Performance Physical Therapy

Dr R M Barney Poole, PT, DPT, FAPTA, AT-Ret has made himself available as an educator, clinician, and volunteer to his colleagues, patients, and community throughout his career. This accessibility has been a hallmark of his leadership role in the physical therapy profession. Dr. Poole is CEO and owner of Performance Physical Therapy of Stockbridge, Georgia an outpatient orthopaedic physical therapy private practice and a division of Human Performance and Rehabilitation Centers, a Confluent Company. Prior to that, he was physical therapist/corporate director of the Atlanta Division of the Human Performance and Rehabilitation Centers, associate professor of anatomy-physiology at Columbus State University, and a teacher, athletic trainer, and coach at Glenwood High School in Phenix City, AL. He earned a BS in physical therapy from Georgia State University, BS in biology from Columbus State, and MEd in secondary education in biology, also from Columbus State and earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Alabama State University.

A member of American Physical Therapy Association Georgia for 37 years, he has served chapter as president, vice president, parliamentarian, program chair, chief delegate, and delegate. In 2001, he was elected Vice Speaker of the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) House of Delegates (HOD) and member of the Board of Directors and served two terms. During this time he was instrumental in designing and implementing the Local Area Network (LAN) system used to track and expedite HOD motions, improving the flow of business during House sessions and was an early advocate of electronic voting in the House. As chair of the APTA Task Force on Public Awareness and Public Relations, Dr Poole provided active mentoring to his constituency and the public, keeping them informed of APTA services available to chapters and components and potential patient/clients. He has also chaired the APTA Reference Committee, and most recently served as Chair of the House Special Committee to Determine Board Honorarium.

As a clinical teacher and faculty member, Dr Poole participates actively in the support and education of PT students as adjunct clinical faculty for Alabama State University and Georgia State University Physical Therapy Departments. In addition, he is known as a physician educator, teaching assessment of musculoskeletal injuries and appropriate referral of patients to physical therapy to physician members of the American Association of Family Physicians for over 25 years.

Dr. Poole is the recipient of APTA’s Lucy Blair Service award for distinguished service to the profession of physical therapy. In 2016, he was selected as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association, awarded to members whose contributions to the profession through leadership, influence, and achievements demonstrate frequent and sustained efforts to advance the profession of physical therapy.