What Our Patients Say
“Valerie and her team are amazing; I have seen improvement in my own body that I don’t think I would’ve seen anywhere else, and I’ve seen other patients improving far beyond what I understand to be the conventional expectations. Absolutely the best place in northern Virginia, and actually the best place that I know of anywhere.”
David
“Advanced Physical Therapy (APT) is extremely knowledgeable and professional, and they personalized their therapy to my needs at every step of my recovery. They have a good variety of reliable equipment and a passion to keep up with the ever-evolving art of physical therapy. Two years ago, in my late 30s, I had an incomplete spinal cord injury at the L2/L3 that left me initially paralyzed from the waist down. Immediately upon release from the hospital I connected with APT at the advice of my doctors to guide me along the long road to recovery, whatever that would be. I was stiff as a board, unable to move most of the muscles in my legs, in a lot of pain, and extremely confused with what the future would hold. Being new to a wheelchair as my new permanent mode of getting around, I was terrified of finding myself on the ground and unable to get back into my wheelchair. My goal when starting at APT was to learn and train to transfer from the floor to my chair. It seemed like an impossible task to ever accomplish. Strangely, within the first few weeks of meeting with APT I was told they’d have me actually walking again one day. It seemed like a pretty irresponsible hope to put in my mind considering my condition, but I kept a sliver of hope that APT knew what they were talking about. As I was coming out of spinal shock, which can take 12-18 months, I worked hard doing everything they asked me to and was relieved to very quickly accomplish my initial goal of transferring from the floor to my chair.
Soon they had me suspended in harnesses and walking around in an exoskeleton. It seemed strange to me because the thought of walking upright, even with the most advanced crutches they made, seemed completely out of the picture. But I humored them and continued to work at what they had me doing, none of it making much sense to me. After about 12 months they had me walking around with forearm crutches. The ability to stand up and walk with crutches opened so many possibilities for my independence. Over the next year our focus was on refining my posture and strengthening my walking muscles. Eventually I was able to move to one crutch and now I can walk most places with just a single cane. I’m so glad I found APT and would recommend it to anyone.”
Jesse C.
“Advanced Physical Therapy is the most exceptional facility in Northern Va. and DC for the treatment of neurological conditions and injuries. At Advanced Physical Therapy the patient is a human being with dignity and potential. The entire staff is knowledgeable, attentive and encouraging. The owner, Valerie Gibson, is hands on and aware of each patient in the facility. She outlines treatment plans with achievable goals that result in remarkable physical outcome and success.
My son, age 30, is paraplegic. When he started at Advanced Physical Therapy a year ago his core was so weak he was unable to hold himself steady in a sitting position. He was steadily declining in strength which was impeding his independence and confidence. He has gained considerable strength in his core, allowing for greater ease in transferring and other acts of self-care and daily living. He is able to sit independently and hold himself up. The spasticity has lessened considerably allowing for improved ability to exercise, engage in daily living tasks and better sleep. He uses electrical stimulation for muscle re-education which helps reduce spasticity. His strength has improved so much that he is now walking with the assistance of a robotic exoskeleton.
My son utilized the neuro PT facilities at some of the top hospitals in Alexandria and DC. He was only allowed treatment for three months. These facilities only saw the paralysis, not the potential. It was disheartening because we knew that he needed support to keep the core strong, reduce spasticity and maintain strength in order to maintain self-care.
I was overjoyed watching my son walk in the exoskeleton. I am so grateful to Valerie Gibson and the staff at Advanced Physical Therapy. What a find!”
Lorraine Rauen
“I have been a patient at advanced physical therapy for about a year and have made more progress than I ever thought possible. The staff helps me set ambitious goals and works patiently to help me reach those goals. I have been to many physical therapy clinics and this is the first one that has been willing to work with me for this long. Other facilities don’t understand or don’t care that neurological rehabilitation takes a long time and you don’t always see significant progress right away. The staff at APT understands how to build up a patient’s strength and endurance so they can make real progress. Between the sophisticated technology and the expert practitioners I finally feel like I have the support I need to make actual neurological progress.”
Tim
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