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June 24, 2025In the heart of Redding, California—where the Sacramento River winds through dramatic landscapes and outdoor adventures beckon from every direction—there’s a physical therapy clinic that’s rewriting the rules of rehabilitation. Active Physical Therapy isn’t just another healthcare practice; it’s a movement that’s transforming how active adults and athletes approach recovery, performance, and lifelong wellness.
Beyond Traditional Therapy: A New Vision for Movement
Active PT’s mission is clear: “To empower patients through 1-on-1 care focused on blending physical therapy with strength and conditioning principles in order to get patients better, faster, with less chance of reinjury.” This isn’t your grandmother’s physical therapy clinic where you’re handed a sheet of exercises and left to figure it out alone. This is precision rehabilitation designed for people who refuse to accept “good enough” as their final answer.
What sets Active PT apart is their revolutionary approach that challenges the outdated “rest and avoid” mentality that has dominated injury treatment for decades. Instead of telling patients to stop doing what they love, Dr. Christian Mercill and his team understand that “when we don’t use our muscles, they waste away and become weak”—a philosophy that’s helping countless Redding residents not just return to their activities, but excel beyond their pre-injury levels.
The Mastermind Behind the Movement
Dr. Christian Mercill, a Redding native who graduated from the local high school in 2005 before earning his doctorate in physical therapy from Loma Linda University in 2011, brings over a decade of specialized experience to Northern California. But what truly sets him apart isn’t just his credentials—it’s his authentic understanding of the active lifestyle that defines the Redding community.
As a husband and father of five who personally enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, surfing, trail running, wake-boarding, and golfing, Dr. Mercill doesn’t just treat active individuals—he is one. This isn’t theoretical knowledge gained from textbooks; it’s lived experience that translates into treatment plans that actually work for real people with real goals.
The Active PT Difference: Three Steps to Transformation
Active PT has distilled their approach into a clear, effective three-step process that’s earning rave reviews across the Redding community:
Step 1: Find the Real Cause Rather than treating symptoms, they “Find The Real Cause of Your Pain” through comprehensive biomechanical assessments that go beyond surface-level complaints to identify the root issues that traditional medicine often misses.
Step 2: Fix Your Problem Areas They develop “a treatment plan that will be tailored specifically to you and your goals” that allows them to “get you stronger, pain-free, and on track to reach your goals more effectively and efficiently.”
Step 3: Active Physical Therapy The final phase focuses on getting patients “back to exercising pain free” while implementing “strategies to get you performing at an even higher level than you were prior to your injury” and “bulletproofing” the body against future problems.
Real Results from Real People
The proof isn’t in promises—it’s in the transformative experiences of Active PT’s patients. With over 175 five-star reviews, the clinic has built a reputation that speaks for itself.
One patient shared: “I had dislocated my shoulder 5 times in the last year and was looking for some sort of progress besides surgery. Within the first week with Christian I had already gained so much mobility and confidence.”
Another testimonial reveals the depth of their impact: “Active PT saved my (quality of) life. I was suffering from low back pain which was keeping me from my active lifestyle. Christian works with you one on one for the entire hour, tailoring every aspect to your unique situation. One of his sessions gave me more mobility and function than I had gotten in months of PT I had tried elsewhere.”
The Power of True One-on-One Care
In an era where healthcare often feels rushed and impersonal, Active PT has made a bold commitment to genuine individual attention. Patients consistently praise how “Christian works with you one on one for the entire hour, tailoring every aspect to your unique situation”—a stark contrast to clinics where you might see a therapist for five minutes before being left to complete exercises alone.
This personalized approach extends beyond just the time spent together. As one patient noted, “He puts my exercises on an app for easy reference, exercises are updated as I progress, and he checks in to see how I’m doing.” It’s this attention to detail and ongoing support that helps patients achieve lasting results.
Serving Redding’s Active Community
Active PT understands that Redding isn’t just any city—it’s a gateway to some of California’s most spectacular outdoor recreation. Their team is “passionate about living an active life with the people that we love and want to support others to be able to do the same.” Whether you’re preparing for your next marathon, getting back to weekend trail rides, or simply want to keep up with your grandchildren, Active PT meets you where you are and helps you get where you want to go.
The clinic serves patients across a comprehensive range of needs: “Neck rehab, Shoulder rehab, spine rehab, low back pain rehab, rotator cuff rehab, hip rehab, knee rehab, and ankle/foot rehab.” But more importantly, they understand that successful rehabilitation isn’t just about fixing what’s broken—it’s about building resilience for the adventures ahead.
A Network of Excellence
Active PT’s commitment to comprehensive care extends beyond their own walls. Through partnerships with local businesses and practitioners, they’ve created a network that supports every aspect of their patients’ wellness journey. This collaborative approach ensures that patients have access to the full spectrum of services needed for optimal health and performance.
Looking Forward: Your Active Future Starts Here
In a world where too many people accept limitations as permanent, Active Physical Therapy stands as a beacon of possibility. They’re proving every day that you can “live an active & passionate life without avoiding activities, unnecessary surgery, and reliance on pain medication.”
For the residents of Redding and surrounding areas, Active PT represents more than just healthcare—it’s a partnership in pursuing the active lifestyle that makes Northern California so special. Whether you’re dealing with a current injury, looking to prevent future problems, or simply want to optimize your performance, Dr. Mercill and his team offer something increasingly rare in modern healthcare: time, attention, and genuine expertise delivered with the understanding that your active life isn’t just a hobby—it’s who you are.
In Redding’s landscape of endless outdoor possibilities, Active Physical Therapy ensures that physical limitations never have to limit your adventures. Because in this corner of California, the question isn’t whether you can get back to the activities you love—it’s how much better you’ll be when you do.
