About Us
Rooted in Running. Built for Real Life.
Empowered Stride PT & Performance was created to change the way people experience rehabilitation and movement care.
Too often, physical therapy focuses only on getting out of pain—without addressing how you move, why the issue started, or how to prevent it from returning. At Empowered Stride, we believe movement is a skill, strength is the foundation, and confidence is the goal.
We bridge the gap between physical therapy and performance training by combining evidence-based care with thoughtful strength programming and movement analysis. While we are deeply rooted in helping runners return to the sport they love and optimize their stride, our approach extends far beyond running. We also support women through the unique physical demands of pregnancy and postpartum, helping them build strength, confidence, and a strong foundation for returning to the activities they love. The same principles that build resilient runners—strength, efficiency, and control—help anyone move better in everyday life.
Every plan is individualized, every session is purposeful, and every stride forward is built with intention. Our goal is not just recovery, but long-term confidence in your body—so you can move, train, navigate pregnancy and postpartum, and live without hesitation.
UNLEASH YOUR RUNNING POTENTIAL
Our Mission and Vision
At Empowered Stride PT & Performance, our mission is to empower every individual to move stronger and smarter with confidence, resilience, and purpose. We specialize in guiding runners back to the sport they love and optimizing stride efficiency through evidence-based physical therapy, strength, mechanics, and personalized performance training—while providing the same high-level, movement-focused care to anyone striving to move better, feel stronger, and trust their body in everyday life.
We envision a community where runners, moms, and active individuals move without fear of injury, understand their bodies, and feel empowered in every stride they take.
Meet The Team
Melissa Vanderlinde PT,DPT
Founder
My passion for running began at Wayzata High School and continued through my collegiate career at the University of Minnesota Duluth. I’ve carried that passion forward through road racing and marathons, gaining firsthand experience in the physical and mental demands of training, performance, and recovery.
Becoming a mom has added a whole new perspective to the way I understand movement, recovery, and the demands placed on a woman’s body. After having my own C-section and navigating my return to running and fitness postpartum, I understand firsthand that the journey back to feeling strong and confident in your body can look different than you expect. This experience has deepened my passion for supporting women through pregnancy and postpartum while continuing to pursue the activities and goals that matter to them.
That experience shapes the way I care for runners, moms, and active individuals today. I love helping people meet their goals—whether that’s returning from injury, building strength, returning to running after pregnancy, hitting pace targets, or improving performance. By blending evidence-based physical therapy, performance training, and coaching principles, my goal is to help individuals move with confidence, resilience, and purpose.
Outside of my work, you’ll often find me out on my own runs, coaching cross country at Wayzata High School, or spending time with my husband, son, and husky.
Herman and Wallace Pelvic Floor, Dry Needling, Gait Analysis, ICE Rehab of the Injured Runner