Lakeview, Chicago
Muscle & Joint
Physical Therapy
Muscle & Joint Physical Therapy in Lakeview opened in the Summer of 2020. The clinic is conveniently located near the corner of Clark and Belmont, very close to the Belmont “EL” station. We are easy to access by foot, bike, bus, or train but for those that drive, there are ample parking spots directly on Clark St. Our facility is spacious, clean, and modern with 9 treatment tables and state-of-the-art equipment necessary to ensure a comfortable, effective recovery.
Meet Our Lakeview Staff
Physical therapist & CLINIC DIRECTOR
Dr. Alexandra Rudenga
PT, DPT, OCS, CMTPT
Dr. Rudenga was born and raised in Northwest Indiana. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from Indiana University Northwest after which she went on to complete her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree at Trine University in Fort Wayne, IN. Alex has a passion for providing education and treatment to athletes and individuals of all levels in order to decrease the overall instances of repetitive injuries to their bodies. She is passionate about getting people back to the things they love and helping them live their lives unhindered by pain. Her special interests are in manual therapy, orthopedic rehabilitation, sports injury prevention, and neurodynamics. She is an ACE Certified Running Gait Analyst and has additional certifications in Dry Needling, Blood Flow Restriction Training and Functional Movement Taping.
Physical therapist & ASSISTANT CLINIC DIRECTOR
Dr. Brandon St. Peters
PT, DPT
Dr. St. Peters was born in Indianapolis, IN and lived in the Czech Republic prior to moving to Chicago which has been his home for the past 20 years. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Georgetown University and worked as a paralegal at various legal practices before deciding to change careers to Physical Therapy. Brandon went on to attend Northwestern University to complete his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Brandon enjoys treating patients at all levels of their recovery and helping them return to the activities they love whether they have an acute injury or something more chronic. He particularly enjoys treating athletes in their effort to return to sport, especially volleyball players, since he has experience playing at the high school and collegiate levels.
One particular aspect that drew Brandon to M&J Physical Therapy was the significant amount of direct access patients. He enjoys being an early point of contact to help assist a person diagnose their injuries and create individualized treatment plans to treat their specific symptoms to reach their goals.
When not in the clinic, Brandon enjoys playing volleyball and basketball, as well as skiing, surfing, and cycling. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his family including his daughter.
Physical therapist
Dr. Curtis Burds
PT, DPT, CSCS, CPSS
A former Dubuque, Iowa native Curtis graduated from St. Ambrose University majoring in Exercise Science and minoring in Biology while in the Honors Program. He earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2021 from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. He spent his first two years after graduate school employed by and mentoring under a former Chicago Bears Physical Therapist and Athletic Trainer focusing on orthopedic and sports injuries and post-operative care in the northern suburbs of Chicago. As a former athlete and physical practitioner, Curtis is passionate about returning all athletes and patients to even greater function than they had prior to entering the clinic. He is well experienced in post-operative care of the knee, hip, shoulder, and spinal column while being a strong advocate for physical therapy intervention prior to surgical intervention when appropriate. Outside of common aches and pains he is also experienced in conservative care of instabilities of the shoulder and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
Through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Curtis is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Sport & Performance Scientist (CPSS). With this knowledge he enhances each patients ability to manipulate the surroundings with proper biomechanics. Patient goals are specific to the individual and their needs – whether they be activities of daily life or athletic circumstances.
When outside the clinic, Curtis continues to work on helping those around him reach their goals as an independent sports performance coach and trainer. Resistance training is his personal favorite mode of exercise, including blood flow restriction (BFR) training. He also enjoys biking as a 3x Register’s Annual Great Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) finisher. Curtis has completed 3 half marathons and the 2019 Chicago Marathon. Outside of the fitness realm Curtis is an avid movie watcher, reader, brewery fanatic, and science fiction/comic collector.
Physical therapist
Dr. Sarah Llorens
PT, DPT
Physical therapist
Dr. Mary Jansen
PT, DPT
Dr. Mary Jansen was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Spanish at the University of New Mexico, and earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Illinois Chicago. Mary enjoys treating patients with a wide variety of injuries, and is passionate about helping her patients achieve their goals.She has a special interest in treating TMJ disorder, as well as neck and upper back pain. She is experienced treating runners and individuals training for different sporting activities. She is also passionate about treating individuals with chronic illnesses such as POTS and EDS, and is certified in dry needling. In her free time, Mary enjoys running, biking, cooking, and painting, as well as spending time with family and friends.
Physical therapist
Dr. Brian Ball
PT, DPT, CSCS
