JULIA CLAYTON PT, DPT, ATC
PHYSICAL THERAPIST- Knee & Sports Injury Specialist
Julia Clayton, PT, DPT, ATC specializes in the evaluation and rehabilitation of knee injuries, with a particular focus on helping active adults and athletes return to the activities and sports that matter to them. Her clinical focus includes ACL injuries and ACL reconstruction, meniscus tears and repairs, runners knee, jumpers knee, patellofemoral pain, running-related knee pain, knee replacement, and complex post-surgical knee rehabilitation.
Julia takes a comprehensive approach to knee rehabilitation that goes beyond simply reducing pain. Her goal is to restore the strength, mobility, control, power, and confidence patients need to perform at a high level again.
A major part of Julia’s approach is objective strength and performance testing. Using advanced VALD Technology, she can measure quadriceps and hamstring strength, side-to-side differences, force production, and other important performance metrics throughout rehabilitation. This allows her to identify deficits that may not be obvious during a traditional examination and make return-to-running, return-to-sport, and discharge decisions based on measurable progress rather than time alone.
Her background as both a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Athletic Trainer gives Julia a strong understanding of the demands athletes place on their knees. Before working with Summit Physical Therapy, Julia treated athletes from the University of Delaware’s football, lacrosse, swimming, and cheerleading programs.
Julia combines hands-on treatment, progressive strength training, movement retraining, and objective performance testing to build rehabilitation programs around each patient's individual goals. Whether that means returning to competitive sports after ACL reconstruction, running without knee pain, getting back on the tennis or pickleball court, or simply feeling confident hiking and exercising again, rehabilitation is designed around what the patient needs to be able to do—not simply what their diagnosis says.
Julia earned her degree in Athletic Training from the University of Delaware and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Rutgers University.
Julia treats patients at Summit Physical Therapy and works with people throughout Summit, Short Hills, Millburn, Maplewood, Chatham, Florham Park, New Providence, Springfield, and South Orange who are looking for specialized physical therapy for knee injuries and sports rehabilitation.
personal interests
In her free time, Julia enjoys going to the beach, spending time with her family and friends, and traveling.