Dr. Steve Fell: Rehabbing the World’s Best Soccer Athletes

In this episode of the True Sports Physical Therapy Podcast, Dr. Yoni Rosenblatt welcomes Dr. Steve Fell, performance coach for the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team and founder of Performance Science and Rehab. Dr. Fell’s journey is one of grit, humility, and relentless curiosity. From sleeping in his car to getting in the door at top-level training camps, to now preparing the world’s best soccer athletes for the World Cup. With roles spanning club, country, and private practice, he shares a masterclass on building bridges between rehab, performance, and elite sport.

The conversation dives into what makes rehab for soccer players uniquely demanding, and how clinicians who haven't played the game can still deliver high-quality care through communication, empathy, and specificity. Dr. Fell breaks down his thought process on return-to-play criteria, deceleration demands, GPS metrics, and why change of direction trumps straight-line speed in his rehab progressions. He explains how to gain trust with athletes, ask the right questions, and use objective data, even without fancy tech.

From in-season monitoring with the USMNT to curating a performance environment for all levels in his Florida-based clinic, Dr. Fell shows how to scale elite care to everyday athletes. He details how he tailors gym-based programming based on field demands and movement profiling, and gives practical tools for blending data, clinical reasoning, and athlete buy-in.

Whether you're a soccer coach, physical therapist, or performance specialist, this episode is packed with tactical wisdom and career-building advice. Dr. Fell’s approach is equal parts science and human connection and proof that you don’t need to be the smartest in the room, just the most committed. Tune in to learn how to better serve your athletes and grow your impact in sports rehab.

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