Julie Adams is a physical therapist and manager at the University of Vermont Medical Center. She specializes in neurologic rehabilitation, oncology rehabilitation, and geriatrics. Julie treats patients with conditions such as movement disorders, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Muscular Dystrophy, stroke, spinal cord injuries, vertigo, lymphedema, brain injury, concussion, and total joint replacements. Julie also specializes in geriatrics, falls/balance, orthotic exams and prescriptions, wheelchair seating and mobility, prosthetics and orthotics, and wound management.

Julie uses various methods of treatment including therapeutic and functional exercise, manual therapy, therapeutic taping and LSVT BIG, a treatment for patients with Parkinson’s Disease, delivered over numerous sessions designed to increase limb and body movement.

Julie’s practice has evolved to include many areas of specialty or expertise that are less common in physical therapy, beginning with a focus on neurological and complex disorders and over time adding in interests in dizziness/balance/fall prevention and oncology. She is now most interested in preventative approaches, combining "fixing what's wrong" with efforts "to keep bad things from happening." She has always found that the relationships that can be built in outpatient therapy, over many years and episodes of care, can be extremely rewarding.

Julie is grateful for the experience of working directly with patients and families to form a care experience that is uniquely tailored to the person's needs and goals. She believes each patient has something to teach her about the care experience or life in general. She has carried that knowledge throughout her practice, refining techniques and her approach through these experiences as well as through the always changing scientific literature. As a department manager she is also inspired by the patterns of care that patients receive and she enjoys the privilege of supporting her staff in the work that they do.
Julie’s current projects include outcomes measures, standardization of care, and patient- and family-centered care.

Learn more about rehabilitation at the University of Vermont Medical Center.