Experienced hands, familiar faces

Alex Brito PT, DPT is the owner of Springfield and Ironbound Physical Therapy & Wellness, bringing his knowledge, skill and passion for therapy to every patient. Alex has spent more than six years honing his craft and building a practice driven by superior, personalized one-on-one care and an unparalleled therapeutic relationship.

His professional calling started as a soccer player, where he discovered the profound impact physical therapy can have on someone's life. After graduating from Touro College he began his career at the Universal Institute of Rehab, specializing in traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, then went on to manage three outpatient clinics covering post-op rehab, sports rehab and orthopedics.

Alex grew up in Hillside and completed his Bachelor's in biology at NJIT cum laude, in the Albert Dorman Honors College and on the Men's Division I soccer team. He is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce and Sport Club Portuguese in Newark, and runs an American Red Cross blood drive at his office every August.

Alex is married to Grace and they have 4 children. He plays o-30 soccer for Den of Lions in the Garden State Soccer League — which gives him firsthand knowledge of the injuries he treats every day.

Dr. Glenn Forsyth is the head physical therapist at Springfield Physical Therapy & Wellness. He recognized his fascination with human movement and performance growing up as a wrestler and avid gym-goer, appreciating the specific protocols and programming it takes to achieve results.

Glenn received his Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Sciences from New York University and his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Rutgers School of Health Professions. He has treated a wide range of orthopedic conditions including post-operative cases, fractures, strains and sprains, chronic pain and joint instability.

He brings a holistic approach to every patient, drawing on nutrition, personal training, stress and lifestyle management alongside orthopedic physical therapy. Glenn believes therapy continues well beyond pain relief and should bridge the gap back to higher-level activities and sport-specific performance. He has completed an extensive dry needling course and passed his OCS exam.

Outside the clinic Glenn is a teaching assistant for first-year PT courses at Rutgers, consults with club wrestling teams on injury risk management and strength and conditioning, and trains individual clients. He enjoys hiking, the Jersey shore year-round with his wife, and questioning his allegiance to the New York Giants.

Dr. Emily Rodrigues was inspired to enter healthcare after watching her late grandmother struggle with functional mobility. She quickly learned that physical therapy offers an all-encompassing approach to the human body rooted in natural, restorative, strength-based recovery.

Emily received her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Saint Joseph's University, where she was part of the cheerleading squad traveling with the Men's and Women's D1 basketball teams. During a gap year she worked in clinics across New Jersey and Philadelphia, including the Vincera Institute. She earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Rutgers University in Newark.

She takes an individualized approach with an emphasis on identifying and correcting neuromuscular imbalances, with particular focus on core and pelvic stability, postural restoration and overall balance to lower injury risk.

Outside the clinic Emily works soccer games as the on-site PT up to the semi-professional level, focuses on her own strength training and Zumba, loves to read and dance, and visits Portugal each year to see family.

Karen is a physical therapist who believes in the power of movement and recovery. After witnessing her dad's rehab journey through soccer injuries, she was drawn to a profession where she could assist in healing and form meaningful connections with her patients.

She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Saint Peter's University in 2021 and earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Rutgers University in 2024. Fluent in Spanish, Karen connects with a diverse range of patients so everyone feels understood and supported throughout recovery.

Her approach is rooted in personalized care — whether someone is recovering from an injury or working toward a new goal, Karen helps them return to their favorite activities with confidence. Outside the clinic she stays active in the gym, travels, bakes and spends time with family.

Briana McGuire is excited to join the Springfield Physical Therapy team. Her passion for physical therapy began at a young age after watching her sister recover from a traumatic brain injury at just seven years old, and seeing the impact skilled therapists had on that recovery.

Briana earned her Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT, where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta chapter and the university's dance program. She went on to complete her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Rutgers University in Newark.

Outside the clinic, Bri stays active and makes the most of time with family and friends. She loves traveling — especially visiting family in Portugal — attending sporting events and concerts, and has recently taken up snowboarding.

Ricardo holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from Caldwell University and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Physical Therapy at Touro University.

His passion for the profession stems from a lifelong love of sports — football and MMA are his favorites — and from strength training, which has always been central to his life.

These experiences inspired him to become a physical therapist: helping others optimize performance, recover from injuries and embrace active lifestyles.

Rita was born and raised in Serra da Estrela, Portugal and came to this country 25 years ago. A Newarker at heart who loves her community, she is often the first friendly voice patients hear at the Ironbound clinic.

By morning she is taking appointments; by night she makes sure the airplanes go out on time to deliver your packages.

Rita is an outdoors person — hikes in the spring, the beach in summer and camping in the fall — with a true passion for working out and solo traveling.