ALPHABET SOUP

[Guest Prosoft Admin]

What do all those letters stand for behind your name?

A number of patients lately have asked about what all the letters behind our names mean.  I forget that all that alphabet soup doesn't always have a clear meaning to all of you out there. 

The obvious first one is the Physical Therapy or PT degree.  Mike and Karen Napierala, our "Old Timers,' have been around for a loooong time, so they obtained B.S. degrees in Physical Therapy and have over 30 years of experience behind them.  Karen also went on for two extra years and obtained her Master's of Science in Athletic Training. Mike double majored in Exercise Science for an extra year of training.  

Mike Golisano is our "New Schooler" with over 5 years of experience and he went for the extra time to complete the newer DPT degree.  This is an entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.  Physical Therapy programs have evolved over the past decade to expand the types and amounts of classes taken, so Mike has benefited from that extra training.  (And so do you!)

BUT, an exciting bit of "Alphabet Soup" that is new to the Greater Rochester region,

and is, in fact, ONLY offered at Peak Performance PT, is the Alphabet Soup FAFS Mike Golisano and Mike Napierala have earned.

FAFS stands for Fellow of Applied Functional Science. 

There's an awesome, life and career changing program run out of Michigan led by Gary Gray, called the Father of Function in the rehab world, and Dave Tiberio, a former professor in U Conn's PT program.  In simple terms, the program deepens the understanding of "3 Dimensional"or 3D perspectives on human function, helping us to understand better how we function in the Mind, Body, and Spirit realms. 

On the physical side of that, very intensive biomechanical training and hands-on experience form the key foundation of the program.  Much of that foundation is understanding how our joints and muscles function in Three Planes of Motion. 

 "Nobody ever looked at all those things before"

"I had no idea that my old hip problem could affect my shoulder"

 "My low back feels so much better since you worked on my hip and my ankle"

We hear these sorts of things all the time.  Patients wonder what makes Peak Performance PT different than their past therapy experiences.  It's been a true blessing to have had the Applied Functional Science training that all of us have had.  It allows much more intensive problem solving in your evaluation and over the course of your treatments.  And, it allows us to better customize your exercise program and TWEAK things up or down as needed.   It's absolutely the most important tool in our tool bag!

This is what allows us to go beyond traditional Physical Therapy approaches and to really personalize your care: 

                                ...to your present injury

                                                ...to your present limitations and successes

                                                                ...to your past injury issues and persisting limitations

                                                                                ...to the goals you have!

Mike Napierala and Karen Napierala have spent over 25 years learning from Gary and Dave. Mike was the first PT in the Rochester area to have this FAFS distinction, having completed the rigorous 10-month Applied Functional Science (AFS) training program in 2009 with over 80 other professionals from around the world.  This training is so unique and valuable that Peak Performance PT put Mike Golisano through the program in 2010 and we're proud to say that Peak Performance PT is the ONLY facility in all of Monroe County and the surrounding areas to offer FAFS-trained PTs. 

You'll notice that lots of our blogs and newsletters focus on recognizing how our body parts interact with each other and sometimes are a contributing cause to an injury or breakdown at an adjacent or even a  far away tissue.  Well, this is a centerpiece of the AFS approach...working to assess that relationship, that connection between parts of the body and at specific tissues or joints themselves as well, so that parts can team up to produce the incredible and effective whole (that's you!).   

We'll be sharing more about our Applied Functional Science knowledge and approaches in the weeks and months to come.   In the meantime, for those who are already patients, we hope you're enjoying your Alphabet Soup!

Remember when you were a kid (or maybe you still are) and your mom made Alphabet Soup for you?  It was fun seeing what letters were hidden in that bowl of soup and sometimes even trying to spell out a few words.  (Am I the only weird one or did you ever do that too?)

Now you can try FAFS next time you have that bowl of Alphabet Soup!