For more than a year, Jessica Cardoza’s life was being disrupted by thoracic outlet syndrome, a painful nerve condition. Hoping to avoid surgery, she searched for another option.
That search led her to Kanwal Bhardwaj, founder of Stride Physical Therapy in Freehold, and she says the experience has been transformative.
Today, Cardoza, a local property manager, is stronger, more active and in significantly less pain. “I work out all the time, I can train well, and I feel better than I have in years,” she says.
Cardoza says working with Bhardwaj has been an education as much as a treatment. “He is amazing,” she says. “It is rare to find someone who understands how to treat something this complicated.”
Her positive experience also led her 19-year-old daughter, Meghan, to Stride Physical Therapy. A college mechanical engineering student at the University of North Carolina/Charlotte and a former competitive dancer and cheerleader, Meghan had been dealing with chronic back and neck pain for years.
After beginning treatment over the summer, she, too, was thrilled with the results and continues to appreciate the relief.
Stories like this help explain why so many of Bhardwaj’s patients come through referrals from friends and family. Some travel an hour or more for his specialized treatment.
A Different Approach to Physical Therapy
So, what sets Bhardwaj apart?
For Cardoza, it is the hands-on attention. “Like many other places, he doesn’t tell you to do a bunch of exercises you can do at home,” she says. “He spends the entire time working on [patients] with his hands-on approach that you don’t see anywhere else. And then has us come back for follow-ups. I tell everyone I know about him!”
Bhardwaj opened Stride Physical Therapy in June 2020 and treats patients ranging from ages 10 to 80 and beyond. He brings more than two decades of experience as a certified physical therapist, along with extensive training in orthopedic and manual therapy.
He earned his Master of Science in Orthopedic Physical Therapy in 2004 and has continued refining his clinical techniques throughout his career in outpatient orthopedic settings.
His advanced certifications include:
- 2014: Certified Integrated Manual Therapist (CIMT)
- 2021: Certified Manual and Neurodynamic Therapist (CMNT)
- 2025: IADN Certified Specialist in Dry Needling, following more than 80 hours of advanced training
Bhardwaj also provides shockwave therapy, which can be used as part of treatment for certain types of pain and injuries.
His approach goes beyond simply treating symptoms. He focuses on identifying the underlying source of a problem, improving movement patterns and helping patients build strength and resilience.
“I believe physical therapy should restore function, freedom and confidence — and not just manage pain,” he explains.
What Patients Can Expect
From the first appointment, Bhardwaj takes time to understand each patient’s concerns, goals and physical limitations.
Kanwal Bhardwaj takes a hands-on approach at Stride Physical Therapy, developing individualized treatment plans designed to address the source of pain and help patients improve movement, strength and resilience.
The initial session includes a detailed assessment and hands-on treatment, followed by an individualized plan designed around the patient’s needs.
Follow-up visits are equally focused. “There are no cookie-cutter protocols and no fluff,” is the practice’s philosophy. “Only meaningful progress.”
Treatment may include:
- Addressing the root causes of pain
- Hands-on manual therapy
- Mobilization
- Dry needling
- Neurodynamic techniques
- Targeted exercises to build strength and resilience
For Bhardwaj, the goal is not simply to get patients through an appointment. It is to help them return to the activities they enjoy.
Happy Patients, Happy Therapist
As a sole practitioner, Bhardwaj gets to know his patients well — and hearing how treatment changes their lives remains one of the most rewarding parts of his work.
Whether someone comes to him after an acute injury, surgery or years of chronic pain, Bhardwaj says the mission is the same: reduce pain, restore movement and help the patient get back to living normally.
“They should be able to walk better, move better, feel better, sleep better and go back to whatever they were doing without any issues impeding them,” he says. “When my patients can achieve these results, this is why I do what I do.”
That can mean helping someone regain range of motion after knee replacement surgery or helping a patient return to activities that pain has forced them to abandon.
Bhardwaj recalls treating patients who had suffered from debilitating headaches for decades.
“I have had patients who have had headaches since childhood — suffering daily for 30 to 40 years — and after I treat them, they tell me they no longer have headaches,” he says. “That’s the best thing for me to hear.”
Ask Questions Before Choosing a Physical Therapist
Bhardwaj encourages prospective patients to ask an important question before choosing a physical therapy practice: How much hands-on treatment is provided?
He believes exercises and stretching are important, but patients can often do basic exercises on their own at home. What they cannot replicate is the expertise and hands-on work of a trained physical therapist.
“People come to me who want hands-on treatment for the treatment that they need,” he says. “What makes a good physical therapist is someone who actually does hands-on work on you.”
His philosophy is simple: patients should expect personalized treatment rather than a routine that feels the same for everyone.
Why Physical Therapy?
Bhardwaj was always interested in medicine but discovered that physical therapy offered the right combination of science, movement and patient interaction.
“A schoolmate’s brother told me that PT was a great field while I was in school, and it captured my interest,” he recalls.
His personal experiences with injuries have also influenced his approach to wellness. He is passionate about stretching, exercise and nutrition and believes in looking at the body as a whole.
“I believe we are better off looking at the body holistically as opposed to just taking pain pills,” he says. “I have had a fair share of injuries myself, and if I just relied on medicine, my stomach would be destroyed by now.”
For Bhardwaj, taking care of the body is an everyday commitment — not something that begins only when pain appears.
“I believe my patients can get rid of the pain if they are extremely diligent with whatever we are working on and if they stay with the exercising, stretching and other techniques,” he says.
For Cardoza and her daughter, that philosophy has made a meaningful difference.
After living with a complicated condition and trying to avoid surgery, she has found something she was searching for all along: less pain, greater strength and the confidence to keep moving.
And she is more than happy to tell others about it. “I rave about him to everyone that I know,” she says, “and I will continue to do so. He is a gem!”
