16 +

Experience

since 2009
6 +

Education

6+ years + ongoing continuing education
13 +

Serving

Years of serving in Tri-vally community
100 +

Appointments

patient - per month with minimal wait time.

Experience

16 +

Education Year

6 +

Serving

13 +

Appointments

100 +

About Payal Shah PT, MPT

Payal Shah, MPT
Founder | Core Craft Physical Therapy
Payal Shah, MPT, is the founder of Core Craft Physical Therapy, serving the Tri-Valley Bay Area of California. She has been a licensed Physical Therapist since 2009 and brings over a decade of experience helping individuals reduce pain, restore strength, and return to the activities that matter most to them.
Payal believes physical therapy should be personal, thoughtful, and centered on the individual—not rushed or one-size-fits-all. Her care philosophy is rooted in meaningful one-on-one treatment, where each patient is truly seen, heard, and supported throughout their recovery.
Throughout her career, Payal has worked with patients experiencing chronic pain, balance disorders, post-surgical conditions, and mobility limitations. She takes time to understand not only the diagnosis, but also how pain and movement challenges affect a patient’s daily life. Her approach emphasizes comprehensive evaluations and treatment plans that are practical, achievable, and focused on long-term outcomes.
Payal is especially passionate about treating the body as a whole. She addresses strength, balance, posture, and movement patterns together to help patients move more efficiently, reduce the risk of future injury, and build lasting confidence. Education and active patient participation are central to her care model, empowering individuals to manage their health beyond the clinic.
Her professional background spans a wide range of healthcare settings, including outpatient clinics, long-term acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and leadership roles as a Director of Rehabilitation. These experiences have shaped her ability to deliver high-quality clinical care while fostering a supportive, consistent, and positive healing environment.
At the core of Payal’s work is a simple belief: people don’t just want relief from pain—they want their life back. That belief is the foundation of Core Craft Physical Therapy and its guiding philosophy:
“Moving to a Better Life.”

About Core Craft Physical Therapy

At Core Craft Physical Therapy, we focus on delivering high-quality, evidence-based care with a personal touch. We take the time to listen to each patient’s story, understand their goals, and design treatment plans that truly fit their needs. Whether someone is recovering from surgery, managing a long-term condition, struggling with balance, or dealing with everyday aches and pains, we work with them step by step to build confidence and restore function.
Along with traditional physical therapy techniques—including manual therapy, strengthening, mobility training, posture correction, and balance work—we also draw on movement principles from yoga when appropriate. These elements can be helpful tools to improve body awareness, breathing, and gentle mobility. Over the years, we have seen that patients often heal best when physical therapy is combined with mindful, breath-centered practices. This insight led us to integrate yoga principles into rehabilitation, allowing patients to connect with their bodies in a way that promotes balance, awareness, and long-term wellness.
Our goal is to help every person who walks into our clinic feel supported, understood, and empowered to take meaningful steps toward better health. If you’re ready to start moving to a better life, we would be honored to help guide your journey.

In-Network with All Major Insurance Providers

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Our Services

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

We specialize in treating conditions affecting the muscles, joints, and bones. Whether you’re experiencing back or neck pain, shoulder issues, knee injuries, or everyday aches, we create a personalized plan to reduce pain, restore movement, and help you feel your best.

Post-Surgical Rehabilitation

Recover safely and confidently after surgery. We guide you through every phase of healing with targeted exercises, hands-on care, and evidence-based protocols for procedures such as ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repair, joint replacements, and spinal surgeries.

Sports Injury Rehabilitation

From young athletes to weekend warriors, we help you return to your sport stronger and safer. We combine strength training, mobility work, movement assessment, and sport-specific drills to maximize your performance and prevent future injuries.

Balance & Fall Prevention

If you feel unsteady or worry about falling, our balance program can help. Through strength training, gait training, and tailored balance exercises, we work to improve stability, confidence, and safety with daily activities.

Neurological Rehabilitation

After pre-evaluation assessment qualification. we provide supportive and functional therapy for individuals recovering from stroke, Parkinson’s disease, neuropathy, and other neurological conditions. Treatment focuses on improving coordination, mobility, strength, and independence.

Chronic Pain Management

For long-standing pain conditions such as arthritis, joint stiffness, or chronic back pain, we use a combination of manual therapy, movement retraining, postural correction, and education to help you manage symptoms and stay active.

Manual Therapy

Hands-on treatments—including soft tissue release, joint mobilization, stretching, and myofascial techniques—are used to reduce pain, decrease stiffness, and improve mobility. Manual therapy is integrated into many of our treatment plans.

Gait & Movement Analysis

We evaluate how you walk, move, and perform daily tasks to identify imbalances or inefficient movement patterns. This allows us to create corrective exercises that improve function and reduce the risk of re-injury.

Work-Related Injury Rehabilitation

We support individuals recovering from workplace injuries with targeted strengthening, ergonomic training, body-mechanics education, and job-specific functional training—helping you return to work safely and confidently.

Wellness & Injury Prevention

For those who want to stay active, improve mobility, build strength, or prevent future injuries. These personalized wellness sessions are ideal after completing PT or for anyone wanting guided exercise with expert supervision.

Yoga-Based Rehabilitation

A gentle blend of therapeutic yoga and physical therapy principles to improve flexibility, balance, and body awareness. This approach supports both physical healing and overall well-being.

Mobile / In-Home Physical Therapy

We offer in-home physical therapy for patients who meet specific qualifying conditions. This service is ideal for individuals who have difficulty traveling to the clinic due to limited mobility, recent surgery, balance concerns, or other medical factors. Our goal is to provide safe, convenient, and high-quality care in the comfort of your home when clinic visits are not feasible

Testimonials

Our happy client say

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I had an excellent experience with Payal. She is extremely knowledgeable, patient, and genuine caring. Every session was well-planned, and I noticed significant improvement in my strength and mobility. Highly recommend!

Sunit Jain

Satisfied Client

Payal provided physical therapy sessions to my father-in-law after his hip surgery. He had a great experience as he showed visible improvement in his walking due to Payal’s therapy sessions. She pays attention to detail and spends time explaining things. Payal is a highly skilled, knowledgeable and compassionate professional.

Namita Shah

Satisfied Client

I had an excellent experience with Payal. She is extremely knowledgeable, patient, and genuine caring. Every session was well-planned, and I noticed significant improvement in my strength and mobility. Highly recommend!

Namita Shah

Satisfied Client

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