Mara Martin, PTA

Mara is a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant and has worked for Optimal PT since 2021. She grew up in central Wisconsin, moved to Madison for college, and currently resides in Marshall, WI with her husband Max and Malamute Arya. Mara & Max also own a gym called The Ranch Training Center in Marshall. Mara provides physical therapy treatment PRN at The Ranch, which also serves as a satellite location for Optimal.

Why did you want to be a physical therapist assistant?

Since high school, Mara has always been interested in health, fitness, and the anatomy/physiology of the human body. She went to UW-Madison to study Kinesiology & Exercise Science, but was unsure of where her career would land. Throughout college and shortly after graduation, Mara was given many unique job opportunities, such as in-home caregiving, volunteering with UW-Madison’s Adapted Fitness program, leading recreational programs for MSCR’s Adapted Rec Department, and finally working as a personal trainer for Anytime Fitness. From these experiences, she knew she wanted to continue working with people in a healthcare setting and to somehow incorporate her love for fitness. Physical therapy was the perfect profession to blend these two passions. Mara ultimately decided to become a PTA and to stay in the Madison area, where she had already been building invaluable relationships (both personally and professionally) for almost a decade.

What can the patient expect when they have Mara Martin, PTA as their therapist?

When working with Mara, patients can expect a caring, optimistic therapist who is always willing to listen to her patient’s concerns. Mara finds the most value in strength-training and manual therapy interventions. Therefore, her patients can expect a good mix of exercise and “hands-on” skills provided in therapy sessions. Mara also believes in promoting patient independence and will encourage you to continue your fitness journey long after being discharged from PT.

What is the most important factor in a therapist-patient relationship and why?

Mara believes the most important factor in a therapist-patient relationship is establishing trust. If you can’t trust your provider with your health, you’re not getting the very best care you deserve. Patients should always feel they can speak openly with their therapist and that their therapist is providing appropriate care or referring out to other health care providers when indicated

Why Marshall?

Marshall is a community that has been lacking in both fitness and physical therapy resources. The Ranch had already established many connections in the neighboring town of Waterloo so Mara & her husband Max decided to expand their small personal training studio into a fully operating gym in late 2020. They knew we could offer more services with the size of the new facility, so Mara reached out to Optimal about expanding physical therapy services through the gym in Marshall.

EDUCATION

• Undergraduate: Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Physical Therapist Assistant Degree: Madison College

CERTIFICATIONS & ACHIEVEMENTS

• Barbell Rehab Method Certification
• Injury Prevention Specialist Certification

AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

• Barbell strength training
• Manual therapy
• Orthopedic rehabilitation
• Post-operative care
• Injury prevention & “pre-hab”

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND

• MEMBERSHIPS: American Physical Therapy Association—Wisconsin, Marshall Area Business Association
• STAYING FIT: Lifting weights, biking, pickleball, and walking/hiking with her dog Arya
• FUN TIME: Exploring new restaurants, traveling, cooking, reading, spending time with friends & family