PT, MPT, DPT

Dr. Mark Barnes is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Exercise Physiologist, and leading voice in fascia-based care and digital musculoskeletal health. With over three decades of clinical and entrepreneurial experience, he has built and scaled multiple companies at the intersection of evidence-based physical therapy, technology, and behavior change science.
Mark is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking 1997 article, The Basic Science of Myofascial Release, which reframed fascia as a dynamic regulatory system essential to health. Drawing on cybernetics and extracellular matrix biology, this work helped lay the foundation for modern fascia-informed care and continues to influence integrative physical therapy models today.

Inspired by his father, John F. Barnes, Mark developed the Equine Myofascial Release method and led hands-on training for therapists nationwide—including at the CSU Equine Science Program and Large Animal Clinic—blending fascial principles with animal health and performance.

Mark’s doctoral research introduced an adapted yoga protocol for older adults, demonstrating measurable improvements in balance, fall prevention, and functional stability—one of the earliest efforts to quantify yoga’s impact in a clinical aging population.

A digital health innovator, Mark launched the first MSK telehealth platform in 2008, bringing physical therapy into the virtual age. That system has since evolved into a scalable solution used by national partners serving over 5 million employees, offering cost-effective care with a whole-person focus.

He also founded the MFR Directory (now MFR Health), which connects over 1,000 trained providers with patients worldwide and has generated over 200,000 treatment leads.

Currently, Mark leads Orbit Telehealth, a next-generation virtual care platform, and BackLab, a hybrid MSK clinic integrating in-person therapy with digital follow-up and personalized self-care.

His latest initiative, Somatic Reboot, bridges fascia, nervous system science, and self-regulation tools—offering an accessible, self-guided system for moving from stuck and stressed to grounded and thriving.

Beyond his professional achievements, Mark enjoys pursuing his passion for surfing in the beautiful waves of Mexico.