Associate Director AAMT Fellowship

Dr. Paul Bliton, DPT, OCS, NCS, SCS, Dip. Osteopractic, FAAOMPT is a graduate of the AAMT Fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy. Dr. Bliton works in private practice at Orthopedic Rehab Specialists in Rockford, IL, with a primary focus on treating complex neuromusculoskeletal disorders.

Paul earned a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from St. Ambrose University, a Post- Doctoral Certificate in Manual Therapy from St. Ambrose University, is recognized as a triple Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (Orthopaedics, Sports, and Neurological), has earned the Diploma in Osteopractic and FAAOMPT credentials through the American Academy of Manipulative Therapy. Dr. Bliton is an Assembly Representative with the Illinois Physical Therapy Association with a special interest in Direct Access and expanding Physical Therapists’ scope of practice. Paul is a guest lecturer at the University of Minnesota’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program and University of Illinois Rockford Medical and Pharmacy School.

Dr. Bliton has published in the Clinical Journal of Pain and is a co-author on the 2018 Periosteal Electrical Dry Needling for Knee Osteoarthritis Randomized Clinical Trial. He also holds special interests in the management of headaches, TMJ Dysfunction, radiculopathies, nerve entrapments, neck pain, and low back pain. Dr. Bliton’s research interests include the mechanisms of manual therapy, mechanisms of pain, and pain science.

In his free time, Dr. Bliton enjoys outdoor sports including skiing, cycling, running, wakeboarding, basketball, as well as reading the current physical therapy and pain science literature.