ABOUT OUR FOUNDER
Komal Deokule
PT, MSc.PT, CCS, MCSP, MPNZ, MIAP
Komal Deokule is a Board Certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist and the founder of Vital Physical Therapy, a niche out-patient physical therapy practice specializing in cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions. She has been an adjunct faculty at the University Of St. Augustine, California, teaching on the cardiopulmonary course in the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program. She has been invited on several national and international speaking engagements and is conducting PT Board approved cardiopulmonary courses for Physical Therapists across America.
She was recently featured in a local newspaper in San Diego which chronicled her entrepreneurial venture of opening a niche out-patient PT clinic, the only one of its kind in San Diego. She was also interviewed by the PT Talker and highlighted in the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary section Newsletter of APTA as a lead expert in the Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy field.
Board Certified
Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist
Komal earned a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from Maharaja Sayajirao University, India in 1992 and a Masters degree in Physiotherapy (cardiopulmonary) from University College of London, Britain (UK), in 1999. Komal has over 25 years of clinical experience as a cardiopulmonary Physical Therapist. Her international experience includes several years of practice as a clinical specialist in UK, NZ, and India. She has worked with patients with heart, lung and liver transplants, cardiac and thoracic surgeries, mobilizing medically complex patients in ICUs on ventilators, and in outpatient cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. She was responsible for the initiation of some PT led cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs in the UK and developed several assessment tools and informational packets. In the US she has worked in various practice settings like acute-care, SNF, home health, and out-patient and has been actively involved in continued workplace education and journal club.
teaching
She enjoys teaching and has taught in several professional courses in US, UK, NZ and India. She has been invited as a guest lecturer for the San Diego district of California Physical Therapy Association and presented a cardiopulmonary course for University of California Irvine, California. She has also been an invited lecturer for the San Diego State University and San Diego Mesa College. She was a clinical tutor at the Otago University in New Zealand and a clinical educator for students from various universities in UK.
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Awards/Research
Komal has a keen interest in research and has presented her work at international conferences. She served as a reviewer for the journal for the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care (ACPRC). Her academic achievements include “A Survey on Rehabilitation of Ventilated patients in the ICU” looking into rehabilitation techniques used at different stages of weaning. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and her article titled “Effects of Body Position on Gas Exchange in relation to Mechanical Ventilation and Ventilation-perfusion Matching” earned her an ACPRC Medic-Aid Award.
EXPERT PT
Komal Deokule is one of the few Board-Certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist in the nation with extensive international clinical experience. According to the 2020 data there are 290,000 licensed Physical Therapist in US of which 349 PTs are Board-Certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist in the entire nation and only 15 of those practice in the state of California. Komal happens to be one of them. The combination of her broad clinical, teaching and research experience not only makes her an expert Physical Therapist in the specialty but also demonstrates her passion for her profession.
Publications
- ‘Does A combined Approach to Phase III Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Help Increase Exercise Tolerance In Patients Following CABG? Is More Necessary?’ Journal of ACPRC, 2001; 34.
- Effects of Body Position on Gas Exchange with relation to Mechanical Ventilation and Ventilation-Perfusion’ Journal of ACPRC, Autumn 1998; 31. Also won the ACPRC Medic-Aid Award for this article in the Senior II category.
- Management of Vestibular Dysfunction’ Physiospace Aug. 1994; Vol.1, No.1; bulletin of Baroda branch of Indian Association of Physiotherapist.
- Domiciliary Oxygen Therapy for COAD Patients’ was submitted for being part of the ACPRC Guidelines.
Contact Us
With a combination of personalized exercise plans and education, Vital Physical Therapy can help a patient who has recently endured a cardiac event recover and improve their life. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to start your recovery.