Category: Back to Life

At September’s Ascend Conference, SPEAR was named the 2020 Ascend Practice of the Year by WebPT—and now, the official press release of the award is here!

In the announcement, our CEO and Co-founder Dan Rootenberg gave his thoughts about receiving the award:

“To be recognized as the Ascend Practice of the Year is an incredible honor, and one that is especially meaningful after the challenging year we — along with so many of our colleagues — have had. By staying true to our community, our core values, our therapists and our patients, we were able to rapidly innovate our services and take calculated risks that have propelled us through the COVID-19 storm. This recognition is extremely meaningful to the entire SPEAR team and will fuel our continued efforts to expand our impact and improve the world’s healthcare system.”

Dan Rootenberg, PT, DPT, CSCS, CEO & Co-founder of SPEAR, discusses why the award is so meaningful to him and the entire SPEAR team.

Also in the release, Web PT states the reason SPEAR won the award:

“SPEAR was selected as 2020’s Practice of the Year for the team’s ability to incorporate new technologies and strategies that kept their practice afloat throughout the COVID-19 lockdown.”

2020 was an incredibly tough year for many companies. What helped us flourish was our dedication to helping our community and our ability to adapt swiftly to change. Together, we were able to weather the storm, and are ready for anything else that may come our way. Thank you for the official recognition, WebPT!

Throughout the pandemic, with the increase of work-from-home situations and sitting for long periods of time with less movement and exercise, we’ve had many people reach out to us to complain of shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand pain. That’s why our team of therapists, Phaeleau Cunneen, PT, CHT, OCS, Jamie Cotone, MS, OTR/L, and Kyle Stupi, PT, DPT, CSCS, hosted an online webinar, focused on ways to help you prevent and address joint pain and the symptoms you may be experiencing.

Here are three top tips to keep your joints healthy:

1. Listen to your body and respect your pain. Pain is the body’s way of telling us that some damage may be occurring. Signs of pain include weakness, fatigue, swelling, stiffness and aching.

2. Avoid tight, excessive, prolonged grip or pinch. You want to avoid using more force than is actually needed.mChoose tools that decrease the need for a tight grip/pinch and ones that fit your hand. One of the main joint protection principles I want you to remember is to use larger joints/muscle groups whenever possible.

3. Take breaks throughout the activity and give time for rest. Organize activities to reduce work efforts and prioritize activities based on the amount of energy or pain you have.

For more tips and advice, check out the full Joint Protection webinar below:

Autumn is usually the time when runners start training for the marathon. Training is an arduous process, requiring participants to be in optimal shape to complete their miles. With the unexpected arrival of the pandemic, typical course for athletic competitions has been altered. Big athletic events, such as the New York City Marathon, have been postponed or delayed until further notice to comply with social distancing regulations. Additionally, many people are finding themselves with more pain and aches in the body than ever before, considering we spend so much time at home now and less time moving about. All of these changes may be discouraging to some runners, but fear not: you can still continue training and getting in those miles!

SPEAR’s Running Analysis Specialist Cristina Martello, PT, DPT, recently sat down with the Wall Street Journal to offer her expertise on the subject. In “How to Motivate and Safely Train for Marathon Season During the Pandemic“, Cristina gives a few tips and tricks that can help anyone looking to get back into the game safely. Below are some standout tips that Cristina has provided:

Plan your course and prepare aide stations in advance.

Cristina suggests mapping out your course and leaving supplies like water bottles, energy chews, Vaseline and masks at different points. She also states that most sportswear companies make masks that are less constrictive, more breathable and that can stand up to the condensation from heavy breathing.

Listen to your body in order to drive your training program.

Aches and pains are bound to happen, especially if you’re jumping back into a running cadence. Cristina recommends paying attention to what your body is trying to tell you. She states runner’s bodies tend to break down two to four weeks before race day. Typical overuse aches and injuries can include shin splints, patellofemoral pain (also known as runner’s knee) and Achilles and hip flexor tendinitis.

Cristina Martello, PT, DPT, conducts a running analysis on a patient.

Don’t neglect cross training due to limited “gym” access.

Cristina suggests combining short runs with dynamic warm-up exercises, such as monster walks and walking knee hugs, to help keep the muscles fluid. Cristina states: “the biggest mistake people make is thinking as long as they get their long runs in they’ll be able to get through 26 miles. Half the battle is doing shorter runs and cross-training.”

 Focus on recovery days with mobility and flexibility to prevent injury.

Cristina believes the best way to prevent aches and injuries from sneaking up on you is to put a lot of stress on recovery days. She recommends these recovery days include icing, self-massage, like foam rolling, and mobility work and stretching. And of course, if you’re feeling pain, she recommends taking a full day off.

Keep a positive mindset and enjoy your race day.

As the saying goes—when the going gets tough, the tough get going! Keep a smile on your face, push forward and believe you can accomplish anything. Most of all—have fun with it!

To learn more about how a running analysis can help you, check out our specialty here, or watch our video below as we walk you through the entire process!

We’ve made some BIG changes here at SPEAR…literally!  We’re excited to announce the expansion of SPEAR Physical Therapy’s 70 Pine St clinic! One of our premier locations in the Financial District, this beautiful and modern gym space is now safer and offering more availability for our patients to book treatment!

This new extra space with an open gym concept offers ample space, so you can move about freely as you work through your exercises and treatment plan. The space also allows for easy separation, keeping everyone safe and secure during this transition from the COVID pandemic. The gym is a beautifully lit space, with plenty of windows for natural light and an entire spread of  brand new machines and equipment, making your experience at SPEAR even more pleasant.

Located on the first floor, and now with a new store front/sidewalk entry located right on Pearl Street, its quick and easy to come into the clinic.

Most notably, however, is the convenience: more space means more availability! Our often-booked clinic is now able to accommodate more appointments than ever before, so you can get the treatment you need sooner!

Conveniently located in the Financial District near the 2,3,4,5,A,C,J and Z subway lines, near the Brooklyn Bridge and right off the FDR Drive, it’s easy to get to with local transportation or by driving. Situated comfortably near many NYC attractions, including Pier 15, the Charging Bull statue, the Seaport District, it’s a perfect and convenient location for your physical therapy needs.

Whether you’re looking for treatment for a specific concern or simply looking to improve your athletic performance, our expert team of therapists will work with you for the best personalized treatment plan. W e can conveniently schedule around your availability and work with you one-on-one for a personalized plan to treat your specific needs.

It’s time you achieve your goals and get back to life!

Meet Josh

Joshua Rieders, PT, DPT, CSCS is the Clinical Director at SPEAR 70 Pine. Josh is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Josh’s clinical experience includes orthopedics, sports rehabilitation, acute rehabilitation, and adult neurological rehabilitation. Josh focuses on manual therapy techniques and neuromuscular reeducation to maximize translation to functional movement patterns.During his free time, he enjoys the outdoors, cooking, fishing, and spending time with family and friends.

Randy and his physical therapist, Phaeleau Cunneen, giving the thumbs up!

The sudden surge of the Coronavirus has made a lasting impact on many people’s lives. More than ever, we’ve relied to our frontline workers to keep our communities healthy, appropriately naming them “heroes” for bravely stepping up to the plate for the safety of everyone.  Randy, a SPEAR patient at our W 44^th St clinic, is no exception. An active Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in New York City, Randy already had a very tasking job, dealing with emergency situations, including life or death situations. With the impact of the virus, he was now battling two wars: protecting the people and himself.

Before seeking treatment at SPEAR, Randy was suffering from limited mobility in his hands, preventing him from doing his job properly, carrying his equipment or providing care for his patients. It was also impacting his personal life, keeping him from his favorite hobbies including cycling, playing football, and hiking. Randy feared he would not be able to get the proper treatment he needed during the pandemic, especially at the cadence he needed. After meeting with his therapists, Phaeleau Cunneen, PT, CHT, OCS, and Karlie Gross, PT, DPT, that quickly changed. He felt a reassuring calmness straight away from their initial meeting, and they were able to quell his worries about his injury. As his treatment progressed, so did their rapport: “The relationship evolved and just became better with every visit, becoming a family-like feeling,” Randy recalls warmly. “Any questions I asked were simply answered, and there was always a positive vibe of teamwork.”

Phaeleau in action treating Randy’s hand injury.

Randy wasn’t exactly sure what his expectations for therapy were, nor was he certain about the extent of his injuries. One of his goals prior to treatment was to improve his performance level for his regular job duties. He also hoped to incorporate more hands-on activities into his work and everyday life. Randy started seeing the impact that therapy was having on his life in a positively profound way. “I realized therapy was working once I finally felt the flexion and the ability to use the function of my hand, having not had any mobility initially and almost no range of motion.” Randy was also happy with the safety protocols in place at the clinic, noting it was “pivotal during this pandemic—they were spot on (with the levels of cleanliness)”.

As Randy continued his treatment, so did his improvement, especially with the encouragement of his therapy team. “My progress has been phenomenal with SPEAR, outstanding to say the least. Definitely over-achieving my expectations!” By the time Randy completed his treatment plan, he was able to return to the activities and job he loves. “The SPEAR group surely relieved my worries and gave me more mobility, as well as educated me, which is the most impressive part.” Even more remarkably, Randy’s drive to get better also helped him to become a better EMT.  “Bringing me back to the best I can be has been a great, stress-relieving accomplishment. The treatment by SPEAR has assisted me with my job as an EMT, giving me the potential to be even better and continue making strides to provide better patient care.” Randy, we think you’re an exceptional human being. Thank you for letting us assist you in your journey, and for everything you do for your city!