Get rid of pain, prevent injuries, transform your body
Balanced Beast Physical Therapy in Carlsbad, California
Save Money and Time, Get Pain Free Quicker
Most patients will experience reduction in pain, improved range of motion, and/or improved strength on their first visit utilizing McKenzie Method and Paris Approach manual therapy. We avoid band aid treatment; each treatment applied is tested and retested during your appointment to ensure objective improvements are occurring. This means we can skip the guesswork and prescribe usually 1-2 targeted exercises that truly have an effect.
IN PAIN? YOU'RE NOT ALONE, THERE IS HOPE:
David C.
“I was having severe back back pain that then began running down my arm. I did Active Release Technique for many sessions, chiropractor, massage and acupuncture without any improvement. Decided to respond to an ad Dr Mark put out. With 2 sessions with Dr Mark I had significant improvement. 4 sessions in and my symptoms are 90% better and I can sleep through the night. Would highly recommend!”
Kevin M.
“In his previous practice in San Francisco, Dr. Mark was been instrumental in my recovery and has truly changed the course of my physical and mental wellbeing for the better. Previous to coming to Dr. Mark, I been in various forms of physical therapy for over 10 years across six different practitioners in multiple cities with inconclusive answers and results. I felt trapped in my own body given seemingly invisible and undiagnosable limitations that foundationally inhibited my quality of life; even walking would cause me pain, and I had very narrow outlets for exercise.
Dr. Mark possesses a rare combination of both aptitude and the determination to see thorny challenges through to the other side. This is incredibly difficult to find. I was a tough client, both because of my challenges and my expectations, which were shaped by previous unsuccessful experiences. Dr. Mark's optimism and focus were important buoys for me. He is also a continued learner; he is always referencing recent studies he's read or workshops he's attended and incorporating that into our sessions.
Dr. Mark never hesitated to lean into a problem nor did he give up or "phone it in." I'm now five months in, and I've seen notable, measurable improvements in my ability to walk, run, lift, and understand my body. I hadn't run in over 10 years and didn't even consider it to be an option that was on the table; and I'm now experimenting with short distances. In one session he made significant progress on a shoulder issue I had battled almost daily for *years* and had just chocked up as unresolvable chronic pain. Most of all, the daily anxiety I carried of being trapped with these challenges has reduced and my perceived locus of control over my body has increased. I now can envision a future where I am stronger than ever before as opposed to feeling like I was holding on to what I still had. Thank you, Dr. Mark!”
Pete F.
“I've had repetitive stress injury (RSI) for 7 years and did not think it was possible to get better, but I wanted to finally give it a shot going to physical therapy.
After one session diagnosing my scenario and giving me a routine, my symptoms are already much better. It's honestly pretty amazing. I had been doing everything I could think of on my own for the past 7 years (7 years!) and just one session with a real professional and I'm already feeling much better. Highly recommend. I'm looking forward to my future sessions”
Russel D.
“I have been to a few different physical therapist over the years and none of them came close to the care I received from Dr. Mark Bautista. In January of 2023 I decided to see Mark to address bulged discs and pinched nerve issues in my neck that other PTs were not helping with. I had headaches and blurred vision episodes and electricity that I was feeling going from my neck to my thumbs. I made the drive from Sacramento to San Francisco once a week for just about a year since I have such confidence in his work. Mark takes the time to explain exactly what is happening in my body and how the exercises that he is providing are connected to solve the issue. He also has greatly normalized my injury which is something I need for my own self confidence to reassure me that what I am feeling is expected. I plan to only go to Mark even when he is in SD for maintenance work. Not expecting or hoping to be continuously injured but if pain comes knocking then I know I will be going straight back to Mark. That's how much confidence I have in his work and his abilities to treat injuries. Thank you Mark!”
Anthony M.
“Dr. Mark was my PT from May 2021 until December 2023 and for those two and a half years, I can honestly say that I have learned so much about my body and he was vital to my recovery. I was in a near-fatal car crash in 2019. My mid- and lower-ab muscles ripped, I broke my back, sternum, ankle and wrist. Recovery was lengthy, as I was in the hospital for two months and had to learn how to walk again after about four months after the accident. I saw about ten PTs from my hospital stays until I went to Mark's former clinic starting December 2020. I basically hit a plateau after about a year with another clinic. I was in the military at the time, and I recovered enough to move onto the next step--being able to run for my physical fitness test and also just being able to work out again to my maximum abilities while mitigating back and core pain. I felt like one of the reasons why I hit the plateau was because they weren't too focused on my request to move onto the next phase. I took a break from visits and did the workouts on my own and realized that the visits were not productive; it was time to make a change. After researching about 40-50 PT clinics in the SF/Peninsula area, I found Mark's previous clinic and contacted them for an evaluation. I was assigned to his associate initially (also an amazing PT), but she left and then I was assigned to Mark starting 5/2021.
For the next two and half years, I learned from the best. Mark is an amazing teacher, as he taught me so much about the body and my treatments which focused on my back, hips, core, shoulders, neck, and also about training and running. I tried to soak in as much knowledge as I could and what he has taught me literally changed my life. I say this because after recovery, I realized that I needed to get reacquainted with my body and I then focused on starting completely over with weight training and running. I knew I had to gain more knowledge on exercises and fitness in general, and if it wasn't for Mark, I would not be where I am today. What I most loved about our sessions was that Mark loved to get into the details, he loved nerding out on his profession, something that I wanted in a PT because I'd rather learn the ins and outs of what causes an ailment, what needs to be done to train it to heal it, and what needs to be done to maintain, as opposed to just going to a session, doing arbitrary exercises with minimal progress. Fast forward from the beginning of my sessions with Mark to now, and I am in the best shape of my life. I'm stronger, more mobile, and more cognizant of my body. The encyclopedia of exercises I have learned from him have allowed me to reach new levels of achievement and have also gotten me through many relapses in body pain. The attention to detail and genuine passion combined with his great ability to teach is why I am where I am today.
Since I have seen Mark for an extended period of time, it's hard to highlight the many milestones he helped me achieve because there were so many. Overall, he is a passionate professional that strives for his patients and his field. He is thorough and is an amazing teacher. His focus on his connection to his treatments and his patients are what makes him among the best in his profession. I trusted him with my journey of wellness and I highly recommend anyone and everyone to see him for the same. It was a very sad day to see him leave, but I am very excited to see that he has ventured off with his new practice and it only makes sense that he did so, as he has an extremely bright future.
Thanks, Mark for showing me the way. You are and will always be a heavy influence. San Marcos and surrounding areas, you gained THE physical therapist to meet your needs!”
Yi-Bing S.
“I've been working with Dr. Mark in his previous practice in San Francisco for several months now, first to treat my piriformis syndrome pain, then to treatment my arm/shoulder/neck pain. He is an extraordinary PT who has done wonders for me!
He was very skilled at diagnosing accurately and then adjusting exercises & stretches as I steadily made progress and reported back changes I felt. He's super patient and always took the time to fully explain everything and addressed all of my myriads of questions. He's also extremely warm and uplifting, which made every pain treatment session much more pleasant and helped me get into a much more positive attitude about my path to recovery! I remember I always walked out of Dr. Mark's sessions feeling more optimistic and empowered.
One of the many things I appreciated so much about Dr. Mark is him teaching me how to continue to safely workout and lift weights while I was still recovering from my pain. I was really worried that until I healed completely, I could not lift any weight and would loss a lot of muscle mass. He taught me good workout and weight-lift postures, guided me to progressively lift heavier till I got back up to my usual weight, and how to quickly self-test whether a particular exercise/motion was detracting me from my recovery.
It's no fun to need to treat body pains, but I feel extremely lucky to have ran into Dr. Mark and learned his wonderful exercises for good. They are effective and I now possess the understanding of how to maintain and prevent future similar injuries/pains by having proper postures, including workout & weightlifting postures. This knowledge is invaluable for the rest of my life!
I'm very sad that Dr. Mark is no longer practicing at the San Francisco office, but if you are local and is looking for a superb PT, you must give Dr. Mark a try!!”
Richard L.
“Mark is the best physical therapist I have ever seen, and I've seen a handful! I went to Mark to treat my chronic lower back pain and also for issues with my shoulders / upper body resulting from a combination of sports and desk work. After multiple attempts with other physical therapists that never fully solved my back pain, I had accepted the reality that I would live my whole life like that.
After getting treatment from Mark, I've been able to get back into lifting, running, and sports. He is extremely knowledgable, up to date with the latest evidence and therapies. While some may treat the symptoms, Mark will address the root cause and ensure you can get back into the activities you want.
If you are looking for a physical therapist who brings results and genuinely cares about their patients, don't look any further! Mark is the person you're looking for.”
Brett S.
“TL;DR is that my experience with Dr. Mark has been excellent, and I'd highly recommend him.
I came to Dr. Mark after coming out of a walking boot that I'd been prescribed after years of abuse of my foot resulted in a stress fracture and some ligament damage. Mark took a detailed history and then started stretching and prodding me to get a baseline for pain and flexibility throughout the whole foot, ankle, leg, spine chain. By the end of my first appointment, we had a good path forward. Each visit we refined the plan of action based on progress and pain. This refinement process was my favorite part about working with Mark, particularly his emphasis on optimizing my time with the most impactful exercises as determined through feedback each visit. In the past, I've worked with PTs who aren't nearly as thoughtful about the individual patient.
Some other great things about Mark:
- He would then send me links to his videos so that I could refresh my memory before doing my exercises at home.
- He's personally very fit and able to keep up with the strenuous work of pushing and pulling on athletes' bodies. He also has the mindset of an athlete himself.
All in all my foot and ankle are doing much better after working with Mark, and the rest of my body is more healthier and less injury prone as a result of addressing imbalances surfaced through my visits with him.”
Oleg P.
“I recently sought treatment from Mark for acute lower back pain and was thoroughly impressed with the results. Mark's expertise and his tailored approach to therapy stood out immediately. He was quick to adapt the treatment plan based on my recovery progress, contributing significantly to my faster-than-expected recovery.
What sets Mark apart is his holistic approach. He not only addressed my immediate pain but also provided practical advice on overall well-being. This included effective lifts and stretches for my daily routine and tips on maintaining proper form during key lifts, which have been invaluable in keeping me injury-free and improving my fitness.
Sessions with Mark were not only beneficial but also enjoyable. He combines professional skill with a friendly, approachable demeanor, making each visit productive and positive. It's clear that patient care is his top priority.
For anyone in need of an attentive and skilled physical therapist, I highly recommend Mark. His approach to patient care is comprehensive, extending well beyond the therapy sessions to ensure continued progress and health.”
David R.
“I've been working with Mark for the past year to deal with a complex set of painful back and neck issues. As someone who has been to a range of PTs in the past, from great to not-so-great, I am here to tell you: Mark is a truly excellent physical therapist, and I would highly recommend him to anyone!
Mark is really skilled with hands-on manual therapy, which has helped me tremendously with managing day-to-day pain. But he also is very knowledgeable about strengthening, and he has helped to craft a workout/strengthening routine that is working well for me. This is a rare combo to find, in my experience.
Of all the PTs I've seen, Mark seems to be really invested in continual learning of new PT techniques and approaches. He is constantly reading scientific papers, taking new courses, etc. I appreciate that this means he is always up-to-date on the latest thinking in the field, and is able to draw from a range of different scientific outlooks in our sessions rather than advocating a single dogma.
I also really appreciate Mark's friendly, flexible, and upbeat attitude. He is always super encouraging and positive, which has helped me get through difficult chapters in my PT journey. And when something isn't working as expected, he is quick to re-evaluate the approach and adapt with new exercises, etc.
Thanks to Mark, I have getting stronger and living with less pain. While I am sad that I will no longer be able to work with Mark as he moves his practice from San Francisco to San Marcos, I am excited for the residents of San Marcos, who will be getting a fantastic new PT. Our loss is your gain!”
Patrick S.
“TL;DR - Mark is the best PT I've worked with (out of 5+ I've tried for various issues), I've been going to him for over 2 years and highly recommend.
Long: It started with nagging knee pain while cycling that was keeping me from riding longer than 15 miles - Mark somehow figured out that my knee pain was mostly related to an old rock climbing injury to my lower back. Within a year, Mark got me from 15 miles to grueling 100+ mile races with no serious/lasting pain.
I now see Mark regularly for preventative PT. He's helped me get back into strength training and "bulletproofed" the various soft spots I have from previous injuries (wrist, back, calves, etc.).
What I appreciate most about Mark is that he looks at problems holistically and experimentally. He clues you in on what his hypotheses are, explaining why he's giving you one exercise or another. I'm also able to provide Mark feedback on what works for me and he tailors his approach to fit that (e.g. I really can't stay on top of 10+ exercises anytime a new issue comes up, so we focus on trying one at a time instead). Finally, Mark isn't satisfied with simply dealing with current pain - he pushes you to create progress-oriented goals to go beyond fixing the pain to truly restore power to weak areas.
Before Mark, I had low levels of consistent pain that I could manage with exercise, now I "forget' that I ever had back and knee issues, which Mark tells me is because I don't anymore (whoa).
Thanks Mark!”
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