Michael Bender, PT DPT

Dr. Bender truly cares! Highly trained and always learning and updated on the newest therapy treatments, I could not recommend better! From my first consultation, where he immediately could see my issues, to a couple months of therapy to correct the problem and plenty of stretches and exercises to speed up recovery, he gets it done!
His newly renovated office is very inspiring and staff is courteous, personal, friendly and thorough with their duties.
There is always much appreciation for making me feel and operate at optimal shape. Thank you Dr. Bender!

Michael is truly amazing. Had my first serious car accident and he took such good care of me and helped me recover pain free! He is very knowledgable and kind, which makes going to physical therapy all the better. I would certainly recommend him to anyone! Plus, he is a huge Star Wars fan (a huge plus in my book!). Thank you again Michael!

Been going here on and off for a couple of years. Michael’s a top notch physical therapist. Great support staff as well.

For several months I was experiencing lower back pain (most likely build up from doing sedentary work… sitting forever) then Dr. Michael Bender came to my rescue. He was great at explaining what was going with my body and also gave me the tools to strengthen my core and improve my posture. After seeing him for a few weeks my lower back feels better than ever! Dr. Bender thank you and your staff for making me feel comfortable, pain free and for making the treatments fun. MAY THE FORCE ALWAYS BE WITH YOU!

I was diagnosed a few years ago with an Autoimmune Disease with some symptoms being intense arthritis and inflammation, I kind of said goodbye to workouts on a regular basis. It was always the same, I’d run/​workout for 3 weeks and then the pain would set in, specifically in my knees. I gave up on running/​workouts and in turn my health suffered severly due to the disease. Last year I forced myself to keep at it and push through, I was taking pain meds to get me through the workouts, but then the pain kept me up at night and I was losing sleep. I didn’t want to give up this time so I told my Dr. and he suggested PT. Being my first time, I had no idea what to expect and honestly didn’t see how it could help.
Dr. Bender did such an amazing job of explaining to me precisely what was happening with my knee, why and how we were going to fix it. PT isn’t something I think people necessarily look forward to, but with Dr. Bender and his amazing staff, it was actually fun… minus the pain. Dr. Bender’s knowledge and approach are what every Dr. should have. Him and his staff are by far the nicest and most attentive I’ve ever encountered in any medical office. He listens, he teaches, and he makes you feel absolutely comfortable even though you’re in pain… which is a difficult feat. With a great sense of humor and great concern for your well being and progress, coming out of PT with Dr. Bender is a positive experience. After 3 months and with a great PT program Dr. Bender made for me, I’m on a consistent workout routine, no pain meds or sleepless nights.
I’ve recommended him to friends, family and runners, as he’s one himself and knows exactly how to treat you.

I had to go to Dr. Bender after a very involved shoulder surgery. My surgeon told me it would involve a year of pt at 2 – 3 times per week in order to properly heal.
While the pt was at times difficult, Bender and his crew were amazing and you could tell that he truly and genuinely cared for all his patients. When I would go to my follow up appointments with my surgeon, he was always amazed at how quickly my shoulder was healing. After my final appointment 10 months after my surgery and 2 months before I expected to finish, my surgeon gave me a clean bill of health.
Going to pt is tough but here Michael Bender and his team make everyone feel comfortable, by injecting a healthy amount of humor and nerd cred.
Go see Michael, you’ll be in very capable hands.
Overall Rating: A+

Back in July I injured my knee, literally just walking down some steps. When my primary care physician told me that he wanted me to go to physical therapy, I’ll admit that I was a bit nervous because I had never needed to go before and I didn’t know what to expect. After my consultation with Dr. Bender my nerves were gone. He is so great and I can tell he really cares about his patients. As a first experience it has been awesome and I couldn’t be happier and more pleased with Dr. Bender, his results, and his staff. Hopefully I will not need physical therapy in the future for anything else, but if I do I will for sure be coming back here, and recommending friends and family!

I have seen Dr. Michael Bender for 2 separate sport injuries. The first injury was the summer of 2014, I tore my calf muscle and my ortho surgeon recommended 3 months of physical therapy. For the first month, I had difficulty walking, especially without crutches. When I was finally able to walk without crutches, I had 2 – 3 physical therapy appointments with Dr. Bender every week for 3 months. He helped me so much and I’m so grateful for the treatment I received.
My second injury was more recent, a sprained ankle. This was the second sprained ankle in 3 years, so I wanted to make sure it healed properly. I got the green light to see Dr. Bender again 2 times per week, for 6 weeks. Again, he helped with my ankle injury, nursing it back to health and making it strong again. I’m so happy to have him as a resource for my injuries.
Not only is Dr. Bender extremely knowledgeable, but he has a great sense of humor and his staff is always so friendly. I look forward to my sessions because I know I will get better and it is such a pleasant experience in a nice office. I am definitely seeing Dr. Bender again for my next injury, hopefully it’s not so soon!

Hands down the best physical therapist you’re going to get in the LA area. I’ve been seeing Dr. Bender for the last few months for neck and shoulder pain, and can honestly say I look forward to every appointment I have with him. He is not only extremely knowledgeable in his field, but makes every session a lot of fun with his sense of humor, spirit, and overall genuine caring nature. The rest of the staff at his office all share the same qualities, contributing to the jovial atmosphere that makes your experience there the best it can possibly be. Count yourself fortunate if you make your way onto his roster!

You would be a lucky patient if Dr. Bender became your physical therapist. As you can see from the other reviews, he’s very present. He truly listens to you and will honestly discuss your concerns. He has a terrific bedside manner and sense of humor so that going to therapy isn’t something you dread.
He’s got some kind of Jedi skills in his ability to focus in on what your particular changes are from session to session. I had ankle surgery (couldn’t even walk in there), but he got me back on my feet. I recommend him highly!
If you don’t love him, then you don’t deserve him.

Dr. Bender and his staff are great. I tore my ACL last year and with his help, I’ve progressed more in my 6 weeks with him than I did in the previous 5 months with other therapists. Yes, he can some times be a physical terrorist, but let him kick your butt (which he’ll do with a smile). You’ll be happy that you did because he’ll take you to the promise land!

Dr. Michael Bender and his Staff are awesome. I had foot surgery and an ankle injury and was not able to walk without pain. I can now walk without pain and have been able to resume all activities. At age 74 I was afraid I would not fully recover. One of the best decisions I ever made was receiving treatment from Dr. Bender.
I highly recommend Dr. Bender and his staff.

Being a world champion athlete, I was devastated after an auto accident rendered me temporarily disabled and unable to work or train. I was in a neck brace, back brace and scared. I was sent to physical therapy at Fortanasce Physical Therapy and am so glad because that is where I met Dr. Michael Bender.
There are doctors who care and those who just seem to brush over you. Dr. Bender is definitely the aforementioned. He really cares about his patients and it shows. He really put me at ease and calmed me down. All of his patients are smiling and laughing with him and he really makes you feel comfortable and at ease, even when you are in a pain. Physical therapy is hard work both for the therapist and the patient, so when I find someone that really listens to where my pain is and jumps right in to get to the bottom of the issue; it really makes me loyal to my doctor. After all, I’m there to heal, rehabilitate and relieve the constant pain I’m in. He is knowledgeable, creative and all business when it comes to your injuries. (Hint: Ask him to show you his muscle app on his iPad so you can see exactly where your pain is coming from — it’s a great tool!)
Now to the down & dirty:
* Would I recommend him? I would definitely recommend Dr. Bender to my family & friends! I absolutely trust Michael to make decisions & recommendations that are in my best interest. There are times when I want to be pushed a little harder and he’s all for it, but when I’m sore or not at my best, he definitely backs me off to prevent any «mishaps» on my part.

* Communication: Michael really helps you understand your condition, listens to and answers questions extremely well. I’m constantly asking him about how I’m doing, if I’m ahead of schedule, behind schedule, long term effects, etc. Now that I think about it, he’s probably sick of me! Lol.
* Time Spent: I definitely feel that I receive an appropriate amount of Time Spent with me. I’m so tired of the «15 minute standard» that insurance companies are imposing and I know the doctors are stressed out because of it. However, Michael always goes above and beyond to make sure that I walk out of his office way better than when I walked in. I know he’s on time constraints, so I don’t often request extra time… but when I need it and he sees I need it, he’s right there to fix the issue, which I’m extremely thankful for.

THE SHORT VERSION: Dr. Michael Bender is one of the best doctors I have had the privilege to meet. When I think, «physical therapist», he’s my go-​to guy. No joke!
THE LONG VERSION: My boyfriend had to go through physical therapy post knee surgery and I went with him for support. We met Dr. Bender, who not only was very kind and welcoming (making this new situation feel very comfortable), but he was also very informative, clear, and concise (making the entire process easy to understand). He gave my boyfriend instructions and sent us home with beautiful diagrams of exercises he needed to do (stick figures with mo hawk hair that he hand-​drew himself hehehe). He even called/​messaged my boyfriend to see how he was just to make sure he was doing better (how AWESOME is that?). Bender’s dedication to his profession and genuine care for his patients are rare qualities for doctors alike. We were fortunate to have had the opportunity to be his patient (s). :)
OVERALL: I definitely recommend going to him if you need a physical therapist. (I already do to my friends!)

After suffering a work related back and shoulder injury, I started physical therapy with Mike Bender. As a nurse, I have very high expectations of others who work in the medical field and Mike is hands down, a FANTASTIC physical therapist!
My doctor told me my injury did not require surgical intervention and physical therapy was my best treatment plan. I treated under Mike for the past year (on & off) and I have now regained full ROM on my dominant arm and shoulder and my back pain is much more manageable. All thanks to Mike! Sure I still have «bad» days with back/​shoulder pain but my sessions with Mike have really increased my own awareness of the effects of bad body posture and he has taught me strengthening exercises I can do at home which help tremendously!
Mike is very knowledgeable, professional and personable. Most importantly, he LISTENS to you and will adjust the treatment accordingly. He really kicked my butt during every session and I know it’s because he cares. I am forever thankful to Mike for his help!