Licensed Physical Therapist (DPT)
Physical Therapist (DPT) Job in Knoxville
Foothills Physical Therapy Group is hiring for a Physical Therapist (DPT) job in Knoxville, TN, and we’re looking for a clinician who wants to practice the way physical therapy is supposed to work: one patient, one plan, and enough time to actually see it through. This is a full-time outpatient role treating orthopedic, musculoskeletal, neurological, post-operative, and functional conditions, with 1:1 patient care and trained technician support built into every day.
A Practice Built Around People, Not a Stopwatch
Foothills was founded by Ryan Dulling to offer an alternative to the crowded clinic model, and that founding idea still shapes how the practice runs today: one-on-one time with patients, plans built around each person’s goals rather than a productivity target, and a direct-access model that lets patients start care without waiting on a referral. Our mission is to love people well, build lifelong relationships, and give patients a voice, and we’re driven by the idea that each person should be able to physically and mentally thrive, not just get by. As a therapist here, you’ll have the time and support to treat people, not just conditions, working alongside a Physical Therapist Assistant and trained technician so your caseload stays manageable instead of stacked wall-to-wall.
That same philosophy carries into documentation and workflow. You won’t be fighting a bloated system to get your notes done; the practice is set up so clinical time comes first, and evaluations, progress reports, and discharge summaries stay part of the rhythm of the day rather than something you’re catching up on after hours, even while managing a full outpatient orthopedic caseload.
Locally Owned, Serving South Knoxville Since 1992
Foothills has been part of the South Knoxville community since 1992, with a focus on orthopedic rehabilitation and sports medicine for everyone from student athletes to weekend warriors. You’ll be joining a team that’s been building trust and long-term relationships in this community for over three decades, still locally owned and still centered on hands-on, one-on-one care. Whether it’s post-surgical rehab, an ACL recovery, or a weekend-warrior injury, the caseload here reflects a genuinely varied outpatient orthopedic practice, not a single narrow specialty.
The practice also protects your time outside the clinic: a 4 1/2 day work week with Friday afternoons off, so the same commitment to sustainable, unhurried care that’s extended to patients is extended to the clinicians who provide it. Add in a $1,000 annual allowance toward continuing education and incentive bonus opportunities, and there’s real room to keep developing clinically while building a long-term career here.
Compensation:
- $75,000–$85,000 / year
If you’re a DPT who wants to spend your time actually treating patients instead of racing a schedule, we’d love to talk with you. You’ll be joining a locally owned South Knoxville practice with over three decades of community trust, built around the same one-on-one philosophy of care from your first day. The full job description and Quick Apply for this Physical Therapist (DPT) opening in Knoxville are below. It takes less than 60 seconds — no account required!
Education:
Qualifications:
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from an accredited physical therapy program
- Current Physical Therapist license in the state of Tennessee
- Current CPR/BLS certification or ability to obtain prior to hire date
- Strong knowledge of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics, and therapeutic exercise
- Demonstrated clinical reasoning and independent decision-making skills
- Competency in physical therapy evaluation, treatment planning, intervention, progression, and discharge planning
- Proficiency in therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular re-education, therapeutic activities, gait and balance training, and manual therapy techniques
- Ability to recognize red flags, contraindications, and changes in patient status and take appropriate action
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal and patient relationship skills
- Ability to effectively collaborate with Physical Therapist Assistants, physicians, patients, caregivers, and other healthcare professionals
- Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage an outpatient caseload efficiently
- Proficiency with electronic medical records and timely, accurate clinical documentation
- Commitment to patient-centered, evidence-informed care
- Professionalism, dependability, integrity, and a commitment to an exceptional patient experience
Responsibilities:
- Perform comprehensive physical therapy evaluations, examinations, and functional assessments
- Develop individualized plans of care based on clinical findings, patient goals, diagnosis, functional limitations, and expected outcomes
- Establish appropriate short- and long-term functional goals
- Provide skilled physical therapy interventions in accordance with the established plan of care
- Utilize therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, therapeutic activities, gait training, balance training, and other appropriate interventions
- Provide post-operative rehabilitation in accordance with physician protocols and clinical judgment
- Treat orthopedic, musculoskeletal, sports-related, and functional conditions
- Monitor patient response to treatment and appropriately modify the plan of care as needed
- Identify red flags, contraindications, and changes in patient condition and initiate appropriate follow-up or referral when indicated
- Educate patients regarding their condition, treatment plan, home exercise program, injury prevention, body mechanics, and self-management strategies
- Establish and progress individualized home exercise programs
- Communicate effectively with patients, caregivers, physicians, and other healthcare professionals
- Complete evaluations, daily notes, progress reports, re-evaluations, and discharge summaries accurately and within required timeframes
- Maintain appropriate documentation supporting medical necessity and continued skilled care
- Determine appropriate discharge planning and transition patients toward independent management
- Provide appropriate supervision and direction to Physical Therapist Assistants in accordance with applicable laws and regulations
- Maintain a safe, clean, organized, and professional treatment environment
- Maintain patient confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, state regulations, payer requirements, and clinic policies
Skills:
- Advanced clinical evaluation and examination skills
- Strong clinical reasoning and treatment planning
- Orthopedic and musculoskeletal rehabilitation
- Post-operative rehabilitation
- Sports injury rehabilitation and return-to-activity programming
- Advanced therapeutic exercise prescription and progression
- Manual therapy and soft-tissue techniques
- Joint mobilization
- Functional movement assessment and retraining
- Gait and balance training
- Therapeutic activities and functional strengthening
- Pain management and activity modification
- Patient-specific home exercise program development
- Patient education and motivational coaching
- Red-flag identification and appropriate clinical referral
- Outcome measurement and progress assessment
- Effective patient communication and relationship building
- Clinical documentation and electronic medical record proficiency
- Caseload management and efficient time management
- Interdisciplinary communication and care coordination
- Evidence-informed clinical practice
- Strong leadership, professionalism, and accountability
- Adaptability and problem-solving
Benefits:
- Generous paid time off with accrual from day one
- 8 paid holidays
- IRA with company match up to 3%
- 100% employer-paid health and dental coverage
- Incentive bonus opportunities
- Room to grow your career and skills
- 4 1/2 day work week (Friday afternoons off)
- $1,000 allowance towards CE credit hours
- 1:1 patient care and trained technician support