Dr. Sheila Klausner began her involvement with the UCF Athletics sports medicine team in 2005 as the rehabilitation coordinator, providing physical therapy care to all student-athletes. She served in this capacity until March 2020, when she joined the UCF DPT faculty. She now serves as Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Practice and Director of Sports Physical Therapy Services. She also mentors Advent Health Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency and Orlando Health Sport Physical Therapy Residency programs.
She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in 1990 from North Carolina State University. She competed in collegiate swimming while attending the university. She completed her Master of Science in physical therapy in 1993 from the University of Miami. She completed her doctorate in physical therapy from Texas Tech University in 2018.
She began her career practicing outpatient orthopedics and sports medicine in Phoenix, Arizona. While in Phoenix, Klausner cared for the Arizona Diamondbacks as they started their organization. She also began her involvement with USA Swimming, teaching rehabilitation and prevention programs at local swimming camps. She received her strength and conditioning certification in 1996 with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She became a USA Swimming Sports Sciences Network member in 1999 and received the Gold Standard and High-Performance awards in 2003. She traveled internationally with the USA Swimming National Team from 1999-2004. During that time, she had the honor of assisting in medical care at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
From 2000-2005, Klausner worked with the University of South Carolina sports medicine department, assisting in rehabilitating all athletic teams. She earned her board specialty certification in orthopedic physical therapy in 2003. She gained her license in massage therapy in 2004. In the summer of 2007, she completed a massage therapist internship at the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California.
In 2012, she completed her requirements for becoming a certified orthopedic manual therapist through the Maitland-Australian Approach and the coursework necessary to become a certified Kinesiotaping Practitioner. In 2021, she obtained her certification for dry needling.
She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy and serves on the advisory board of the Health Promotion and Wellness Network through the AOPT.