Susan Chalela

Susan Chalela founded the Chalela Physical Therapy Institute for EDS and Cervical Instabilities. With more than 25 years of clinical experience and a master of physical therapy degree from the Institute of Physical Therapy in St. Augustine, Florida, Susan has built a career spanning various specialties, including neurological rehabilitation, ergonomics, orthopedics, sports medicine, industrial rehabilitation, aquatic therapy, osteoporosis, pilates, and more.

Susan is a PhD candidate at the Medical University of South Carolina, studying upper cervical instability and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. She regularly lectures nationally and internationally to physical therapy and medical audiences. She coauthored the recent international collaboration consensus recommendations for conservative care of cervical instability. Most recently, she coauthored the article “Presentation and Physical Therapy Management Using a Neuroplasticity Approach for Patients With Hypermobility-Related Upper Cervical Instability: A Brief Report.”

In recent years, Susan has dedicated her practice to treating patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), upper cervical instability (UCI), and hypermobility disorders. Drawing from her personal experience as someone living with hypermobile EDS, Susan brings a unique depth of empathy and insight to her work. She survived a stroke and, through her recovery, learned the importance of neuroplasticity and proprioception—knowledge she now integrates into her innovative treatment approach.

Today, Susan’s internationally respected method combines biomechanics with neuroplasticity to address the root causes of instability in patients with hypermobility. Although her work primarily focuses on cervical instability, she emphasizes the importance of treating the entire body to create a stable foundation for the cervical spine.