Meet Dr. Kelsey Vagnoni, a Severna Park mom of two, wife, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and owner of Personalized Physical Therapy. The PPT team offers high-quality care, and hands-on treatment with a choice of in-home or office appointments for all things related to pregnancy and postpartum issues. The office is completely mom-focused and kid-friendly with a playroom, kid snacks, a changing table, a mamaroo swing, and everything you need to have a successful visit. Kids are always welcome!
Kelsey shares her Sunday mom hack to make her life easier, postpartum tips for new moms, and her fun fact about how she is a quadruplet!
Tell us a little bit about you and your family! Where did you grow up? How long have you lived in the area? How many kids do you have?
I grew up in Wilmington, DE. I took the long way to Annapolis. I moved to San Diego in 2009 and met my husband there. I lived out there for three years and it’s still my favorite place. We moved to Alexandria, VA in 2012 because he was going to graduate school in DC. We finally moved to Maryland in 2014. We lived in Edgewater for 5 years before moving to Severna Park in 2020. I have two kids - my son August is 9 and my daughter Kate is 6. I also have an 80+ pound hound mix named Ellie.
You are the owner of Personalized Physical Therapy. How did you get to your career today? Tell us how you got started!
2015 was a really difficult year for me. I lost my mom in a car accident when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child. My delivery was very traumatic - my son got stuck in my pelvis due to shoulder dystocia. He suffered a stroke and I could barely walk. Thankfully we are both fine now. But going through a birth injury and realizing the complete lack of care and education for postpartum women, in combination with losing my mom and wanting to be there more for my kids, is what led me to start my own business. I wanted to provide high-quality and accessible care to pregnant and postpartum women. I wanted more time with my patients and more time with my family. So I started Personalized Physical Therapy in 2016. I was only offering in-home visits and had a literal clinic in my car. I thought bringing care to new moms was a much-needed service. By the end of 2018 - I was too busy to keep up with all the travel. I moved into my first shared office space in December 2018. I had one room. I kept up with both in-home visits and office visits. I moved into a larger office in 2020, and then hopefully made my final move to my current office space in 2023. We have a 5-room office in the Plaza One Building in Arnold. I have four other physical therapists in addition to myself. We specialize in treating all things related to pregnancy and postpartum - including diastasis recti, pelvic floor dysfunction, and cesarean scar tissue. We also specialize in treating spine and pelvic issues, GI issues, and even infertility. In addition to manual therapy, we offer trigger point dry needling, visceral mobilization, scar tissue release, and manual lymphatic drainage. We recently added physical therapy-based reformer pilates in our office. I never thought my business would ever grow into what it is today.
What are some tips for new moms and postpartum moms?
Nothing lasts forever. If you are in a tough phase - hang in there...it will end. If you are in a good phase - enjoy it because it will also end. And find a good physical therapist 😉
How has your job shifted your perspective of Motherhood?
I am lucky enough to treat mostly moms all day long. I hear it all - from crazy delivery stories, to how many times your baby woke up last night, to something funny your toddler did or said. It’s nice to share our struggles and our celebrations. I’ve learned that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to raising kids. We are in this together and all doing the best we can.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I am a quadruplet! Yes - four babies born at one time (crazy right?). We were the first quadruplets in Delaware and we were born in the blizzard of 1983. My mom took a fertility drug called Clomid for one cycle and found out at 4.5 months she was carrying 4 babies. We were all fraternal - 3 girls and 1 boy. My mom made it to 36 weeks and three of us were almost 5 pounds each.
What’s something you love that’s just for you?
Being in nature - a hike, a walk, etc. I also love getting up before everyone else in my house and drinking a cup of coffee when it’s quiet.
Best mom hack that makes your life easier.
Meal planning for the week on Sundays and putting everything into my google calendar.
Name something you hope your children look back and remember about their childhood and you as their mama.
How much they were loved. I think there are so many ways to raise your kids and there are endless things to worry about - like screen time, healthy meals, schools, etc. You can read lots of different books. But I hope none of that really matters in the end. I hope they look back on their childhood and remember the love.
What’s your favorite family activity to do in the area?
We love to feed the ducks downtown, go out to dinner, and then get ice cream. The ducks will literally eat out of my kids' hands.
What have you learned from your children?
The true meaning of unconditional love. And a whole lot of patience.
Greatest gift about being a mom.
Getting to experience everything again through the eyes of a child. Holidays have taken on a whole new meaning. And watching them find the things they love in life. It's very busy - but going to baseball games, soccer games, swim meets, etc have become one of the greatest joys.
Personalized Physical Therapy offers high quality care, hands-on treatment, with a choice of in-home or office appointments. Kelsey and her team specialize in treating spine and pelvic pain, orthopedic injuries, and all things related to pregnancy and postpartum issues - including diastasis recti, cesarean scar tissue, and pelvic floor dysfunction. They also offer trigger point dry needling and scar tissue mobilization for all surgical scars - including those related to breast cancer surgery and abdominal surgery. In addition, Kelsey performs manual lymphatic drainage which can help with swelling, tissue healing, and even fertility.
About Dr. Kelsey Vagnoni, DPT
Kelsey Vagnoni earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Delaware in 2007. Since that time, she has taken over 400 hours of additional hands-on training to improve her manual therapy skills. She started Personalized Physical Therapy in 2016 because she wanted to offer a higher quality of care and spend more time with her patients. She is very passionate about treating the unique issues of pregnant and postpartum patients, and wanted a business that provided accessible care to busy mothers. Kelsey utilizes a "hands-on" approach to improve joint and muscle function, and restore mobility, stability, and alignment. She treats the underlying causes of your injury versus the simply the symptoms, and she gives you the tools you need to stay healthy!
1511 Ritchie Hwy #301 | Arnold, MD
302-345-7202
We love supporting local businesses! What are your favorite places in the Anne Arundel County area to:
Get coffee: Ceremony
Go on a date night: Vin 909
Give back to the community: I have volunteered at several community events (fitness classes, workshops, etc. to provide education to pregnant/postpartum women about injury prevention, postpartum recovery, and safe return to exercise.
Go out for a girl’s night: Anywhere without my children
Go out to dinner as a family: My kids love the Iron Rooster and Cafe Mezzanotte
Shop for your kids: Target, Old Navy, Amazon
Get your nails done: Haha I never get my nails done
Have fun as a family: Kinder Farm and Downtown Annapolis
Photography by: @tinakeanemiller
