From Soccer Player to Sports Medicine Expert

Hi, I’m John Cory, an orthopedic sports foot and ankle surgeon, as well as an exercise physiologist and kinesiologist. For over three decades, I’ve had the privilege of working with athletes at every level—from recreational players to elite professionals—in a wide range of disciplines, including NASCAR, ballet, and gymnastics.

My journey began in Florida, where I was a young athlete who lived and breathed sports. By age 10, soccer became my year-round passion. Unfortunately, like many young athletes, I experienced my share of injuries, both traumatic and overuse-related. I battled knee pain from Osgood-Schlatter disease and heel pain from Sever’s Apophysitis while competing in soccer. Despite receiving high-level physical therapy from some of the best practitioners in Florida, repetitive injuries continued to plague me.

I was fortunate to attend Wake Forest University, where I played soccer for two seasons under the university’s original coach. However, the academic rigors of Wake Forest and the toll of my injuries led me to shift my focus toward academics.

At Wake Forest, I studied biomechanics, focusing on the running gait and the differences between elite runners and novices. This work sparked a lifelong interest in understanding the factors behind repetitive-use injuries. I dove deeply into conditions like plantar fasciitis, shin splints, Achilles tendinitis, iliotibial band syndrome, and patellofemoral pain syndrome. These studies helped shape the foundation of my approach to treating and preventing lower-extremity injuries.

After graduating, I pursued advanced studies in human, exercise, and pulmonary physiology, further exploring how biomechanics and physiology influence the development of repetitive injuries in athletes.

Building Expertise in Athletic Movement

I completed medical school, followed by an orthopedic residency and a fellowship in sports foot and ankle surgery at the world-renowned American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI). My mentor, Dr. Angus McBryde, had worked with five U.S. Olympic teams over three decades. Under his guidance, we explored the root causes of common lower-extremity injuries, investigating how weaknesses in the kinetic chain and abnormalities in an athlete’s movement foundation could lead to recurring issues.

These experiences deepened my understanding of how small biomechanical deficiencies could compound over time, particularly in the lower extremities. I became fascinated by how addressing these imbalances could not only treat injuries but prevent them altogether

Translating Knowledge Into Practice

Its now been over 30 years that I’ve worked with athletes across nearly every sport, helping them recover from injuries and reach new levels of performance.

My goal has always been to identify and correct the root causes of repetitive injuries. By focusing on the kinetic chain and fine-tuning movement mechanics, I have helped over five thousand athletes prevent injuries before they happen.

Whether treating ballet dancers with overuse injuries, gymnasts pushing the limits of their bodies, or soccer players like my younger self, I’ve dedicated myself to optimizing human movement. 

Watching athletes return to the activities they love—stronger and more resilient than before—is the most rewarding part of my work.

In today's ever-increasingly digital world, creating my online course, “Ability in Motion,” has enabled me to educate and assist more athletes in their quest to become stronger and more durable. So, what are you waiting for? Join now and take the first steps toward improving your movement patterns to heal and prevent potential injuries, helping you reach your optimal athletic goals!