (previously Dr. Ryan) for years and can't recommend her enough! I've seen her through a number of injuries, and the exercises and treatment plans she created have been so effective and helpful. On top of that, she and her staff are so kind and attentive, it makes the whole process a breeze. It can be really tough to find good doctors in big cities--I feel so lucky to have found Dr. Russell!
More than 1 year agoAM
Dr. Russell is extraordinary at diagnosing and fixing your injuries! She created a tailored regimen for my injuries that was very successful, and that included very helpful progressions and new activities each week. I have been back to her on multiple occasions and will continue to see her in the future as the need arises. It is incredibly easy to schedule appointments, she is very dedicated, and you will not be disappointed. I highly recommend her practice.
More than 1 year agoBK
Johanna is the best in the business! I went to her originally with some knee pain as I began to train for the Boston marathon and began seeing her regularly as she got me back on track and pain free quickly. She truly cares for her clients and is a pleasure to visit each and every time. Couldn't recommend her highly enough!
More than 1 year agoTC
Dr. Johanna Russell and I worked together throughout my entire 2021 Boston Marathon build-up. She kept me healthy and accountable to doing my own PT exercises at home, and was extremely thoughtful in her care. Each week something new or more advanced was introduced, but only as my body was ready for it. She is professional, and care of her clients. She has experience working with runners and gym rats, like myself, so I completely trusted her advice and incorporated her exercises and recommendations (yoga tune-up balls!) into my daily wellness routines. I look forward to working with her in the future!
More than 1 year agoMG
I can't recommend Refresh Physical Therapy enough!! Johanna and her staff are so kind, organized and great to work with. Johanna helped me come back from multiple running injuries and got me through my first marathon!!! :) I can't thank her enough for all of her help and for making PT so enjoyable!
More than 1 year agoAM
I have been working with Johanna for about 3 years. Her insights, care and teaching have been critical as I dealt with an unclear knee injury. We worked together before, during and after the knee surgery. She takes a holistic approach and her methods and exercises really pay off. I highly recommend her as a outstanding professional and a wonderful person. Also, all people at Refresh are kind and work with you, they are on your team in times when you feel you can use the help.
More than 1 year agoSM
Dr. Russell (Ryan) is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to healing injuries. She doesn't want you to stop doing the types of activities you love, but rather modify or work around them. She's very engaging and pleasant to be around. Highly recommend!
More than 1 year agoAP
Dr. Russell is absolutely phenomenal. I cannot recommend her highly enough. I had never been to PT before seeing her, and was really intimidated. I was experiencing significant back pain - and didn't think there was a way out of it. Couldn't have been more wrong! Dr. Russell is incredible and really takes time to get to know you as a patient. She meets you where you're at. I saw her for several years - including during the "zoom" therapy of COVID era. She was always there for me! Making sure my problems were resolved. Again, she is fantastic! You won't get better PT in or around Boston!
More than 1 year agoJW
Dr. Ryan takes the time to listen and provides a personal treatment plan based on the underlying issue and patient feedback. The activities she recommends address not only the immediate problem, but other areas affected so the problem doesn't return. During recovery, she assesses patient progress and adjusts the treatment as necessary.
More than 1 year agoCH
Dr. Johanna, got me on the right track to get out of my low back pain, after a few weeks of PT we figured out it was more serious and needed an MRI to find source of the problem. She helped me reduce my pain and taught me a lot of great core exercises. Isn't trying to keep you for life, wants you to truly get better, cant ask for much more than that!
More than 1 year agoTK
I've seen Dr. Russell (formerly Dr. Ryan) for multiple issues over a couple years, including shoulder, neck, upper back pain, and lower back pain. She is extremely thorough and takes the time to get to the root of the issues, while also educating and taking the time to explain why discomfort is happening. She is fantastic! I pulled my back out during a workout a couple years ago and it has never felt the same since and getting back into exercise felt daunting and unachievable. The exercises and treatment plans she has created for me have really helped get me back into regular physical activity without major set backs. She is so easy to talk to, flexible and I really enjoy my visits with her! I'm so grateful that I've found Dr. Russell and I recommend her to anyone who is looking for a PT that is going to get you back to feeling your normal self.
More than 1 year agoJO
I came to Dr. Johanna Ryan with some serious hip flexor pain. I had been working out too hard with some poor form and then pushed myself over the edge with a 6-mile hike that I was not ready for; it got to the point that simply walking up stairs really hurt. Dr. Ryan ended up assessing me and teaching me how to stretch, how to have correct form, and helped me understand why I was even having this pain in the first place. After a few weeks of constant work with her and at home I was feeling good as new. Now, whenever I feel any tight muscles or discomfort I have the knowledge to know how to correct my form and stretch properly.
More than 1 year agoPM
Dr. Jo is phenomenal! I have recommended her to multiple friends for everything from Achilles ruptures to sore shoulders - great experiences for all.
More than 1 year agoPL
Incredible. Exceeded my expectations by a million. So friendly, knowledgeable, thorough, kind, and goes above and beyond. Thank you!!
More than 1 year agoInitials hidden
I’ve seen Dr. Ryan for a number of issues, including chronic shoulder pain and occasional neck tightness and hip discomfort. She’s incredibly thorough and always works to get to the root issue, rather than solving for symptoms, and she takes the time to explain what she’s doing and why. Every time I’ve come to her with an injury, I’ve left with a treatment plan that’s designed to help fix the problem (rather than just help me survive it). She’s also INCREDIBLY easy to talk to and it’s so clear she’s personally invested in her patients’ success. I can’t say enough about Johanna and she’s the only PT I’ll see!
More than 1 year agoJB
Dr. Russell is extremely knowledgeable and able to communicate exactly what you need to know regardless of your level of training. As someone who doesn’t have the strongest sense of mind-body connections, she made sure I understood the ‘what, where, when, why, and how’ for what I needed to do. Super patient and personable, Always a pleasure working with Johanna!
More than 1 year agoDK
Dr Johanna has been a trusted medical partner in my recovery since my injury in 2017. I shattered my ankle talus bone, broke the tibia, and had a compound fracture of the fibula. With four months of immobility, and another year of rebuilding and recovery, Dr Johanna took me step by step. I continue today after subsequent surgeries to build and maintain mobility with her expertise, guidance and kindness.
More than 1 year agoPH
I have chronic neck & shoulder pains that cause ongoing migraines but have been hesitant to go to PT because I’ve had very mediocre experiences in the past. Dr Russell changed that dramatically! She is an amazing listener and really seeks to understand your experience so that she can address it holistically. She’s super kind and also realistic about the amount of time most of us have to practice exercises at home - so she gives great practical advice on how to fit them in. I’m so glad I found her! I recommend her to anyone who will listen & she had helped many of my friends and family.
More than 1 year agoLG
November 7, 2024Michael P.Verified patientVideo visit
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May 24, 2022Alisha Y.Verified patient
April 14, 2022Julian S.Verified patientVideo visit
More than 1 year agoRR
How soon can I make an appointment with Dr. Johanna Russell?
Generally, Dr. Johanna Russell has appointments available on Zocdoc within 1 week. You can see Dr. Russell's earliest availability on Zocdoc and make an appointment online.
Is Dr. Johanna Russell accepting new patients?
Dr. Johanna Russell generally accepts new patients on Zocdoc. You can see Dr. Russell's earliest availability on Zocdoc and schedule an appointment online.
Does Dr. Johanna Russell accept my insurance?
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Can I make an appointment with Dr. Johanna Russell online?
Yes, you can make an appointment online with Dr. Russell using Zocdoc. It’s simple, secure, and free.
What practice does Dr. Johanna Russell work with?
Dr. Johanna Russell works with Refresh Physical Therapy.
Where is Dr. Johanna Russell's office located?
Dr. Johanna Russell has 3 office locations in Boston, view full addresses on Dr. Russell's profile.
What are common reasons for patients to see Dr. Johanna Russell?
Dr. Johanna Russell frequently sees patients for Arthritis, Back Pain, New Patient Visit, Physical Therapy Consultation, and Sports Injury. You can see other visit reasons for Dr. Johanna Russell on their profile.
What languages does Dr. Johanna Russell speak?
Dr. Johanna Russell speaks English.
How do patients rate Dr. Johanna Russell in reviews?
39 patients have reviewed Dr. Johanna Russell. The overall rating for this doctor is 4.92/5. They have a 4.97/5 rating for bedside manner and a 4.87/5 rating for wait time. You can read individual reviews and ratings on their profile.