Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Spruell.
Hi Katie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I began my career as an Orthopedic Physical Therapist and Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, passionate about helping people move better and live without pain. But during my first pregnancy in 2019, that passion evolved into something much deeper. After being told that my own pelvic floor dysfunction was “normal,” I realized just how many women were being dismissed, overlooked, or left without answers.
After delivering my daughter, I realized there was a huge gap in postpartum pelvic floor rehab — especially when it came to helping women safely return to higher-level activities like running, jumping, and strength training. The PT I saw for postpartum recovery wasn’t sure how to guide me back to lifting or running; she said that was “more orthopedic.” As an ortho PT myself, I found it frustrating that I couldn’t connect what I knew about movement and strength with what I was learning about the pelvic floor. I felt discouraged and unsure how to safely return to the activities I loved — weight training, football, basketball, spikeball, sprinting, and more.
A few months before that, while I was 36 weeks pregnant, my mom was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. She went through radiation, surgery, and an ileostomy with a later reversal, but was left struggling with significant pelvic floor dysfunction that made everyday activities — even simple things like taking her grandkids to the park — incredibly difficult.
I referred my mom to two different pelvic floor physical therapists in the area, yet neither performed an internal assessment — and her symptoms didn’t improve. I knew something was missing. That experience pushed me to pursue advanced training through the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute and to hire a mentor to guide me through pelvic floor and rectal internal assessment techniques. My mom became my first patient. Within just four sessions, her quality of life improved dramatically — she got her strength, confidence, and freedom back.
At first, I thought I would continue focusing only on orthopedic physical therapy and that this deeper pelvic floor knowledge would help just my mom. But after seeing how much it changed her life, I knew I had to make it part of my mission.
That’s how Amplify Physio was born — blending orthopedic and pelvic floor rehabilitation to get to the root cause of symptoms and help people enjoy their lives again! The more I learned, the more I realized the pelvic floor is like any other muscle group — it just happens to be located in an area no one talks about. Unfortunately, many primary care providers and even OB/GYNs still receive very little education about pelvic floor function and recovery.
My goal became clear: to raise awareness — not just for what I went through, but for my mom, and for every person who’s ever been told to “just live with it.” My mom has now been cancer-free for over five years, she’s strength training, playing with her grandkids, and living life to the fullest again! And I’m proud to say I’ve regained my strength and confidence — and I’m back to doing everything I loved before having kids, completely symptom-free!
At Amplify Physio, our mission is simple — to amplify voices that have been overlooked, to educate and empower, and to show people that healing is always possible. It’s never too late to get stronger, move better, and feel at home in your body again!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My entrepreneurial journey actually began in 2018, when I started a small business called KS Fitness. I saw a major gap between traditional rehabilitation and the strength and conditioning needed for full recovery — many patients would finish PT with their symptoms reduced, only to return to the gym and experience the same issues again, creating a frustrating cycle. I wanted to bridge that gap.
I earned my Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)credential, reduced my hours as a physical therapist, and began offering personal training to help clients safely transition from rehab to full strength and performance. The model grew quickly, and I realized the next step was to integrate physical therapy directly into the practice. After leaving my employer, I transitioned KS Fitness into a hybrid strength and physical therapy model, providing one-on-one care focused on quality and long-term results rather than high-volume treatment.
I ran KS Fitness for nearly two years, and during that time I became pregnant with our daughter. Around the time she was born, my husband received a job offer in Knoxville, just 20 minutes from my hometown of Maryville, Tennessee. We faced a choice: expand KS Fitness and hire someone to manage it, or move back home to be closer to family. We chose to move, and I closed the practice in November 2019. That decision allowed me to stay home, help my mom recover from her cancer treatments, and eventually led to the vision for Amplify Physio.
After having our son, I knew it was time to take the leap again. I still remember the day vividly — I was very pregnant, driving around Maryville after picking up my daughter from Parents’ Day Out. She had fallen asleep in the car when I came across a tiny 180-square-foot office space in the heart of downtown Maryville. I called the agent immediately and met with the owner, who kindly offered a small maternity leave window and waived rent for the first three months in exchange for a two-year lease. Even though Amplify Physio wasn’t officially a business yet, I knew in my gut this was the right step.
I officially opened Amplify Physio in January 2024, and within just four months, the practice had a waitlist. Around that same time, a larger space became available in the same building — one that offered room for private treatment rooms and a gym area. The same owner graciously allowed me to transition my lease, and I now occupy that expanded space while also leasing to two other wellness professionals — a chiropractor (Dr. Reed Jarvis with The Resilience Lab) and a functional medicine practice (Bloom Functional Wellness- Angela Chaffin, NP & Kacy Bartow, RD). It has grown into a collaborative wellness environment that I’m incredibly proud of.
This journey wasn’t linear. My first attempt to start a practice in early 2020 in Knoxville fell through when COVID hit, forcing me to pause and stay home. What felt like failure at the time became a blessing, allowing me to slow down, embrace motherhood, and rediscover my purpose.
In 2022, our family experienced an unimaginable loss when our daughter, Andie Kate, passed away halfway through pregnancy. That season changed everything — it deepened my compassion, reshaped my perspective on healing, and reminded me that progress isn’t always linear. Walking through grief taught me to appreciate the strength that comes from vulnerability and to truly understand what it means to help others rebuild after hardship.
After the birth of our son, Harrison, in 2023 I began navigating my own postpartum recovery while also supporting my mom, who had spent years working with other therapists following her cancer treatment but continued to struggle with pelvic floor dysfunction. Those experiences gave me a new level of empathy and conviction — I realized that the timing was never mine to control.
Amplify Physio was born out of pain, perseverance, and purpose. Every setback — from pandemic delays to personal loss — shaped a deeper mission: to help others rebuild strength, confidence, and hope through movement and education. To Amplify every voice and remind each person that they truly matter.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Amplify Physio ?
At Amplify, we specialize in both orthopedic and pelvic floor physical therapy, and we take a very whole-body approach to care. We treat everything from the classic PT issues — like knee, back, hip, and shoulder pain — to pelvic floor concerns such as incontinence, prolapse, pain with intercourse, and bladder pain.
What I’ve found over the years is that these problems are rarely isolated. It’s uncommon for someone to just have hip pain — usually there’s also something going on in the back, knees, or even the pelvic floor. Everything in the body is connected, and when we address the root cause, people often notice that other issues they didn’t even come in for start to improve too.
Our goal is always long-term results — helping people move better, feel stronger, and not have to keep coming back for the same thing. While we focus on women’s pelvic health, we also treat both men and women orthopedically.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I think some of my essential qualities are empathy, curiosity, and integrity. I truly care about understanding each person’s story and helping them feel heard. I’m always curious about how everything connects — not just what’s hurting, but why — and that’s what drives me to look at the whole person rather than just the diagnosis. And integrity is huge for me; I want every patient to know I’m in their corner, helping them find long-term strength and confidence, not just quick fixes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amplifyphysio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amplifyphysio?igsh=azc3aTRhbnprdGRp&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amplifyphysio/
