Counterstrain: “It really works for me!”
No one knows exactly how the rotator cuff was torn, but it was now, a big problem. After going to another physical therapist for her treatment, Evelyn Miller came to ARC in the hopes of getting the pain in her right arm taken care of. Her journey from when she first noticed the pain, to where she is now has had its ups and downs, but as she prepares to have surgery in a few months, she has had a lot of success with our team.
Evelyn, a software developer from Schaumburg, said, “It’s so frustrating to feel helplessness and disabled after an injury. Some doctors and therapists don’t seem to understand the ordeal. At ARC, I feel confident with the people that I’m working with. I can see outstanding results…It’s just a really good feeling.”
Her ailments started about a year ago with weakness in her arm and she wrote it off as carpal tunnel syndrome, since she’s on a computer all day. However, after weeks of discomfort, it wouldn’t go away and her doctor sent her to an orthopedic surgeon to have a procedure to repair her rotator cuff and then, she went to physical therapy at another clinic.
There, she said she heard a ‘zip’ sound while working with a therapist and her doctor determined that she’d torn her rotator cuff again. When she discussed her options with her surgeon, it was either get a shoulder replacement or do nothing. She continued to get physical therapy treatment at this other company and the discomfort and lack of normal mobility weren’t getting any better; the exercises they had her doing were painful.
Finally, her sister, who’s also a patient of ARC Physical Therapy, suggested that Evelyn try ARC instead. She spoke to her doctor and he also agreed that she would be an ideal candidate to send to ARC for Counterstrain treatment. Presently, she’s getting treatment to relieve the pain and to improve her shoulder mobility prior to her surgery using this method and so far, the results are better than expected!
“At this point, I’m really happy with my progress because I can do my arm exercises without any pain. And I could see that I can reach for the light switch or the water faucet without pain. I can do so much more pain-free. My range of motion is great! Counterstrain therapy is not the traditional physical therapy, but it really works for me,” Evelyn said.
She liked working with the owner, Kevin Cronin and said that he explained Counterstrain and how it worked in an easy-to-understand way so when they got started, she knew what was happening and what he was doing.
“Counterstrain technique amazes me. Kevin scans or feels my scalp for tender points. This directs him to the part of the body that has dysfunctions or is causing pain. He moves me in different positions and presses and holds points, and the pain disappears. I found it really impressive. It’s difficult to explain, you have to experience it,” Evelyn added. “I’ve seen a lot of people that have shoulder issues, some not considering surgery and just living with the pain. I highly recommend them to see Kevin and his team. Kevin knows what’s he’s doing and is excellent at it. His passion for pain-free therapy is the heart of his practice. People don’t need to suffer with pain.”
In addition to her satisfaction with her treatment, she also enjoys going to ARC Physical Therapy because, she said, it’s easy to get an appointment and they usually have dates that aren’t too far out. Also, even though it’s in busy downtown Elmhurst, they have plenty of parking and it’s easy to get to from all different directions.