It was a gymnastics accident that first exposed Arik Abulon to the power of physical therapy. Now, with a DPT degree in hand, the graduate aims to help athletes like him heal from injury.

BY ANDY FAUGHT

AS A KID GROWING UP in Gardena, Calif., Arik Abulon DPT ’26 thrilled to gymnastics and its gravity-defying routines. He’d later transfer those athletic skills to cheerleading, ultimately earning a spot on the UCLA Spirit Squad.

Then came the moment that changed everything.

Before a football game at the Rose Bowl, Abulon was performing a common tumbling pass. But his trajectory was off. He landed awkwardly on his left leg.

“The pain was instant,” Abulon recalls. “I knew something was wrong right away.”

The injury ­— a torn ACL, the ligament that provides knee stability — would require surgery and months of rehabilitation. But, what initially felt like a devastating setback would unexpectedly shape his life’s path.

As an undergraduate, Abulon majored in psychology and minored in child development. He’s worked in recent years as a preschool teacher and gymnastics coach — a role he maintains today — but his love for athletics, particularly gymnastics, inspired him to pursue a doctor of physical therapy degree to help athletes heal from traumatic injuries.

“Since I’ve gone through it myself, I can relate,” Abulon says. “There’s a lot of empathy that comes from understanding the process firsthand.”

USC’s Strong Reputation

He’s now looking to work in orthopedics and sports medicine, mainly in the gymnastics community. Abulon already volunteers with medical teams at competitions organized by USA Gymnastics, supporting injured athletes on the sidelines, while gaining hands-on experience in sports rehabilitation.

He has other near-term ambitions: “The Olympics are coming to Los Angeles, and gymnastics is such a huge sport. I’d love to be involved somehow, whether as part of a medical staff or volunteering.”

As a Southern California native, Abulon knew he wanted to remain close to home for graduate school. Comparing programs, “USC was welcoming,” he says. “The professors were amazing, and the university has such a strong reputation in the medical community.”

But the program didn’t keep him placebound. It allows students to perform clinical rotations out of state, and Abulon says he was excited to do his own rotations in Hawai’i and Arizona, where he has family.

Trying to Manage Everything All At Once

Abulon’s decision become even more meaningful shortly after he enrolled.

Following his first semester, his mother — who had battled multiple serious health conditions — became critically ill and passed away.

“It was a very challenging time,” Abulon says, noting that professors gave him flexibility to complete coursework and finals. “I was trying to study, take care of my mom and manage everything all at once.”

Meanwhile, Abulon will enter the physical therapy field with plenty of experience beyond the classroom. His ACL tear wasn’t his first major injury. Years earlier, while working as an acrobat in a parade at Disney, he injured the same knee on a trampoline. While he long dealt with the wrist, ankle and strain injuries familiar to gymnasts, it was the tumbling injury that forced him to navigate recovery with patience and resilience.

Physical therapy became a daily reality. The process focused heavily on strengthening the muscles surrounding the knee, especially the quadriceps and hamstrings. Exercises also were used to restore balance, coordination and proprioception, the body’s awareness of movement and positioning.

To those considering enrolling in the program, Abulon is unequivocal: “It’s a great place to be, and the field is growing. It was a great place to find my niche.”

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