I am a board certified specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy, with more than 20 years of experience worldwide, in a variety practice settings, as a therapist, manager, business owner, and educator, currently working on a PhD.
Education
I am originally from Yukon, OK, and attended the University of Central Oklahoma, earning a Bachelor of Science in Physics before deciding to becoming a physical therapist. In 1995 I completed observations in military treatment facilities and attended the U.S. Army/Baylor University Graduate Program in Physical Therapy.
Professional Experience
Before physical therapy schoo, I started off working as a rehabilitation technician in a specialty rehabilitation hospital in Edmond Oklahoma, serving patients recovering from strokes and other neurological injuries. I realized that I enjoyed helping patients recover basic and advanced life skills.
After graduation, I served at Fort Sill Oklahoma in orthopedics and sports medicine, while working weekends and holidays at Comanche County Hospital, in wound care, inpatient rehabilitation, and acute/ICU care. I became the physical therapist of the Multinational Force and Observers (Sinai Peninsula), and finished my active duty time at Fort Meade, Maryland, where I managed the Musculoskeletal Center – a combined clinic with orthopedic surgery, podiatry, and physical therapy. While I was at Fort Meade, I became a board certified orthopedic PT specialist, and started working as a lab assistant for a 12-month certification course in electromyography and nerve conduction for physicians, podiatrists, and physical therapists.
After leaving active duty, I worked for Premier Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, managing their flagship clinic in Martinsburg, West Virginia, while helping out with operations and management in other locations in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. I worked with the state champion girls volleyball, soccer, and softball teams, from the three local high schools.
I came to the Dallas metro area in 2004 initially working in long term care, home health, and utilization management, while starting a private physical therapy practice in Carrollton in 2005. I also served as a lecturer for the Texas Physical Therapy Association, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School’s Division of Physical Therapy, and with CEU Institute, which educated workers’ compensation nurse case managers and adjusters. I finished my military physical therapy service in the Texas Army National Guard, as the physical therapist for the 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and at the end of my tenure, was the only physical therapist in the Texas Army National Guard.
During my time with Terry Rehabilitation & Testing, I continued to perform EMG/NCS, Functional Capacity Evaluations, and gained additional training and experience in treating vestibular disorders (vertigo and dizziness) and customized orthotics. I also operated a Concierge Physical Therapy service, which allowed me to treat patients in their home or office.
I currently work at Texas Health – Plano Presbyterian Hospital, where I have been for the past 2 years. It offers a wide variety of problems for me to solve, in an environment that allows me to do my best work.
Substance Over Style, Help Instead of Hype
Over these past 2 decades as a physical therapist, I have seen many trends and practices come and go, however, there are a few things that never change: High quality physical therapy always educates the patient, encourages independence, is personal, and highly customized, without being overly complicated or trendy.
Every so often “the next big thing” comes along, promising to be the new cure-all treatment. While each new cure-all fad comes with it’s own marketing plan, membership club, and multiple-weekend certification program, these fads never seem to stand the test of time and scrutiny of scientific inquiry. They tend to create lots of buzz and hype, while only really being effective for a small portion of the problems they claimed to have been able to fix.
What has always worked best for the patient, however, is fundamental scientific understanding of biomechanics, pain, and personality, combined with individualized care, and education. There’s a place for dry-needling, customized orthotics, instrumented soft tissue mobilization, knee taping, and lots of other apporaches, but the skill of the therapist is ultimately in the ability to precisely select the most effective interventions for each individual patient, based on the best scientific information available, and tempered with experience and relationship skills.
My goal as a therapist, is to take away your fear, restore your independence, and get you back to doing the activities that you have to do – and those that you love – as quickly as possible!