All posts by Nick Rinard Physical Therapy

Power Outage on Friday 13 November 2020 at Nick Rinard Physical Therapy SW Clinic

We are currently without power at our Southwest Portland Physical Therapy Clinic. This is impacting our phones, computers and email. Portland General Electric estimates restoration of power around 11AM.

We ARE still seeing patients, as there is plenty of light in the clinic, so, yes, your appointment will still happen at your scheduled time. We recommend you plan on arriving early, however, as traffic around the clinic will be affected by the power outage.

Any voicemail messages left between close of business yesterday and the restoration of power will be returned as soon as possible after power is restored.

Should the power outage extend beyond 11AM today, Friday the 13th of November, 2020, we will update this post with additional information.

More

Miki’s Perspective: As a DPT Candidate and Patient

As a PT student exposed to the McKenzie Method for the first time, I observed therapeutic results that appeared miraculous in their efficiency and expediency. It was eye-opening to learn the principles of MDT and the systematic logical approach to classifying and treating notoriously difficult-to-treat conditions including chronic debilitating back pain. Many patients I observed confessed they had battled back pain for decades and tried everything, including pharmacology, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, as well as craniosacral therapy.

When I was injured in a car accident, I received McKenzie treatment and felt better within the first 2 weeks. In this car accident, I had been rear-ended at high velocity on the freeway, and was recovering from a fracture. My treatment included rest (lying down for 10 minutes) to reduce inflammation and gentle range of motion exercises. This was doable despite a busy schedule and I was able to resume my regular workload sooner than anticipated.

Previously, I had been rear-ended twice at lower velocities, and pursued chiropractic and massage treatment both times. Chiropractic involved 3 visits per week initially, and went on for a year. This took a lot of precious time out of my schedule and came at a high financial expense. At the time, I noticed I felt better whenever I stayed active, but the sharp pain in my neck and back returned several times per week. I felt unable to manage my pain and thought I needed the chiropractor to “fix me.”

Nick Rinard Physical Therapy Portland Oregon Logo GreenAt Nick Rinard Physical Therapy I achieved a pain free full return to function in less than 2 months. Over the last 4 weeks, I only required 2-3 visits and was able to manage exacerbations of pain mostly on my own since I knew what exercises would provide relief. In addition to effective treatment, I was happy with the way Nick and his team treat everyone. I always felt welcome and appreciated, like a member of the family.

As both a student and patient of MDT, I am thrilled at the results it provides.

Patient perspective:

McKenzie is initially less hands-on compared to other PT approaches. The patient is an active participant in healing, and engages in a personalized home program from day one. Education is an integral aspect of treatment. This empowers the patient to understand the cause of their ailment, and provides the patient with tools to remedy recurrences or exacerbations. McKenzie treatment is a great investment of a patient’s time and funds, as it provides a toolkit to effectively self-manage pain.

Physical Therapist (PT) perspective:

McKenzie therapy is a disciplined classification system with a logical testing protocol that guides treatment. The classifications and associated interventions and progressions can be applied to many health conditions. Having a clear protocol helps the therapist stay focused and effective when the clinical presentation appears unclear. MDT includes the patient as an educated, active partner and decreases patient dependency on passive treatment mechanisms. Patients tend to obtain good results quicker and need fewer visits compared to other therapeutic approaches. MDT is based on understanding the mechanical and physiologic events of spinal derangements, altered tissue, and inflammation. It is logical and effective.

How MDT is different:

McKenzie therapy provides a clear, well-organized protocol to assess, classify, and treat health conditions appropriate for physical therapy. Treatment consists of limited, low-dosed and highly targeted exercises designed to provide clarity of diagnosis. This serves as the dependent variable whose effect is measured and helps clarify the clinical picture. Patient’s response to treatment is generally assessed within 48 hours, and fine-tuned/altered/progressed according to findings. Due to this disciplined and focused approach, MDT frequently resolves common conditions including back pain and neck pain in less visits, and therefore at substantial financial and time savings.

More

One-on-one Appointment with PT Improves Satisfaction

Physical Therapy clinicians are not only therapists, they are educators. A big part of being a physical therapist is answering patient’s questions and educating them on anatomy, the proper way to perform an exercise, how to walk and transfer safely, and what to expect going into surgery.

One-on-one educational session with a physical therapist

A recent study looked at the benefit of having a one-on-one educational session with a physical therapist prior to having a total joint replacement surgery. A researcher split 126 patients into two groups: one group had a group class prior to having surgery, the second group had an additional one-on-one session with a physical therapist. “Significantly more patients who attended the extra one-on-one counseling session with the physical therapist before surgery indicated that they were better prepared to leave the hospital after surgery and were, overall, more satisfied with the preoperative education they received,” Dr. Joshi stated.

Additionally, the patients who received the one-on-one session had required fewer PT sessions in the hospital and met discharge criteria (walking up/down stairs and transferring out of bed) faster.

What this indicates is that patients benefit from a one-on-one educational session with a physical therapist prior to joint replacement.

Improve overall satisfaction

Patients, therefore, may consider having a pre-surgical appointment with a physical therapist to improve their overall satisfaction and outcomes following a total joint replacement

Source: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20160222/Patients-benefit-from-one-on-one-counseling-session-prior-to-knee-or-hip-replacement-surgery.aspx

 

More

Physical Therapy decreases opioid use

Seeing a physical therapist first for low back pain decreases overall out of pocket costs, opioid use, and less ER visits.

Study from the University of Washington and George Washington University

A study split patients into three groups. The first group saw a physical therapist first “PT first” group. A second group was “PT later” group, as they saw another provider initially, but eventually had physical therapy.  The last group was “No PT” as they never had physical therapy.

This study found that the group that saw “PT first” for low back pain had lower costs for care vs the “PT later” and “No PT” groups (this includes what they are paying out of pocket). The “PT first” group also had lower costs with emergency room visits, imaging, and opioid use.

Physical Therapy reduces prescription medication use

What this means is that seeing a physical therapist can not only reduce your pain and use for prescription medication, it also costs you less! Since Oregon has direct access for physical therapists (by law, you do not need a physician referral to see a physical therapist), patients should be using this route directly for treatment of their low back pain. Call Nick Rinard Physical Therapy today and schedule your pain away! 503-244-6232

 

Source:

http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News/2016/2/29/PTFirstDirectAccessLBP/

 

More

Total Knee Replacement (TKA) and Physical Therapy

At Nick Rinard Physical Therapy a lot of patients come to see us with knee pain and/or knee arthritis, both before and after various knee surgeries, including total knee replacement surgeries.

Since 2010, knee replacements have been the most performed surgery on people over 45 years of age. Knee replacements are performed at the rate of 700,000 per year. Because of this increasing rate, the efficacy of pain relief and improvement of function should be investigated.

100 patients with knee arthritis

A researcher, Soren Thorgaard Skou, has done just that. In his study, he looked at 100 patients with knee arthritis and assigned them to a surgical group or non-surgical group (which received physical therapy, medication and diet education). After one year, 85% percent of the surgical group had significant improvements in pain vs 68% of the physical therapy group. The surgical group and larger gains in their ability to climb stairs and walk. However, the study also showed that the surgical group is at greater risk for complications that the physical therapy group is not. The surgical group is more likely to have blood clots or a manipulation (another procedure performed by the surgeon to increase range of motion). The surgical group had more adverse side effects vs the physical therapy group (24 vs. 6).

Physical therapy is effective

Physical therapy is effective and should be considered a viable option before jumping to surgery. If the first knee replacement can be delayed, this can decrease the necessity for a second surgery (current replacements last 10-15 years).  We urge our patients to remember that we are always here for you before or after surgery.  Nick Rinard Physical Therapy is a phone call away 503-244-6232 !

1/3rd of knee replacements are unnecessary

This, taken into consideration with the study that came out last summer that found nearly 1/3rd of knee replacements are unnecessary, should be considered when deciding to have a knee replacement or a trial of physical therapy to determine effectiveness.

Sources:

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2015/10/21/knee-replacement-brings-less-pain-better-function
Dr. Skou’s report (N Engl J Med. 2015 373;17:1668-9)

More

Hiring: Physical Therapist Position Open

JOB OPPORTUNITY FOR PHYSICAL THERAPIST AT NICK RINARD PHYSICAL THERAPY
PORTLAND, OREGON

Position:

Physical therapist, 1 part-time and 1 full-time position available

Qualifications:

Cert. MDT or seriously pursuing certification; valid or eligible for OR PT License. High level of professional and personal excellence is expected.
Our Clinics are MDT-based, outpatient physical and occupational therapy practice, 2 Portland locations (SW Portland and by Portland Airport)

Hours:

Clinics are open 7-6 Monday –Fridays

Compensation:

• Compensation competitive for private practices in our area
• Incentive program based on productivity and leadership available
• 24 Paid Time Off days/year
• Excellent Health insurance
• Excellent Dental insurance
• 401K for individual contributions
• 3% 401K match by MDT
• 401K MDT Profit Sharing Plan
• License fee compensation
• Continuing Education allowance
• Sign-on Bonus for new grads or Relocation Assistance

Other Benefits:

• Exceptional work environment: collegial, esthetically pleasant, friendly, open, professional, conducive to learning
• This is a great opportunity for the right therapist looking for further training/mentoring in the McKenzie & MDT method
• Portland is a great place to live, offering year-round outdoor activity, coast and mountains, and a comfortable city scene

Contact:

Please EMAIL resume and letter of interest.

Michelle Tillman, office manager
Nick Rinard Physical Therapy
9700 SW Capitol Hwy, Suite 140
Portland, OR 97219
Tel. 503-244-6232
Fax 503-296-2305

  • Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact us
  • do NOT contact us with unsolicited services or offers
More

Shoulder Pain

Nick came across this article about shoulder pain and MDT approach to treatment that we use at Nick Rinard Physical Therapy clinic.  He thought it would be informational for our audience.

Excerpt

Case Report

Rapid resolution of chronic shoulder pain classified as derangement using the McKenzie method: a case series Maria Corazon Aytona1 , Karlene Dudley2 1 Southeastern Regional Medical Center, Lumberton, NC, USA, McKenzie Institute, NY, USA, 2 Southeastern Regional Medical Center, Lumberton, NC, USA The McKenzie method, also known as Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), is primarily recognized as an evaluation and treatment method for the spine. However, McKenzie suggested that this method could also be applied to the extremities. Derangement is an MDT classification defined as an anatomical disturbance in the normal resting position of the joint, and McKenzie proposed that repeated movements could be applied to reduce internal joint displacement and rapidly reduce derangement symptoms. However, the current literature on MDT application to shoulder disorders is limited. Here, we present a case series involving four patients with chronic shoulder pain from a duration of 2–18 months classified as derangement and treated using MDT principles. Each patient underwent mechanical assessment and was treated with repeated movements based on their directional preference. All patients demonstrated rapid and clinically significant improvement in baseline measures and the disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (QuickDASH) scores from an average of 38% at initial evaluation to 5% at discharge within 3–5 visits. Our findings suggest that MDT may be an effective treatment approach for shoulder pain.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3822320/pdf/jmt-21-04-207.pdf

More

RinardPT Monthly – January 2015

Nick Rinard Physical Therapy in Portland Oregon Logo White

RinardPT
Monthly

 

Nick Rinard Physical Therapy
9700 SW Capitol Hwy Suite 140
Portland, OR 97219

Volume 7, Issue 1
January 2015

Megan is Now a MDT-Certified Physical Therapist!

We are so excited and proud that Megan’s hard work has paid off and she is now a certified MDT therapist, just like Nick!

The MDT certification is a LOT of work, requiring that several courses be taken and a thorough exam be completed in order to earn the honor of having ‘Cert. MDT’ after your name.

We hope you will join us in congratulating Megan on what has been a two-year effort for her! Those of you who have been helped by Megan know how knowledgeable she really is, and we thank you for spreading the word on how MDT at Nick Rinard PT helped you!

And in case you were wondering, she didn’t just pass the exam, she ACED IT!

Megan Plante PT Cert MDT at Nick Rinard Physical Therapy

Nick Rinard Physical Therapy patients get Results:

Don’t just take our word for it

“I came in to Nick Rinard PT as a result of an MVA. I came in with neck and shoulder pain, headaches daily, decreased range of motion, and limited abilities at work and home.
After treatment the headaches are gone, range of motion is back and I am no longer limited in what I can do at home or at work.
The treatment was very simple and exercises were easy to do. I appreciate the Physical Therapists’ ability to translate the proper treatment into simple user-friendly exercises.”
-Andy 12/30/2014
“The treatment here was very effective. The staff and therapists work very well with one another and are consistent in case management. They were able to quickly identify my issue and moved toward resolution.”
-Lucas 12/10/2014

 

Nick Rinard Physical Therapy 4 people jumping on the beach

Phone: 503-244-6232 | Fax: 503-296-2305
help@mdtclinics.com | rinardpt.com

FREE CONSULTATION COUPON

MENTION THIS COUPON AND SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SCREEN TODAY
(503) 244-6232

In just 5-10 minutes, MDT can determine if your pain is mechanical or not. If so, we can help get you out of pain and back to enjoying your life.

Happy New Year!

2015; Happy New Year; Love; Peace; Good Luck; Money; Happiness; Health; Success; Friendship; Family; Fortune; Prosperity; word cloud;

The beginning of a new year is so exciting! A fresh start with new goals and new beginning.
If you, like so many others, have made a resolution to get healthier this year, Nick Rinard PT may be able to help.
It is very difficult to stay active when you’re in pain!
Our MDT certified physical therapists can help keep you on track, and can teach you how to move to prevent injuries! Don’t allow pain to stand in the way of your goals!

Read all the Newsletters, helpful tips, reminders and more at :

http://RinardPT.com/clinical-conversations/

More

RinardPT Monthly – December 2014

Nick Rinard Physical Therapy in Portland Oregon Logo White

RinardPT
Monthly

 

Nick Rinard Physical Therapy
9700 SW Capitol Hwy Suite 140
Portland, OR 97219

Volume 6, Issue 10
December 2014

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Winter Snowflake

“Weather” you want to enjoy the winter activities by simply watching the snow fall or delve into it, be it skiing, sledding, snowboarding, or hiking to the top of the mountain in your snow shoes…

Nick Rinard PT is here for you!

Winter Snowflake

Enjoy your favorite winter activities pain-free.
Have questions about form or returning to activity?
Nick Rinard PT is happy to answer your questions!

Winter Snowflake

Nick Rinard Physical Therapy patients get Results:

Don’t just take our word for it

“After suffering from an auto accident 3 years ago, I have lived daily with chronic pain in my arm, shoulder, back, neck, chest and ribs, and suffered from daily headaches and weekly migraines. My range of motion in my neck was very restricted.
Since coming to Nick Rinard PT, Nick and Megan have not only helped me get the mobility to almost normal in my neck, but the pain is significantly reduced. They have given me tools to be productive and self-treat the pain. I feel they have increased my quality of life in managing my pain.. They deeply care about their patients and have a very friendly staff.”
-Denese11 11/19/2014
“I came to Nick Rinard PT because of pain in my knee that was limiting my ability to walk long distances of 3-4 miles or more. Because I enjoy walking my dogs & hiking in the woods, I need my knee to be functional! What was discovered in the process was that the problem was really my hamstring. Once Megan and Nick came up with exercises to target that area & strengthen it, I started to see improvements. Now I can walk farther with no pain!”
-Frances 11/20/2014

 

Nick Rinard Physical Therapy 4 people jumping on the beach

Phone: 503-244-6232 | Fax: 503-296-2305
help@mdtclinics.com | rinardpt.com

FREE CONSULTATION COUPON

MENTION THIS COUPON AND SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SCREEN TODAY
(503) 244-6232

In just 5-10 minutes, MDT can determine if your pain is mechanical or not. If so, we can help get you out of pain and back to enjoying your life.

Thank YOU!

Dear Friends,
The holiday season is a great time to reflect on the past year. As we at Nick Rinard PT begin to prepare for another year of helping patients, we get to look back at all the wonderful people we have had the privilege of working with in 2014. Every time that we receive a patient’s hand-written results, it makes us so happy that we have been able to impact their lives. To be able to help someone like Denese (see other side), who has been in pain for 3 years, improve her quality of life truly makes our work meaningful.
Thank you for being a part of it, and for sharing your success stories with us and others who could use our help.

Read all the Newsletters, helpful tips, reminders and more at :

http://RinardPT.com/clinical-conversations/

More