Services
Injury Prevention and Injury Recovery
This includes a full assessment of your movement during activity, your agility and reaction time, your flexibility and strength, and the alignment of your bones and body to determine which areas of your body are most prone to injury. This allows us to create a specialized plan just for you to keep you at the top of your game or allow you to return to your preferred sport or activity if you have already been injured.
Some examples (but not all) of who we help:
Those practicing Pilates, Barre, Yoga
HIIT-High Intensity Interval Training Athletes
Pickleball/Tennis Players
Gym Athlete
Runners
Performing Arts, Dancers, Cheerleaders, Gymnasts
Fitness and Wellness Programs
What is wellness? It’s keeping all things balanced. Things to think about here are an effective workout routine, good sleep habits, eating well, hydration, stress management, having good boundaries and making time to relax and renew. It also involves managing your health conditions, including your heart and lungs, bone health, hormones, diabetes, and weight. We will work alongside your physician to ensure you have a safe, effective routine to help control blood pressure, heart rate, and A1C and assist with fat loss, muscle gain, and enjoyment of life!
Orthopedic Assessment & Treatment
This includes a one-on-one, 1 hour assessment with Dr. Birkenmeier for diagnosing movement system impairments and causes of your pain and muscle imbalances. We look specifically for changes in muscle strength and flexibility and balance between muscles. Conditions helped here include arthritis, osteoporosis, chronic pain, and any bone, muscle, ligament or tendon injury. This is where we play detective and find the root cause and source of your pain and create a customized plan to fix it for good!
joint Mobilization
Dr. Birkenmeier will perform small, controlled pushes on a specific area of bones or joints to allow improved flexibility and motion. This is completed when necessary and at the discretion of the patient and Dr. Birkenmeier. It is beneficial in nearly anywhere in the body but is especially helpful to free up movement for necks, backs, knees, hips, ankles, shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands. It may also be used for the ribs, pelvis, and tailbone (sacrum). This form of treatment typically takes a few sessions for long term results.
Dry Needling
This is similar to what most people know as acupuncture, but is not quite the same. It includes the use of very fine, small needles placed very precisely and specifically into trigger points, or tight spots in your muscles, to cause a chemical reaction to loosen the muscle and create a healing response. This is very effective for any tight muscle or painful pressure point. Physical therapists must have formal training to provide this.
myofascial Release
This is a type of customized massage for loosening the fascia, or covering around the muscles, that can become too tight and can create stiffness and pain. Myofascial release may involve the therapist applying deep pressure at sore areas in the muscle by use of the therapists’ own hands or may involve smooth or textured tools for improved pressure. Many patients feel relief within the same session!