Ciara Roche
PT, DPT
About Me
Ciara is a physical therapist with a lifelong passion for running, movement, and helping people stay active at every level. Her path to physical therapy started early—in fifth grade. When her yearbook asked where she saw herself in 15 years, she confidently wrote: I will be a physical therapist. Outside of the clinic, she can often be found lifting weights, hiking in the mountains of western NC, and cheering on Duke Blue Devils basketball.
Originally from New Jersey, Ciara was a multi-time state champion in distances from the 800 to 3200 meters and was the national title winner in the 4×800. She competed as a collegiate runner at Cornell University, specializing in the 800 meters, and will be inducted into her high school’s Hall of Fame this year. Her personal experience navigating a wide range of orthopedic injuries as a competitive runner sparked her interest in understanding the root cause of injuries and how to address the driver rather than just the symptoms.
She earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Duke University, where she served as a research assistant for the Center for Excellence in Manual and Manipulative Therapy (CEMMT), a research-focused platform dedicated to making evidence-based practice more accessible.
Ciara enjoys treating spine and lower extremity conditions in runners and active individuals of all backgrounds. Her approach is collaborative and empowering, centered on helping people move the way they want to move and supporting them in being as active and athletic as possible. She incorporates strength training, manual therapy, and offers 2D gait assessment to guide individualized, evidence-based care. She currently practices in Apex.