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Lacamas Life Magazine
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New Heights Integrative Therapy, Inc.
Walking through the door of New Heights Integrative Therapy, Inc. in the Uptown Village area of downtown Vancouver, you observe right away that your experience here will be unique. The earthy colors, natural wood floors, and open, inviting space full of natural light from the wall of windows immediately put you at ease. Seeing physical therapist Shelly Coffman working one on one with a patient as they exercise in the gym area also serves to show that, outward appearances aside, it is the personalized and specialized treatment patients receive which speaks the loudest.
Who seeks treatment at New Heights? Often patients come to the clinic after trying other treatment options and finding that they are not reaching their goals of health and function. New Heights patient Nancy Monahan had back surgery in 2000, and subsequently suffered from extensive injuries caused by an accident in which she was a pedestrian struck by a Ford F350 truck. Nancy suffered from a fractured pelvis, fractured ribs, vertigo, and headaches caused by the impact with the truck and with the pavement. She was unable to walk without assistance and had severe back spasms and numbness in her left leg. She heard about New Heights from her partner and states, “From my first visit at New Heights, I knew it was different. First it was very investigative. There was the sense that ‘we need to help this person and fix them and get them back to the life they had before this accident.’ There was a determination there, both on the part of Shelly, my therapist, and on my part.” Shelly Coffman, MPT has been working as a physical therapist for over 10 years, and she is pleased to be bringing her passion for healing into practice here in the Vancouver community. The therapists at New Heights have completed extensive post-graduate programs in orthopedic manual therapy and also seek to continually learn and advance their clinical skills.
Gretchen Funk, a 14 year old dancer from the Columbia Dance Company also sought out New Heights after suffering for several months from foot pain. She had tried exercises and treatments to alleviate symptoms of what was thought to be plantar fasciitis. Her feet continued to be painful, and symptoms began to show in her knees and hips. Upon the suggestion of her dance instructors and others, Gretchen came to New Heights. She says that her first impression of the clinic was that it was different than she expected. After a visit with Shelly Coffman, who explained that Gretchen’s problem actually was coming from her back, Gretchen states, “It made more sense to me than plantar fasciitis. I had tried foot beds and done the exercises, and it didn’t work. And the hands-on treatment was different from what I expected. I expected PT to be more like a doctor’s office. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get better without pills.”
Patients at New Heights find that therapeutic exercise plays a very important role in the healing process. The specific exercise routine, Scientific Therapeutic Exercise Progression (S.T.E.P.) is based on the concept of using exercise to address tissue specific healing, utilizing the proper stimulus and resistance for optimal tissue repair. Nancy describes her unique exercise program, “I loved it. The folks at New Heights would explain how the exercises would assist me and make all my muscles healthy. The program was well thought out and customized for my injuries-what I needed to build my body up again.” Says Gretchen Funk, “The exercises were challenging, but interesting. After three or four visits, a lot of things started getting easier. Everything fit together more, especially walking in the halls at school, which had been really painful, and of course dance.”
Patients also find that they are treated as a whole person and not just an injury. Nancy Monahan observed, “With bad days, they really listened to me emotionally and mentally which helped just as much as the physical work.” Regarding the manual therapy, Nancy states, “I felt comfortable putting myself in her (Shelly’s) hands. We worked on it together, which was very important to me.”
Gretchen Funk expressed her feelings upon completion of treatment at the clinic, and attendance of a summer dance intensive in Long Beach, CA, “My feet held up really well, and I haven’t had any trouble since.” Regarding her fitness goals, “I’ve already achieved it! I wanted to be able to get through class without pain. Shelly is the best PT in the world. If you need help, come to New Heights for PT, they will fix you!” Nancy Monahan goes on to describe, “This has been a life changing experience, and I’m glad I’m through it. I probably would still be coming out of the accident if I hadn’t gotten the care I needed. I want to continue doing my home exercise program. It has helped me tremendously. My goal is to stay healthy now and be able to get out on the golf course!”
Therapists at New Heights Integrative Therapy Inc. treat a variety of injuries and complaints to include sports and work-related injuries, motor vehicle collisions, chronic pain, headaches and spinal pain. For more information, call New Heights Integrative Therapy, Inc. at (360)737-3346, or check out www.newheightstherapy.com.
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