Get To Know Me: Dr. Erica Dekle

Written by:
Dr. Erica Dekle
August 21, 2023

Yes this blog post is all about me. But really it's more about how I can help you.

1. Why did I decide to become a physical therapist? I always felt drawn to the healthcare field, but physical therapy didn't jump out to me initially. There were a few different facets of my life that blended to push me towards PT. I have always had a passion for fitness growing up in sports, as well as swimming in college. I have also always had a love for building and growing relationships with people in all aspects of my life - team sports, school, recreational activities, work, etc. PT is such a unique blend of these 2 things, I knew this was the career path for me. My biggest influence in becoming a physical therapist would be working with/shadowing my father in his physical therapy clinic one summer while I was in college. He has been a PT for almost 30 years and is one of the best PT's and human beings that I know. He loves helping people and his job more than anyone else I know. Even though I am "all grown up", I still say that I want to be him when I grow up in regards to his love and passion for the field of PT.


2. What is my ideal clientele? I have a particular interest in working with middle/high school athletes, especially swimmers and those who suffer from a sports injury or underwent surgery (ACL reconstruction, really anyone post-surgical). I am also passionate about helping pregnant/postpartum moms looking to prehab before birth and/or return to activity (Crossfit, running, etc.) after pregnancy.


3. Growing up playing sports, how has that impacted my career? I played soccer, volleyball, basketball, and swimming growing up. Then focused on soccer and swimming in grades 7-9. Once I was in high school, I dropped all other sports except swimming because I joined a club swim team and was training 9x/wk. Swimming has played a huge role in who I am as a person today, as well as impacted my career. I learned discipline, team work, time management, and work ethic just to name a few things that have impacted me over the years. I was team captain of both my high school and college team, so it really helped me come out of my shell in a group setting.


4. Where do I see a NEED in the PT world? By far, high school athletics. I see soooooo many injuries in high school athletes due to increasing activity in their sports without proper strength training. Strength training is absolutely essential for injury prevention and I think high school athletics as a whole could do a lot better in protecting their athletes by incorporating a strength program into their training. Makes for stronger athletes, as well as athletes a lot less likely to get injured. This is a really big soap box of mine. I would love to get involved with some high school athletic programs to educate on this, as well as even run some strength programs. I think certain sports are better about emphasizing strength training than others as well. Some of the most common sports I personally see a lot of injuries out of include: soccer by far #1, cross-country/track, lacrosse, and baseball.

5. How do you get in touch with me? I am available for appointments in our Atlanta, Georgia location. To get started contact Activcore Druid Hills.

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this article are based on the opinion of the author, unless otherwise noted, and should not be taken as personal medical advice. The information provided is intended to help readers make their own informed health and wellness decisions.

Dr. Erica Dekle

Physical Therapist
Erica Dekle is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) who is passionate about all aspects of exercise, sports rehabilitation (especially for swimmers), and women's health for pregnant and postpartum moms. She works at Activcore in Atlanta, Georgia, located just 2 miles from Emory University.
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