Cynthia Hicks Qualifies As A Certified Kinesio® Taping Practitioner (CKTP)

Seen as the hottest trend in taping and used whenever someone is in pain, this medication-free method is believed to help reduce swelling, improve circulation, correct muscle function and reposition joints. The elasticized tape, invented by a Japanese chiropractor, Dr. Kenzo Kase, is readily identified by its bright colors and unusual taping patterns.

"This modality can be used on everyone," explained Cynthia. "I am so excited that with my CKTP certification, I can now help our patients even more and the fact that it is medication-free is really wonderful."

Patients of all ages from pediatrics to geriatrics use this to help find pain relief on any joint from head to toe and all the muscles in between. Athletes faced with overuse injuries which bother them when they compete also request this to stabilize their injury and promote healing.

"Patients in the acute phase of their diagnosis are the ones usually actively looking for relief and although results are not immediate, they typically find it helpful," Cynthia added.

"We never rest on our laurels here," said Patti Kocich, President of Physical Therapy Care. "We are a clinical teaching facility for Texas Women's University (DPT) and Houston Community College (PTA) and our staff is constantly looking for ways to improve."

Outlining her plans for the future, Cynthia declared, "This course was taught by visiting instructors that travel all over the country. My next goal is to become an instructor myself."

Shelly Krauss, an active and athletic former gymnast, was referred to PTCare due to a traumatic knee injury which was not improving with medication. Physical therapy treatments were enhanced by Kinesio taping to stabilize the knee, improve circulation, decrease swelling and facilitate proper contraction of the muscles.

Taping done by Cynthia on the knee of a professional athlete to help stabilize his medial collateral ligament (MCL)

Doctors Give High Scores to Physical Therapy Care of Richmond

The results are in and Physical Therapy Care & Aquatic Rehab of Fort Bend, located in Richmond, Texas is an acknowledged favorite for doctors and their patients.

In a recent independent survey, doctors that refer patients to the clinic were asked to rank it based on three issues: Clinical outcomes for patients referred; satisfaction of care from patients; and communication, timeliness and content from the treating therapist.

On a scale of one to five where five ranks as "Excellent", this independent, physical therapist-owned clinic earned a ranking of 4.7 overall.

"Patients choose us because they believe that we provide the highest standard of care," said Patti Kocich, President of Physical Therapy Care of Fort Bend when discussing the results of the survey.

"Because it is important to us to make sure that we are in fact delivering on our promises, we contracted with an independent organization to conduct this survey."

Asked to describe the patients that choose her clinic, Patti said "they believe in independently selecting a team of their own healthcare professionals. They place great value on our individualized approach and patient-centered care."

"They also love the fact that our highly qualified and experienced staff provides great explanations and that we surround them with a support staff that provides terrific customer service and the positive experience they need."

"The foundation of our success is built on communication and a team approach," she continued. "We take time with our patients, making sure that they understand the issues involved, adjusting their therapy as they progress and helping them to become motivated to succeed."

"We believe it is vital to work closely with our patients' doctors, providing them with reports on a regular and timely basis. This works to create a wonderful dynamic that helps to accelerate recovery."

Patti is happy to report that "the patient-centered care that we offer is recognized and valued by our patients and their doctors."

Physical Therapy Care of Fort Bend is pleased to welcome Stacy Koscinski, PT, MS to their staff. In practice since 2000, Stacy specializes in treating patients experiencing imbalance and dizziness caused by abnormalities of the vestibular organs. Her extensive experience also includes time in Vermont where she expanded her practice to treat orthopedic patients and started a vestibular program at a local clinic.

Balance and dizziness difficulties can be caused by a variety of disorders and patients can experience dizziness, vertigo, imbalance and spatial disorientation. As people age, the probability of experiencing this problem increases and it can directly affect their quality of life. Many become fearful, captives in their own homes, and many times, this leads to falls which can result in more medical complications and expenses.

The majority of these problems are caused by the vestibular organs of the inner ear, with the most common diagnosis BPPV (Benign Paroxismal Positional Vertigo). Patients suffering from BPPV find it difficult to maintain posture and coordinate balance. New patterns of movement emerge as they try to compensate and head movement becomes minimized. These adaptation techniques feed on the problem as the patient experiences muscle stiffness, and pain in the head and neck in addition to a worsening of the problem.

In outlining her approach, Stacy said "I begin with a comprehensive evaluation of the vestibular and central system. Then I design a customized treatment plan which may include CRM (Canal Repositioning Maneuver), balance, retraining and VOR (Vestibular Ocular Reflex) exercises for the clinic and at home. The secret is to keep the therapy plan dynamic, updating it as the patient improves."

"Stacy fits right into our clinic since she believes in individualized care focused on the patient," said Patti Kocich, President of Physical therapy Care of Fort Bend. "In addition to her expertise in the field, her strength lies in the fact that she listens closely to her patients."

"I derive great satisfaction in the improvement that I see in my patients. When they come to the clinic, so many of them are prisoners in their homes, unable to work or go out due to their fear of falling and sense of dizziness," said Stacy. "I feel that physical therapy grants them independence, confidence and freedom."

Practice What We Preach
It all started when Patti Kocich, President of Physical Therapy Care in Richmond decided to check another item off her 'bucket list': complete the Gateway to the Bay Triathlon on April 10, 2010 in Kemah, Texas.

"I like setting myself goals and challenges because it keeps me fresh," said Patti, putting this goal in perspective by pointing out that "a triathlon seemed more of an endurance test involving a variety of sports."

But this was a personal goal for Patti, wrapped up in her commitment to her patients. "When we come to work each day we motivate our patients to 'believe' and challenge them to 'achieve' so I decided why not practice what we preach!"

Team Training
As Patti started to work out, two relay teams were formed at the clinic to support and compete with her. Each athlete chose their favorite sport. Jolinda Garcia and Bridget Norton agreed to swim Cynthia Hicks, as well as Sal Doceti committed to cycling; and Keith Brandt and Angela Walker signed up to run. Richard Scoby the professional trainer on staff jumped in to help by holding one hour training sessions after hours on Fridays for six weeks. In addition, the competitors trained for their sport in their own time, some increasing their workouts dramatically.

Team Spirit
The enthusiasm was so infectious during training at the clinic that others joined in. Staff member Mary Moreno trained with them and ran with Patti as she got out of the bay and ran to the transition station.

Alison Carlino, professional photographer and patient at the time, started a photo journal. "As a fellow businesswoman, I was impressed with Patti's leadership in motivating her staff and fostering a team spirit," she explained. By capturing their training as well as the event, she also wanted to "honor the people that have nursed me back to health,"

Crossing The Finish Line
Endurance and determination must be the clinic's motto for it showed in each competitor. Things were not going to be easy for Patti to compete having broken two toes the day before. The weather was not helping since it was cold and rainy and the water in the bay was choppy with 15-20 mph winds. Standing on the edge, Sal looked down at the waves and laughed when he thought of Patti, Jolinda and Bridget battling them.

"How big were the waves?" said Bridget, "that depends on your vantage point. Still, even with choppy waves, the best place to be is in the water!"

The riders both ran into trouble but would not accept defeat. Sal, recovering from a bad cold, refused to stop after he struggled up the bridge on the first lap. Cynthia was ahead in her race when her bike chain slipped off on her second climb up the bridge. Refusing to give in, she ran the bike up and coasted down. Then, by reverse pedaling, she would make five or six strokes on the flat until the chain fell off again.

"I did this for five or six miles, praying all the way when along came an angel," Cynthia tells the story. The other racer got off his bike to help and showed her how to switch the gears to make the chain stay on.

"I got back on the bike and counted one, two, and on up to ten strokes and, hallelujah, the chain stayed on," she says with all the joy of the moment still in her voice. At that point she decided it was necessary to give 200%. With five miles left and afraid to switch gears she finished 20 minutes behind the leader passing off to Keith who made up ground by knocking 1½ minutes off his training time.

The enthusiasm is still brimming at the clinic as they make plans for their next goal, another triathlon. However Patti's next item on the 'bucket list' is a trip somewhere for which she laughingly says "there is no preparation required."

Keith Brandt has been promoted to the position of Assistant Clinic Manager as of April 7, 2010.

In making her announcement, Patti Kocich, President, said "Keith embraces our philosophy and approach to patient care by putting our patients first in his decisions. He is a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant and a graduate of Wharton Junior College. For over five years he has proven himself to be a dedicated professional and a valued member of our team."

Patti added "Our practice has grown since we opened almost seven years ago but our mission is the same. Our patients choose us to join their healthcare team and we return their trust by paying attention to their concerns and challenges in order to assist them on their road to recovery. I am confident that Keith's upbeat management style will help us continue to achieve high grades in patient satisfaction as we manage our growth."