Functional Gait Assessment: Level 1

Dr. Courtney Conley, DC

Lakewood, Colorado

Dr. Courtney Conley is a national bestselling author, international educator, and one of the world's foremost authorities on foot and gait health. Her book, Walk, hit both the USA Today and Amazon bestseller lists, resonating with readers eager to understand the profound connection between foot function and whole-body health. The book's success has brought Dr. Conley to some of the most respected platforms in health and wellness media, including appearances on The Peter Attia Drive Podcast, Diary of a CEO, Feel Better, Live More with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, as well as national television features on CBS Mornings and Fox & Friends. 

Dr. Conley holds a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine and two Bachelor's degrees in Kinesiology and Human Biology. With nearly 25 years of clinical practice, she has worked with professional athletes from organizations including the Phoenix Suns, New York Yankees, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, and San Francisco 49ers. She has also collaborated with medical experts across the country, addressing complex foot and gait challenges at the highest level of performance. She currently serves as Head of Patient Care at Total Health Solutions and Total Health Performance in Lakewood, Colorado—premier clinics known for comprehensive, rehabilitation-focused patient care where she is committed to helping people improve their lives one step at a time.  

That same commitment led her to found and lead Gait Happens, an education enterprise leading a paradigm shift in foot health by empowering people worldwide to reclaim optimal foot function through science-backed training and protocols. Gait Happens offers a comprehensive ecosystem of resources — from professional education for practitioners to consumer training programs and personalized consultations with top-of-field specialists — all grounded in research and designed to deliver real, measurable results. With a focus on natural, preventative approaches to foot and gait health, Gait Happens has built a global community of individuals committed to moving better and living pain-free, offering a proven alternative to unnecessary surgical intervention through education and evidence-based care.

An internationally recognized speaker, Dr. Conley shares her expertise to clinicians and consumers alike through in-person and online lectures on foot mechanics and gait dynamics. Her work spans authorship, mentorship, patent and curriculum development, and the creation of pioneering foot and gait methodologies. Yet at the heart of every lecture, protocol, and patient interaction is the same driving belief: real strength starts from the ground up, and healthy feet are the foundation every body needs to move through life with confidence and ease.

Dr. Jenifer Perez, DC

Lafayette, Colorado

Dr. Jen Perez is Co-Owner and COO of Gait Happens. As both a clinician and an educator, her mission is simple: empower people to take charge of their lower body health, get to the root cause of what's holding them back, and get back to doing what they love.

Dr. Perez holds a BS in Kinesiology-Sports Medicine and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, with nine years spent working alongside patients. She completed her clinical residency in Jamaica, treating Olympic and professional track and field athletes, and is credentialed in a range of movement assessment and treatment techniques, including Selective Functional Movement Assessment, Functional Movement Specialist certification, and Dry Needling. Her focus has always been the whole chain — feet, hips, core — never the foot in isolation.

Dr. Perez is making an impact across the globe — from lecturing to clinicians in Tokyo to consulting professional athletes in Colorado. She's taught at universities, conferences, and clinics on three continents, spanning the United States, Canada, England, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, and Japan. Her reach extends just as far off the podium: consulting for professional athletes and footwear companies, being quoted as a foot health expert in Women's Health and National Geographic, and stepping in front of the camera as a consulting foot health expert for the Stupid Shoes documentary.

It's this same drive — knowing what it's like to have pain stand in the way of your goals — that led Dr. Perez to partner with Dr. Conley in creating Gait Happens, offering online courses, foot health tools, and virtual consultations to help people build resilient, healthier bodies from the ground up. In addition to her work at Gait Happens, Dr. Perez, along with her husband, Dr. Mark Perez, owns and operates Kinetic Chiropractic in Lafayette, CO, where she treats patients of all ages, backgrounds, and athletic abilities. Whether your goal is sharper clinical skills or a stronger, more capable body, Dr. Perez is here to help you move forward.

In Person Clinic: Kinetic Chiropractic in Lafayette, CO

Dr. Megan Drewes, DPT

Defiance, Ohio

Dr. Drewes has overcome some of her own gait and running related injuries, which allowed her to find passion in helping others with gait and lower extremity needs. She believes in treating each person as an individual and looking at their system as a whole.

Dr. Drewes knows the importance of movement as medicine to keep the body and mind healthy.

Dr. Megan Drewes holds a bachelor's degree in exercise science from the University of Toledo where she ran collegiate cross country and track.

She then went on to complete her doctoral degree in physical therapy from the University of Toledo.

Dr. Drewes owns Drewes PT in Defiance, Ohio, an out-of-network physical therapy clinic specializing in foot, ankle, and gait biomechanics. Dr. Drewes is excited to help get you back to moving and doing the things you love!

Additional Qualifications

Functional Gait Assessment Level 1 Instructor

Functional Gait Assessment Level 2

Gait Guru

Gait Foundations

Sole Switch Pro

Certified integrative dry needling

Owens recovery science partial blood flow restriction

Click here to watch Dr. Megan's Intro Video
Schedule a Virtual Appointment
In Person Clinic:

Dr. Megan Drewes Physical Therapy

Dr. Emily Schilling, DC

Lakewood, Colorado

Dr. Emily Schilling began her career in the medical field at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she graduated with a double major in Neurology and Nutritional Science.

From there, she continued on to receive her Doctorate of Chiropractic and Master's in Functional Nutrition from Parker University in Dallas, TX.

Dr. Schilling has always enjoyed being athletic and has participated in a number of sports throughout her life. Some of these include track and field, volleyball, and gymnastics. Currently, she is heavily involved in the triathlon community and has competed in multiple half Ironmans and recently finished her first full Ironman in Wisconsin '22.

Given her participation in high level sports, she understands the need for quality assessments of pain, targeted exercises and care based on the individual. In specific, she places an emphasis on the lower extremity and gait patterns. After sustaining a number of running related injuries, she wanted to know not only why they kept occurring but also how to treat and ultimately prevent them. After years of research and continuation in the sport, she has a wealth of knowledge that she would love to share with you! Her main goal is to show people that they can reach their goals in whatever activity they love. By looking at the body as a whole, her ambition is to create smart, sustainable changes in the system that not only allow people to complete those tough workouts, but also keep the longevity.

Apart from sports, Dr. Schilling also loves nutrition. Growing up as a type 1 diabetic, this was, and still is, her world. She is currently pursuing her license to become a Certified Nutrition Specialist. If you ever feel like chatting about race or training fueling recommendations, her door is always open!

No matter if you're a weekend warrior or a professional level athlete; young or mature; just starting out, or years into a sport, Dr. Schilling is here to help!

Additional Qualifications

Functional Gait Assessment Level 1 Instructor

Functional Gait Assessment Level 2

Gait Foundations

Gait Guru

Clinical Meets Functional

Floor to Core

USAT Triathlon Coach

Fascial Distortion Model

Functional Dry Needling

Postural Restoration Institute

Watch Dr. Emily's Intro Video

Schedule a Virtual Appointment

In Person Clinic: Dr. Schilling holds office hours at Total Health Solutions in Lakewood, CO.