About Absolute Performance Therapy

How we started

I opened Absolute Performance Therapy, PC on the idea that therapy should be fun. I wanted people to look forward to coming to therapy, to look forward to what we are going to do that day and what we came up with to fix their problem. I wanted therapy that taught you how to be a better volleyball player or a more efficient runner or superior pitcher. I wanted people to walk out the door walking better than they walked in.

At 17 I had my introduction to physical therapy and it was horrible. I had torn my ACL and the collegiate volleyball future I had planned was on the line. I did the same five exercises every time I went and none of it looked like volleyball. I entered my freshman year in college scared to jump on my leg. It took me over a year to feel confident in jumping and even after full return to volleyball I ended up with back pain after every game.

That shouldn’t have happened. Someone should’ve taught me how to squat again. Someone should have helped me be confident in using my left knee. Someone should have made sure that I could load my left leg efficiently and that I wasn’t moving stiffly causing increased back pain and SI joint dysfunction. But no one did.

I knew going into physical therapy school that someday I wanted my own clinic. I wanted to do things differently, I wanted better therapy for my patients than what I’d experienced. I had great opportunities to work in a hospital-based setting, an outpatient orthopedic setting, a traumatic brain injury unit, home health, and pediatrics early in my career. I learned so much from each and every patient that I felt that it was time to try to create my own place.

In December 2006 I saw my first patient. In a room with two tables and a few pieces of equipment, I started a practice that I am very proud to call my own. Over the next six years I grew out of my previous space and in February of 2013 we moved up the block to 225 East Hickman and added 1,000 square feet of space. We love big. We love having enough room to work on your throwing mechanics, or driving a golf ball, or looking at your running form. We love having enough room to do what everyone should do – move.

How are we different?

We specialize in the biomechanical analysis of function. It’s not enough to treat the area of pain. We have to look for the cause. Back pain can come from a tight hip, rigid foot, or lack of shoulder motion. An ACL tear can be caused by pelvic malalignment, shoulder restriction, glut weakness, or structural torsion. It’s not enough to treat the problem. We have to find the cause and correct the abnormal stress that impaired the system.

We are FUN

Therapy shouldn’t be the same 5 exercises every visit or mountains of papers sent home with you. Twenty years ago, when I attended therapy, my time was spent laying on a table kicking a weight in 4 different directions. The only thing that changed was the amount of weight. It was boring. I hated it. I was preparing to go play volleyball and none of what I did felt like volleyball. Therapy should be specific to your goals. Exercises in and out of therapy should resemble your end goal. Our goal is that you enjoy your time spent here, that you become better at what you do – whether it be lifting your child or pitching a ball.