All posts by Krissy Brown

Physical Therapy from the Patient Perspective

By 17 Sep, 2018 Clinical Case of the Week

Physical Therapy from the Patient Perspective

Nick Rinard is not only a colleague whom I hold in high esteem, he is also my physical therapist!  I’d like to share with you 5 things that I found interesting about my experience being a patient at our clinic:

  • The verbal reference scale for pain: It is very difficult to assign a quantitative number to pain level! Pain is such a variable experience, that reducing it to a 2 or a 4 just doesn’t completely describe the character or behavior of the symptom.
  • Assigning a score to functional difficulty: I was stumped when Nick asked me to rate the difficulty of a daily task. I now understand why so many patients struggle to respond concisely to the question.
  • The power of touch: Trusting someone to handle your painful body part can be daunting. However, I found the confidence and surety of Nick’s steady hands to be very reassuring.  I was able to quickly relax and allow him to passively move my ankle and foot.
  • Listen before acting: I had to direct my mind to an attentive listening mode rather than an anticipatory listening mode.  By this, I mean that if I was constantly attempting to guess what Nick’s next instructions would be, I was keeping my mind occupied instead of open.  Being a physical therapist, I had to step away from my usual role of planning the care, and instead actively listen so that I could follow Nick’s lead.
  • Expect greatness: Before seeking help, I had been limping around for two weeks stubbornly trying to ignore my pain. I was skeptical but hopeful that Nick could help me.  I should have expected greatness – by the next day, I was already noticing positive improvements in my gait!

Thank you for your help, Nick!  You are the physical therapist of choice for this physical therapist!

Margo Burette, PT, DPT

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Nick Rinard Physical Therapy not just a learning environment for patients

By 27 Aug, 2018 Physical Therapy Tips, Residency Internships

From Wisconsin to Oregon: A DPT Students Perspective

My journey to the Oregon began in early August as I traveled from the Midwest town of La Crosse, WI. As a graduate student in any physical therapy program you are expected to perform at a high academic level every day. This didn’t change when I began my 4-week clinical at the Nick Rinard Physical Therapy clinic.

I began my time with Nick in a whirlwind. We started with a full head of steam and never looked back. Each patient was treated with special attention and an individual plan of care. Patients came in to see Nick for every ailment under the sun and there was always something that Nick was able to give the patient, even if it was just information that no medical professional had ever told the patient. I was amazed at the results Nick was able to achieve with his approach to physical therapy, using the mechanical diagnosis therapy. His approach puts the tools of treatment in the hands of the patient, and the results speak for themselves.

Each day has been a new learning opportunity, leaving me with tools to use in my future practice. I am very grateful for this opportunity and the time Nick has taken to answer my questions and challenge me to be the best future PT possible. As a future physical therapist, I would highly recommend the Nick Rinard Physical Therapy Clinic. These clinicians have the experience, skill, knowledge and care that go above and beyond what is expected. If you find yourself stuck with pain, lack of mobility, or just need a medical professional to explain what’s going on Nick Rinard Physical Therapy is the first place you should go.

Patrick Griffith, SPT

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How do your knees affect your stride? By Nick Rinard MPT, Cert MDT

By 16 Aug, 2018 Exercise, Physical Therapy Tips, Posture

Technically speaking your knees (the joint parts) do not affect stride since running is a “mid-range” motion.  Walking, on the other hand, does involve end range extension, so limited extension could have an effect – but not in running.  Pain in the knee is likely to affect your ability to tolerate a running stride, and your body will find ways to avoid pain – thus affecting your stride in varying ways.  There is no typical way this happens, so if you have knee pain, you need to have a good mechanical examination to find out how to best treat or manage it.

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