Our Staff
Dr. Christina Gavino
PT, DPT, SFMA Level 1 Certified
Physical Therapist
I was born and raised in Sacramento, California. Before choosing Physical Therapy as a career path, my plans were to graduate from college and swear in as an officer in the United States Marine Corps to serve her country. However, my life trajectory changed when I played a high school rugby game where I tore my ACL, which then led to my interest in Physical Therapy. I became inquisitive about my experiences while being treated as a patient, pertaining to the human anatomy and quality of functional movements and performance. I especially recognized the compassionate and empathetic qualities of my Physical Therapist that was also integral to her care. After making a full recovery, I returned to pursue my rugby career at California State University, Sacramento and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Minor in Biological Sciences. I went on to earn my Doctor of Physical Therapy from University of the Pacific, and had the privilege to work with a wide variety of diagnoses and patient populations as an outpatient physical therapist in my community.
Core Values:
Empathy, Compassion, Integrity, Professional Duty, Excellence
Favorite Quote
“The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy. We can all sense a mysterious connection to each other.”
I am a physical therapist who is passionate and committed in designing individual treatment plans, using the latest research and treatment techniques to address underlying functional limitations, as my goal is to empower patients in their healing journey and to facilitate optimal recovery and quality of life.
Patients come to us with various diagnoses and conditions, and I want to be that beacon to fix movement deficits. Movement that is pain free, isn’t necessarily free from dysfunction. So I honor a principle that fixates on improving a patients movement quality before they can move well and move often.
Some of the aspects that making working for Excel great are the empathy, compassion, teamwork, accountability and integrity each individual displays to be effective in a patient’s care.
What is Dr. Christina Watching, Reading or Listening to?
- Black Mirror
- The Handmaid’s Tale
- Avatar the Last Airbender
When I’m not treating patients, I enjoy going to the gym, traveling, hiking, being near beaches or lakes, spending time with my family and my significant other, sleeping, PC gaming and taking care of my cockatiels.