THIS is why we do what we do!

Wow...Elizabeth's story says it all. We are so moved at how much of an impact we were able to have in her life, for both her physical and mental well-being. We can't express enough how much we appreciate this type of feedback, it's a wonderful feeling knowing that through the McKenzie Method, we gave new hope to someone who had just about given up! 

            I knew there was something wonderfully different about the Maccio Physical Therapy clinic from my first appointment. I’d been suffering from intense, persistent pain throughout my head, neck, back and arm for over a year. An injury had caused severe nerve impingement and dislodged discs in my upper cervical spine, leading to stenosis and associated nerve damage. I sought treatment from several different types of doctors - chiropractors, neurologists, surgeons, pain management specialists, acupuncturists - and found that no one could offer me real answers or relief. The pain had become so intense and constant that I was barely able to function in everyday life. I became depressed and hopeless, being told that the only option was pain management through injections or possibly a surgery with limited success. The injections only lasted a few weeks, after which the pain, numbness, headaches, vertigo and muscle spasms would come back with a vengeance. There seemed to be no help for me, and I was accepting that I may somehow have to learn to deal with it for my entire life.

            A coworker of mine knew of the Maccio Physical Therapy clinic and encouraged me to try it out. I am eternally grateful that I did! At my first appointment, Joe Jr. took the time to truly listen and understand my symptoms. He then did a thorough exam, but it was unlike any that I had previously experienced. Through dynamic movements and spinal manipulation, he was able to exasperate or relieve my symptoms instantly. Based on my response, he was able to identify and explain the problem more clearly than any other doctor I had seen. It seemed to me that he understood the spine and associated mechanics better than any of the ‘experts’ I’d previously visited. I was cautiously hopeful as he told me with confidence that the problem could be fixed with regular, simple dynamic exercises – the McKenzie Method.

            I diligently did the exercises, which were quick and easy to fit into my busy schedule. The routine was but a minor inconvenience – far less inconvenient than the horrific pain I had been experiencing. I saw tremendous progress very quickly, within weeks I had extended periods without pain – something I hadn’t experienced in months. Joe Jr. adjusted my routine as my symptoms changed and my pain localized, and I increasingly believed I’d found true healing through the McKenzie Method.

            Within three months, I was rarely in pain and when I was, I could quickly and effectively reduce symptoms with the exercises. I feel like I have my life back! I am so very grateful to Maccio Physical Therapy for giving me the tools to heal my own body. I tell everyone I know with any sort of joint problems of the wonders of this quick and effective approach. It amazes me that this isn’t the first treatment I tried to address spine problems, because it is truly the most phenomenal treatment I’ve ever encountered. I would turn to the McKenzie Method to address any issue that arose with pain or body mechanics, and Maccio Physical Therapy would be my first stop! I cannot say enough good things about my experience there. The staff is warm, welcoming and prompt. The care is thorough, professional and incredibly effective. The appointments were always on time and never felt rushed. Their goal is to equip you with the tools to heal yourself – something truly rare in a system designed to keep you dependant as a patient.

I strongly encourage anyone with back, neck, or head pain to try this approach, even if it seems like nothing will be able to help. Perhaps this is the one treatment that will give you back a full and pain free life – it certainly was for me.

-Elizabeth, January 2015