California
Learn more about San Francisco Sport and Spine Physical Therapy and its services and offerings here.
Czech Republic
http://www.rehabps.com/REHABILITATION/Home.html
http://www.rehabps.cz/rehab/certified_practitioners.php (Certified practitioners)
http://www.rehabps.cz/rehab/certified_trainers.php (Certified trainers)
Perth, Australia
Peter O’Sullivan, from Australia, is one bright physiotherapist. I first encountered him when I was trying to figure out what had gone wrong with Tiger Woods’ back. Here he shares his thoughts on Woods’ likely odds in the 2014 PGA tournament.
And here you can learn more about his sports medicine practice in Western Australia.
Colorado
Check out the Colorado Physical Therapy Specialists.
If you are looking for a physical therapist with a strong orthopedic background, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists is a good place to start. Note the “find a doc function” for members and fellows. A fellowship is designed for the graduate of a residency or board-certified therapist to focus on a subspecialty area of clinical practice, education, or research, so fellows are highly trained and typically have a strong focus on manual therapy and rehabilitation, rather than “bells and blinkers” therapy, such as ultrasound.
Florida
Founded in 1863, the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is a world leader in orthopedics, rheumatology and rehabilitation. Michael L. Reed, is the Director of the Hospital for Special Surgery Spine & Sport, a branch of HSS located in Florida. Learn more about the facility and its mission here.
California
Dr. David Schechter, who specializes in mindbody medicine, practices the psychophysiological approach to pain, based off Dr. John Sarno’s work, at his private practice in Southern California. (There is a website dedicated to the psychophysiological approach, on which Schechter and similar doctors are featured.) He picks up where John Sarno, MD, leaves off.
California
Redhawk PT, located in the Potrero Hill area of San Francisco, is a physical therapist-owned and -operated business that focuses on personalized care and holistic healing and recovery.
Washington
The Rehabilitation Institute of Washington in Seattle, WA is a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program led by professionals whose expertise is working with patients with chronic pain, guiding them through rehabilitation intended to restore them to functional health and capabilities. The team at RIW includes physicians, psychologists, physical and occupational therapists, and rehabilitation counselors.
Oregon
The Oregon Health & Science University in Beaverton, OR (essentially Portland) developed this Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation Clinic at Cornell West to address sports medicine, spine care, joint care (along with knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, and hand care), pediatric care, X-ray and imaging, and physical therapy and rehabilitation. The clinic has thirteen primary providers, each with their specialty, but almost all have rehabilitation as an area of expertise.
Physical therapist, doctor, and professor Margareta Nordin wrote Basic Biomechanics of the Musculoskeletal System, a book about the biomechanics and treatment of musculoskeletal dysfunction. Very helpful if you want to understand what really causes back pain.
Check out the McKenzie Institute's website to learn more about the McKenzie Institute and its faculty.
If you decide to pursue the McKenzie method, here is a comprehensive directory of certified McKenzie clinics worldwide. Also, check out the McKenzie Institute’s Find a Clinician page.
The website Perform Better has products, seminars, and “ask-the-expert” videos with professionals that are all focused on functional training, rehabilitation, and sports performance.
Finding a physical therapist with orthopedic certification can be challenging, but fortunately the American Physical Therapy Association has a helpful website. After you review the material there, click here to search at a very specific level. Look for therapists who have OCS and DPT after their names. This means that they have specific orthopedic training and doctoral degrees.
New Hampshire
This functional restoration program in Lebanon, NH is provided by the Spine Center of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock network of health programs in northern New England, and led by Dr. Rowland Hazard, one of the leaders in functional restoration. The goal of their rehabilitation program is to limit the need for more spine surgeries and instead help patients develop the tools to return to functional lives at home and work alike.
Massachusetts, Minnesota
The Spine Center at NEBH specializes in evaluation, treatment and management of spine disorders. Dr. James Rainville leads an internationally-recognized exercise-based “boot camp” program.
Here’s a midwestern program based on James Rainville’s protocol.
Read an article featuring Carol Hartigan from the New England Baptist Hospital about hitting the weights.
Illinois
Each year, the American Pain Society gives a Clinical Center of Excellence in Pain Management Award to five or so pain management facilities around the country. The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago was a winner in 2009, the third year of the annual awards. You can find practitioners, locations, and information on different conditions and how the RIC can treat them. Their Center for Pain Management has a number of excellent programs to treat chronic pain, involving long-term strategies for developing a healthy, balanced, and active lifestyle.
