Staff Physical Therapist Assistant

Heather Hamtak is a physical therapist assistant (PTA) at The Centers for Advanced Orthopedics (CAO) California, MD office. Heather was born and raised in Omaha, NE. Due to her husband’s career in the Marine Corps, she had the opportunity to reside in numerous locations across the nation. Heather has always had a passion for learning about the human body and all things fitness and rehabilitation related.

Education

In 2012, Heather graduated with a Master of Science (MS) in Exercise Science from the University of West Florida (UWF). While attending UWF, she obtained her CSCS (certified strength and conditioning specialist) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.  After taking some time off to begin her family, Heather continued her education and pursued a career as a PTA. She enrolled in the CACHE PTA program through the College of Southern Maryland and graduated and obtained her PTA license in 2023.

Experience

Since 2010, Heather has been a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine which allows her to work with and train individuals of all different skill levels and abilities. After obtaining her Exercise Science MS degree and CSCS certification Heather was employed as a nutrition counselor for a weight loss company in San Diego, for which she designed training programs to aid the clients in achieving their weight loss goals. During her PTA clinical rotations, Heather had the opportunity to work in both outpatient and inpatient settings which allowed her to gain experience treating patients with many different orthopedic and neurological conditions.

Philosophy

Heather feels passionate about helping people restore function, eliminate pain, and achieve well-being in all aspects of their life. She strives to truly understand the cause of each patient’s symptoms and then address the root cause while educating the patient throughout the treatment process. While under Heather’s care, patients can expect to receive treatment interventions based on their individual goals allowing them to return to their daily activities and enhance their abilities to enjoy the best possible quality of life.

Personal

Outside of patient care, Heather enjoys spending time with her husband Matt, and two young children, Wesley and Brooklyn. In her free time, she enjoys watching her children play sports, strength training, listening to music, spending time outdoors, and traveling to new places with her family.