About Dr. Brian Trautman
DC, MS, ATC, CSCS — Cincinnati's Sports & Performance Chiropractor
A Different Kind of Background
Most chiropractors come to practice through chiropractic school. Dr. Trautman took a longer road — and it shows in how he treats.
Before earning his Doctorate of Chiropractic from Logan University, Dr. Trautman spent nearly a decade working as a certified athletic trainer at the high school and collegiate level. He taped ankles, managed acute injuries on sidelines, ran rehabilitation programs, and learned what it actually takes to keep athletes healthy and competing. That experience shaped everything about how he approaches patient care today.
He didn't just study sports medicine — he lived it.
Cincinnati Roots
Dr. Trautman has called Cincinnati home since his days at Xavier University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training and developed the foundation that still drives his clinical approach today. Years later he returned to Xavier as a preceptor and guest lecturer — teaching graduate-level athletic training students Active Release Technique and its application in treating myofascial and overuse injuries.
The Xavier connection runs deep, and so does his commitment to the Cincinnati sports and fitness community.
Education & Training
Dr. Trautman holds a Master of Science in Sports Science and Rehabilitation and a Doctorate of Chiropractic, both from Logan University — one of the most respected chiropractic institutions in the country. His academic background goes well beyond the standard chiropractic curriculum, with a focused emphasis on movement science, rehabilitation, and sports performance.
That academic foundation is matched by an extensive list of post-graduate certifications:
Active Release Technique (ART) — Upper extremity, lower extremity, spine, and nerve protocols
Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) — Advanced movement-based diagnostic framework
Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) — Prague School rehabilitation approach for deep stabilization and motor control
Graston Technique — Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization
McKenzie Method (MDT) — Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) — National Strength and Conditioning Association
Certified Athletic Trainer (BOC)
This isn't a credential list for its own sake. Each certification represents a specific clinical tool that gets applied when the right situation calls for it — not as a one-size-fits-all protocol.
On the Sidelines
Dr. Trautman remains active as an athletic trainer, providing coverage for King's Hammer and Ohio Elite Soccer Academy — working on-field assessments and managing injuries across multiple youth soccer teams. He has also returned to Xavier University multiple times to cover baseball, soccer, tennis, and volleyball.
That continued sideline presence keeps him connected to the realities of sport — how athletes move, how coaches think, and what it actually takes to get back on the field.
Why Optimal Health & Performance
Dr. Trautman founded Optimal Health & Performance because he kept seeing the same gap — patients who wanted real answers, not just temporary relief, and a care model built around their goals rather than their insurance coverage.
The cash-pay model exists by design. It removes the limitations that insurance places on treatment time, visit frequency, and clinical decision-making — and allows every visit to be built entirely around what the patient needs that day.
The goal is simple: help athletes, runners, lifters, and active adults move better, stay healthy, and keep doing what they love — without the same problems coming back.
Want to find out if we're the right fit?
Start with a free 15-minute discovery call. No commitment — just a conversation about what's going on and how we can help.
