Our team
EXpertise that exCEEDs ALL EXPECTATIONS
Dr. Toko Nguyen
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Dr. Nguyen is the founder and owner of the Institute for Athlete Regeneration Sports Medicine. He is recognized as one of the foremost experts in the field of sports rehabilitation, sports manual therapy, and sports recovery. In addition to serving his clients in the rehabilitation setting, Dr. Nguyen is also the founder and owner of the Institute for Athlete Regeneration Education Systems, where he educates, mentors, and develops other clinicians nationally and internationally to become the best of the best specialists and experts in the field of manual therapy, dry needling, and sports rehabilitation.
Born in Vietnam, Dr. Nguyen and his family immigrated as refugees to the United States. Raised in Quincy, Illinois, Dr. Nguyen spent the majority of his time participating in as many sports as possible. This fortunately exposed him to the profession of sports medicine and rehabilitation, which he decided at an early age would be his career pursuit.
Dr. Nguyen earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology degree from Northeast Missouri State University (Truman State University) where he was also an All-Conference collegiate football player. He received his Masters of Science in Physical Therapy from Southwest Texas State University and his Doctor of Physical therapy from Texas’s Women’s University. Dr. Nguyen is a Board Certified Orthopedic and Sports Specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Dr. Nguyen strongly believes clients who seek health solutions deserve the highest levels of clinical expertise delivered in an environment that allows attention to detail. He also believes the best clinicians continue to learn and evolve their approaches to fit the natural changes of the human body and the movement demands of sports and daily activity. This belief, and the pursuit to be the best, drove Dr. Nguyen to achieve the prestigious identity of Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT), which makes up the top 2% of all physical therapists in the world.
Dr. Nguyen began his career in corporate practice where he spent 5 years as a corporate partner and clinic director in 2 outpatient orthopedic clinics. In order to pursue his love for clinical education and mentorship, he joined a large hospital system to create post-professional residency programs for physical therapists and athletic trainers. Based on his experiences in corporate and hospital practice, he quickly learned the challenges that insurance driven rehabilitation departments have in providing clients the care they truly deserve.
Dr. Nguyen created the Institute for Athlete Regeneration Sports Medicine with one mission, to afford clients an experience that exceeds all expectations. A truly athlete-centered focus has allowed IARSM to become the current in-season and off-season home to a large number of MLB, NFL, NBA, and Olympic athletes who trust the IARSM approach in managing their rehabilitation and recovery strategies.
Dr. Nguyen has served as the Team Physical Therapist and Rehabilitation Consultant for the Houston Texans and University of Houston Baseball. He is the founder and past president of the AAOMPT Sports Special Interest Group, and current Legislative Representative for the APTA Sports Physical Therapy Academy. He continues to speak, present, educate, and mentor at the local, state, national, and international levels on topics of integrating advanced manual therapy techniques into treatment of the elite athlete.
When he is not serving his clients and students, Dr. Nguyen spends his free time with his amazing wife, Linh, and beautiful daughters, Marli and Matea.
Dr. sarah wechter
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Dr. Sarah Wechter was born and raised in North Canton, OH. She was a competitive multi-sport athlete growing up that sparked her passion in the sports performance industry. She experienced the rehab process first hand with her own injuries that introduced her to the profession of physical therapy.
Dr. Wechter earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH where she gained valuable experience in the Division I sports medicine arena. Dr. Wechter is passionate about optimizing movement patterns in daily life and sport as she believes this improves human performance. During undergrad she studied sports physiotherapy in Australia including studying at the Australian Institute of Sport Olympic training facility. She then earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Walsh University. Dr. Wechter is a Certified Athletic Trainer and board certified Orthopedic Specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
Her motivation to grow her skills in sports and orthopedics lead her to Houston, TX where she completed orthopedic residency with the Institute for Athlete Regeneration Education Systems. She continued the pursuit in her clinical expertise and became a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists through IAR Education Systems. She began her career working in outpatient orthopedics in a large hospital system where she gained valuable mentorship from high level clinicians. Her unique knowledge as an Athletic Trainer and Physical Therapist allowed her to mentor students and grow relationships and off the field in the sports medicine community. Her passion to build life-long relationships with her clients and provide an experience that exceeds all expectations lead her to IAR Sports Medicine.
Dr. Wechter is a published author in IJSPT for the article “The Impact of Lumbopelvic Control on Overhead Performance and Shoulder Injuries in Overhead Athletes”. She was chosen as a presenter at the Great Lakes Athletic Training conference for her work with collegiate baseball athletes. She is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists and Public Safety Athletic Trainer’s Society.
In addition to working in the clinic, Sarah has a passion for teaching and mentoring clinicians in the field. She strongly believes in giving back and growing future leaders in the profession. She enjoys staying active through working out, running, cycling and playing softball. She loves to travel and try new food. She has completed two half marathons with the goal of completing a half ironman in the future.