What is physical therapy?
Physical therapy is a form of rehabilitation that helps individuals recover from injuries, illnesses, or surgeries. It involves manual therapy, individualized exercise programs, stretches, and other techniques to improve mobility, reduce pain, and restore function. We work together with you to return to school, return to work, or return to recreation and improve your quality of life.
What can I expect from physical therapy?
You will receive one-on-one, individualized care from a licensed physical therapist that is focused on helping you restore mobility, regain control of your body, and most importantly, help you achieve your goals and help you return to activities you love to do!
What types of people do you help?
We have experience in working with people ages 8 and older, but we are specialized in working with veterans and first responders looking to live active and healthy lifestyles free of painkillers, avoiding unnecessary surgeries, and improve their quality of life.
I’ve been to a chiropractor, massage therapist, and personal trainer. What makes PT different?
We have great respect for chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and personal trainers. In fact, we successfully collaborate with many of those professionals. Bortnick Therapy Enterprises is different, because we use a holistic screening and problem-solving based approach to our treatment philosophy. Chiropractors may be excellent at adjusting or cracking joints, but if your problem is related to a soft tissue, nerve, or movement problems, the adjustment may not be enough to create permanent gains. Trainers can design a ‘kick your butt’ workout, but do not have the medical training necessary to spot or modify exercise properly around an injury. Massage therapists have great knowledge and techniques to release stiffness in muscle, but do not have the doctoral medical knowledge in diagnosing and assessing injury. Therapists at Bortnick Therapy Enterprises, on the other hand will actively LISTEN to identify the right tools, techniques, or exercises needed to give you the best shot at achieving your goals.
I’ve been told that therapy won’t work for me due to this being an old injury, is this true?
FALSE! We have worked, successfully with people all the way into their 90’s! Realistic goals and expectations are just as important factors to rehab potential as age or date of injury. Anyone with motivation has potential to improve. One of my patients sustained his concussion in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in 2014. He started his concussion therapy here in March '24. From waking up every night and having extreme difficulty driving, he now sleeps through the night and drives without symptoms. With a desire to be active, independent, and resilient, there is always a potential to improve.
After my concussion, my doctor told me to just rest, take some pills, and that PT may not help me. Is this true?
That is somewhat true. The research says that about 80% of folks recover from their concussion, and that relative rest for 48 hours is key. A gradual return to regular activities usually does not require skilled therapy. The 20% who do have residual symptoms after 2-4 weeks may benefit from medications for headache or sleep as well as a physical therapy evaluation to diagnose and treat any functional impairments that linger. We use techniques such as visual-vestibular reintegration exercises, nasal release to restore the airway, vestibular therapy to recalibrate the inner ear, advanced craniofacial manual therapy, and cardiovascular conditioning to restore function.
I am 85 years old. I fell and hit my head giving me dizziness and unsteadiness. Is physical therapy safe?
Physical therapy is a very safe and effective treatment for dizziness and imbalance following falls and head injuries. Many people will develop vestibular dysfunction after a fall; a poorly functioning inner ear which sends signals to the brain that the body is moving when it is not. This is what produces feelings of dizziness and unsteadiness. Vestibular therapy done with a physical therapist will help improve those faulty inner ear signals to reduce these symptoms and prevent future falls. Your sessions will be 1 on 1 with a trained physical therapist to ensure you stay safe during therapy at all times.