¡Hola!

My name is Dr. Gumbs, founder of Latitude Physiotherapy. I’m a Manual Orthopedic Physical Therapist, meaning, I know my anatomy, and I’m good with my hands! In 2016, I became certified in dry needling, and I’m passionate about helping people move better! I enjoy working with athletes, but what I love most about being a physiotherapist is being able to help just about anyone get out of pain and get back to what they love.

I grew up in the greater Seattle area, which is known for its thick emerald forests. The scenery alone had a lot to do with my love for long-distance running. There were weeks when I would run more than 100 miles training for Cross-Country and Track at Santa Clara University. As you can imagine, it wore on me. First, an unexplained stress reaction in my lower leg. Then, maybe a year later, I felt the onset of a hip pain that would become so persistent that I thought it might never go away.

That was all long before I really understood what was going on with my body and why I was having pain, especially for so long. No one explained it to me. Even after long durations of rest, the pain could come flaring back up again. If something was broken, how is it still not healed?, I thought.

Most tissue damage heals itself within three to six months. So, why is whatever I hurt still hurting, one might ask? Well, the answer isn’t simple, but we can try, and say it’s the result of uncontrolled stress within the neuromuscular system. This can make you hypersensitive to otherwise benign stress, causing pain, and making you feel weak, when in reality, it might just be that you’re not making the right connections, just like I wasn’t.

I suffered more than three years of persistent hip pain. I saw physical therapists, chiropractors, doctors, and orthopedic surgeons; I had a handful of unnecessary MRIs and X-rays; and I received various off-centered diagnoses about what was wrong with my hip. It wasn’t until meeting a group of more holistic physiotherapists that I was finally able to overcome the pain and discover the true problem. That experience is what inspired me to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy. A well-trained and methodical physiotherapist who listens to his patients can successfully treat the vast majority of orthopedic complaints. Sadly, that’s not what happens in our medical system today. Many are taken down a much more invasive and expensive route, inadequate physical therapy, or long periods of neglecting the issue hoping it’ll go away on its own.
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I’m forever grateful for those physios who looked beyond my hip and really saw me as a whole person. As it turned out, the main cause of my hip pain was underlying low back dysfunction I wasn’t even aware of! Their thorough examination yielded an effective treatment, finally relieving me of my hip pain. Since then, I have run countless relaxed and vigorous, pain-free miles. This is why I call it Latitude Physiotherapy; latitude, which means: scope for freedom of action or thought. Don’t let false limiting beliefs stop you. Slow down, learn from your symptoms, and seek help if you need it.

I’ve treated a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions, and I enjoy working with anyone who is looking to improve their health through movement. I believe there’s an athlete, adventurer, artist, mover, and groover within all of us. Reach out, we’d love to help you live life to its fullest potential—no matter the starting point. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, running, mountain biking, calisthenics, strength training, acro yoga, slacklining, hiking, climbing, live music, and spending time with my puppy Tico.

See you out there!

— Dr. Gumbs

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Chris Gumbs, PT, DPT, ICDN
Doctor of Physical Therapy

chris grumbs latitude pt

Education

University of St. Augustine, Austin, TX

  • Doctor of Physical Therapy
  • Conferred December 2014 with High Honors

Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA

  • Bachelor of Science in Combined Sciences
  • Minor in Spanish Studies
  • Conferred December 2008

Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain

  • SCU Study Abroad Program, Fall 2007

¡Hablo español!

chris grumbs latitude physiotherapy

See what people are saying…

Dennis E.
January 26, 2024

I want to express a huge thanks to Dr. Gumbs on helping me race my first half marathon and return to running after so many years of having being down and out due to injury. Years ago as a teen cross country runner, I had regularly gotten sidelined because of overuse injuries. I experienced multiple stress fractures in both tibias and my foot. Following high school, I suffered from lingering chronic leg pain in my left leg that just never left -- in fact it affected me for over a decade through my twenties and early thirties. Over that span, I couldn't consistently run without the pain overwhelming me. I missed running and racing a lot! However, my journey changed for the better once I started working with Dr. Gumbs. Like me, Dr. Gumbs had been a competitive runner, and he knew what it was like to battle injuries that felt intractable. He had been through a similar situation in college. Nevertheless, I was skeptical of physical therapy in general. I had been to a ton of PT when I was a runner in high school, and looking back, I was so disappointed by it. The experience for me was not personalized at all -- I would get only 5-10 minutes to talk to the PT, before they would send me to do a list of exercises by myself while they moved on to the next patient. Fortunately, Dr. Gumbs was absolutely nothing like that. All of our sessions were one-on-one and his focus was very personalized. Our first session was 90 minutes long, and he thoroughly listened to me talk through my injury history. He asked me tons of questions and examined my movements -- comparing especially the performance of my left vs. right leg. He walked me through the science of how chronic pain is different than short-term, acute pain. He put together a treatment plan that not only targeted my inner leg (where it hurt most), but also my hip and back, which were weak/tight and contributing to the leg pain. He would carefully make sure I was performing the exercises correctly, and as we met each week, he would re-examine my movements, hear how my week went, and add new exercises based on my progress. One week, he filmed me running on a treadmill, and we spent quite a bit of time examining both the strengths and inefficiencies of my gait. He helped me set up a running plan, in addition to an exercise and stretch plan. My pain wasn't solved overnight, but as I stayed consistent with the training plan, it became less noticeable. I started to build the confidence to run again without fear, and eventually I was able to build up to running over an hour non-stop. When I felt ready, I signed up for the 3M Half Marathon and finished in under 2 hours. After years of struggle, I NEVER thought that I could achieve that. But now that I have, my next goal is to race a marathon. It's hard to express how much it means to me to return to running and racing, because it was such an important part of my life that was lost for so long. Without Dr. Gumbs' care, patience, knowledge and support, I would not have gotten this far. For that, I can't express how happy and grateful I am!
Richard B.
November 9, 2023

Dry needling sounds scary, but it's so much more effective than massage. I've tried several places, Chris really knows what he's doing. I'll be back!
K S.
September 30, 2023

Dr Chris Gumbs is an incredible healer. Highly recommended and look no further for your physio journey. You will be glad you found him and will never look elsewhere. Truly a gift to us all! Thank you
Clayton C.
September 30, 2023

Dr. Gumbs is a genius. I've worked with a number of high level PTs and I've never made such fast and consistent change. His sports background & expertise in running/cycling is extremely valuable, not to mention dry needling, and the focus on how everything starts with the nervous system. Couldn't recommend more.
Caroline H.
April 14, 2023

Dr. Chris Gumbs is amazing!! Very kind, approachable, non judgmental - but a clinical expert in the field. He ran D1 in college and still an athlete, knows how bodies work and move. He “facilitated” as he calls it (taught me how - he says the real work is done by us patients doing our homework exercises at home) to get out of terrible lower back pain! And if he suggests dry needling, sounds extreme but don’t be scared - it wasn’t bad and it helped immediately. He’s a miracle worker! True healer 🤲🏼 Can’t recommend him enough!
Bruno M.
April 11, 2023

Chris is a lifesaver! I stopped running since 2007 when I undertrained and injured myself at the 2007 Dallas White Rock Marathon. Thereafter, my knees and legs hurt too much after running for 2 miles and so I just stopped running because I couldn’t enjoy it anymore. Years went by and I finally decided I wanted to find my peace , love, and happiness with running again. I went to see orthopedic surgeons and they were telling me I need to scope my knees and that was the ONLY way to figure out my problem. Me being a collegiate athlete years back and being a competitive runner I wanted to find someone who I could relate to who knew running mechanics! I found Chris Gumbs! We slowly worked on my injury in the three months eventually finding the root cause without surgery. I got to try dry needling which helped me tremendously, as well as, working on my homework excercises daily. By the end of three months, I was a new man with legs that did not have any pain. And the best part was I could enjoy running again. Chris also got me to learn how to perform in a zero drop running shoe and now at 43 years old I feel even better than in my 20s! Thank you, Chris! You are an amazingly educated healer who I will always give you credit for! For anyone who wants to try the holistic path give Chris Gumbs a shot. He will not disappoint!
DrJUDD J.
March 16, 2023

Dr. Gumbs is uniquely special in how he assesses and knows the exact origin of what is causing distress in both the mind and body. I am grateful for his care and helping me heal.
Christopher M.
February 6, 2023

Latitude is a tremendous, couldn't recommend it more. Chris is really friendly. The location is just a few minutes to downtown.
Randall Y.
January 20, 2023

I had sprained my ankle so many times I did not think I would ever run again, let alone trail run. Thx to Dr. Gumbs I am back to trail running. I have been to many different physical therapists and most of the time they want to know what hurts or is injured and just look at that area. Dr. Gumbs seems to take a more holistic approach. Looking all the other moving parts that could play a part in the pain or injury. Due to all the sprains my left foot was flat, but through dry needling, manual therapy, mobility and strength exercises Dr. Gumbs helped me to build my arch back and I am getting back to all the activities I love to do and feeling stronger than ever!
Scott K.
January 17, 2023

I highly recommend Dr Gumbs! He really knows his stuff. I was struggling with a nagging injury that became chronic and he walked me through a swift recovery. If you put in the work and follow his instruction, you will get better. No doubt!
Jaime R.
December 26, 2022

I'm training for a marathon and have had some small nagging injuries. Every time I visit, Dr Gumbs performs multiple tests to analyze my movement patterns and explains our work to me in ways that I can understand. I always leave feeling like he has improved both my body and my brain. I've had tons of PTs and he is by far the best
Michael L.
December 8, 2022

I have worked with Chris for the last few months after a car accident and he has made a HUGE difference on my pain and mobility. I would highly recommend Dr Gumbs!
Matt S.
June 4, 2022

Hands down the best physical therapist in East Austin. He was extremely thorough with his assessment of my chronic low back pain. By the end of the session I knew the cause and I had a treatment plan to follow for the next 8 weeks. He is a great listener and you will be impressed! I'm also a Physical Therapist so you can trust me when I say he is good 🙂
Melissa W.
May 10, 2022

I HIGHLY recommend seeing Dr. Gumbs! He helped me return to running quickly after injury and provided an abundance of resources throughout the process. He is very thorough during each appointment, knowledgeable, and encouraging! I've seen a few PTs as a runner, and Dr. Gumbs is by far my favorite and such an incredible resource here in Austin. During my visits we worked on strengthening exercises, dry needling, gait analysis, and more. He genuinely cares about his patients and provides excellent treatment!
Mitchell H.
April 26, 2022

I had an amazing experience at Latitude PT. After dealing with hamstring pain for over a year, and trying various treatment, I decided to check out Latitude. I was immediately impressed with Dr Gumbs during the free video consult that he offers. After 6 visits, I’m back on my bike, and running, and I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt before.
Elizabeth L.
April 10, 2022

Chris goes above and beyond to provide a personalized experience (which can't always be said for physical therapy). He takes the time to understand your problems, and is truly dedicated to getting you back on track!
Evan E.
March 29, 2022

Dr. Gumbs has helped my path to recovery from my arm injury. We go over a list of exercise that I during the week, and then check in after each week or every other week. Additionally, I got to experience dry needling for the first time, and while I was scared of it at first, I got used to it over the course of our meetings.
Jonas W.
December 7, 2021

Chris worked on my heel last summer - I had a pain that wouldn’t go away. He takes a holistic approach, preaching that the pain is just your body trying to tell you something. Chris clearly knows his stuff and cares about his patients. He was always available for questions between sessions, and provided lots of guidance for how to move forward, what stretches to keep up with, etc. I would work with Chris again.
Alivia M.
November 3, 2021

Dr. Gumbs is very honest & passionate. He is quick to share his knowledge of the human body & his own experience with PT and trail running. The dry needling was incredible. I was really nervous walking home afterwards, as I felt very tight and sore, but the next day I felt like I had a new leg! My muscles felt more flexible and loose, like I could finally relax them. I also felt more conscious of my walking patterns and I felt that, as long as I continued the exercises Dr. Gumbs recommended, I would be more than capable of changing my muscle/leg alignment. I will definitely consider dry needling in the future as my leg begins tightening up again over time. Thanks Dr. G!
Kathleen D.
November 2, 2021

I cannot express how VERY happy I am that I came across Dr. Gumbs! I have seen many different health professionals to try to help me with neck and shoulder pain that have I experienced on and off for years due to my desk bound job. I have by far seen the most improvement just in my couple of visits with Dr. Gumbs than I saw after months with other people. Dr. Gumbs is not only a thoughtful, patient, and compassionate person, but also a very effective physical therapist. He takes his time to really listen to you about the symptoms and issues you are experiencing and then talks you through every step of treatment he is recommending. He is very thorough in his approach and also takes into consideration if other issues might be connected to the main issue that you are experiencing vs treating just directly where you are having the most acute symptoms. I was quite nervous about trying the dry needling, but Dr. Gumbs was so incredibly patient with me and made sure I felt comfortable the whole time and only did as much as I was ok with. And I have to say it offered some of the most immediate relief compared to other modalities I have tried. I 1000% recommend you to come visit Latitude PT!
Peter F.
October 11, 2021

Dr Chris Gumbs gave me a professional and warm welcome, then listened to my history. He talked me through the dry needling procedure then performed the needling while keeping me calm, explaining what he was doing at all times. I left the session feeling better than when I arrived and would recommend him highly.
Amy J.
September 2, 2021

I dislocated my patella and sought out PT for the first time in my life at the suggestion of my orthopedist. The knee injury was traumatic, and dealing with the aftermath of insurance and medical treatment was a nightmare. I'm glad I found Chris at Latitude PT, where he provided accessible, affordable 1-on-1 support, separate from the limited, garbage in-network options offered by my health insurance company. I was new to dry needling, and though at times it was intimidating, Chris was reassuring and precise in providing treatment. I learned a lot from Chris about my muscular health, and he was helpful in guiding me toward my goals of being able to walk, run, dance, and ball again. I also greatly appreciated the ease of scheduling online and reviewing detailed follow-up messages to continue making progress with my exercises between sessions.
Jessica N.
August 4, 2021

When my back started going out once a week a few months ago I was in complete agony. Luckily I found Dr. Gumbs and after only two sessions I never had an episode again. Over the next few months I continued working with him to build up strength and retrain my body. I’m someone who had never dealt with back issues before but after working together Dr. Gumbs was able to determine that the issue was actually coming from other muscular issues my body was compensating for in my foot, leg, and hip. I was amazed at how much his use of dry needling helped in my recovery. I am eternally grateful to him for getting my life back. I am a very active person and he was able to help me not only regain the ability to move around comfortably again but his running program got me safely running again! He is extremely thorough and listens very attentively. He really took the time to understand everything in my life that could possibly impact my situation. If you are experiencing any pain, please do yourself a favor and don’t wait until you are bedridden like I was before you do something about it. Go see Dr. Gumbs today! Your body will thank you!
Preston D.
August 3, 2021

Dr. Gumbs is an incredible physical therapist and an equally great person! Chris helped me overcome knee pain that I had for months. Within a few weeks I was able to start training again and four months after visiting Latitude PT I completed a half Ironman with zero issues. He gets to the root of the problem so that you can keep the pain away for good. I've noticed improvements in both my training and day-to-day movement since working with Chris. He is incredibly knowledgeable and has helped me to better understand how my body works. Thanks Dr. Gumbs!
London B.
August 3, 2021

I had been experiencing plantar fasciitis for over 9 months. Within about 6 weeks of seeing Chris (a thorough evaluation, strength/mobility exercises, and dry needling) I was back to running a few miles with no pain! He also referred me to an incredible shoe specialist to get just the right shoes and orthotics. It's been 4 months since our first appointment and I'm now back to running my normal 30-mile weeks (without orthotics!) and am experiencing zero pain. Thanks so much, Chris, for helping me get back to running 🙂
Kevin O.
January 14, 2021

I've had stress fractures and lower back pain over the years, and Dr. Gumbs was the first physical therapist I've had who took at how I moved, and worked towards fixing the root cause of my pain, rather than more intrusive interventions like shots. I'm running faster and lifting heavier than before, and that's thanks to Dr. Gumbs. Couldn't recommend more!
Jon A.
July 22, 2020

I was struggling with foot and lower leg issues for nearly a year before I found relief working with Dr. Gumbs at LatitudePT. Previous physical therapists provided minor relief, but appointments were short and treatment was limited to the directly affected area. Dr. Gumbs spent extensive time reviewing my condition and took a whole body approach to my treatment. Due to social distancing all of my appointments have been through Telehealth (video conferencing) and I'm amazed at how effective they have been. This method has taught me to take care of my own body which will be beneficial to my long term health. Overall, I'm very happy with my treatment and the results. Additionally, I'd say the value of the treatment from LatitudePT significantly exceeds any similar treatment I've received in the past.
Andrew C.
July 3, 2020

Chris helped me in so many ways! I don't have any back pain any more and my knees have never felt better! Thank you so much!
Adrian C.
May 24, 2019

After suffering with chronic back pain for three years, Chris was able to heal me in 4-months. I was down to walking as my only form of exercise. After 4-months I've started an incremental running regimen, lifting some weights, and bike riding. I can't recommend his services enough and have referred many people his way. I hope this review helps to spur people with pain to seek his help. You won't regret it! Adrian
Mark T.
May 20, 2019

I do recreational acrobatics as well as a lot of cycling and rock climbing. Between these hobbies, I've found myself with a wide array of weird muscle strains. Dr. Chris is an excellent practitioner and applies a wide variety of methods to help you feel better. In addition to that, he walks you through the necessary exercises you need to do to stay feeling better and not have to keep coming back! It's also worth mentioning: Dry needling has become very popular over the past year or so. I've never worked with anyone who understands or applies that technique better than Dr. Chris.
GNell P.
April 15, 2019

I went to Latitude to prep for a half marathon after struggling with some plantar fasciitis and knee pain. Chris found the source of pain, gave me great and effective exercises to cross train and support my runs, and did some much needed Dry Needling. I found the services at Latitude to be excellent. My half was a PR that year because of Chris at Latitude!
Mike B.
March 24, 2019

Life changing. After struggling with back and leg issues for years and trying every option under the sun, Chris was finally able to get to the root of the problem through treatment and education. Beyond just the results, he also made me feel comfortable throughout the journey and is a great guy to get to know.
Anita R.
January 30, 2019

Went in for a consultation and Chris was amazing at analyzing what was going on and finding exercises to get my body working at its best. Really excited to continue working with him.
Manda J.
December 26, 2018

Dr. Chris Gumbs is really knowledgeable about physiotherapy and passionate about helping people, and it shows through his work. Prior to seeing him, I suffered from headaches for 25 years that were diagnosed by a neurologist as migraines. Despite trying various supplements, diet adjustments, preventative medications, and treatments, as well as avoiding anything I suspected could possibly be a headache trigger (caffeine, citrus fruits, perfume, ponytails!), I was getting headaches multiple times per week, and I relied on prescription rescue medication in order to function. After a couple months of physiotherapy at Latitude PT, I am thrilled to find that my headaches have drastically declined in both frequency and severity. I rarely have any pain now, and I have only taken medication twice total in the last 90 days! Chris uses a holistic approach that focuses on whole-body healing instead of just on treating symptoms, and it has definitely changed my life. If you are feeling discouraged by pain or limited performance, I highly recommend scheduling an appointment at Latitude Physiotherapy so that you can experience your own success story!
Chris G.
January 11, 2018

Chris is an incredibly knowledgeable, intuitive and highly trained physiotherapist. I went in with neck and shoulder pain and was very impressed by his methodical approach to determining the root cause of the issue and then addressing it effectively. I highly recommend Chris to help restore full function and mobility!
Joleen J.
January 9, 2018

I cannot recommemd Latitude Physiotherapy and Physiotherapisg Chris Gumbs highly enough! In 2015, I was preparing for a second knee replacement and started going to see Chris. He was so helpful! He remains attentive throughout the sessions, listens, and gets to the core of the issue. I started walking up straighter than I had in years, promptimg my friends to say "He fixed you." The pain that had kept me awake at night every night was minimized to the point that not only have I postponed the second knee replacement until further notice, I also did not need to get my orthovisc gel shots for nearly a year (vs. every 6 months). His level of attention to detail and isolating the involved muscles is the best of any Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist I've seen. And with a severe back injury in my 20s and (genetic) advanced osteoarthritis and multiple knee surgeries, I've had a lot of PT! If you are willing to put in the time and the work, Chris CAN help you! It's truly life changing stuff, and I'm so grateful!
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