Robert Tait McKenzie

Robert Tait McKenzie (1867-1938) was born in the Ramsay Township of Ontario and pursued undergraduate and medical studies at McGill University. As an anatomy instructor at McGill, he became convinced of the need for preventative medicine, and thus he became a pioneer of physical fitness programs in Canada. McKenzie’s methods and inventions for restoring and rehabilitating wounded soldiers laid a foundation for modern physiotherapy practices.
In 1904, he took a faculty position at the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught until his retirement in 1930. Besides teaching, McKenzie contributed to the WW1 effort as a physical trainer for new soldiers.21 He was also a longtime spectator and supporter of the Olympic Games, and in 1912, the American Olympic Committee commissioned him to make a medallion for the Stockholm Games.
McKenzie always balanced his medical and professional obligations with art practice. His inclination toward sculpture resulted directly from his extensive knowledge of human anatomy.

Robert Tait McKenzie (1867-1938) was born in the Ramsay Township of Ontario and pursued undergraduate and medical studies at McGill University. As an anatomy instructor at McGill, he became convinced of the need for preventative medicine, and thus he became a pioneer of physical fitness programs in Canada. McKenzie’s methods and inventions for restoring and rehabilitating wounded soldiers laid a foundation for modern physiotherapy practices.
In 1904, he took a faculty position at the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught until his retirement in 1930. Besides teaching, McKenzie contributed to the WW1 effort as a physical trainer for new soldiers.21 He was also a longtime spectator and supporter of the Olympic Games, and in 1912, the American Olympic Committee commissioned him to make a medallion for the Stockholm Games.
McKenzie always balanced his medical and professional obligations with art practice. His inclination toward sculpture resulted directly from his extensive knowledge of human anatomy.