Patient Testimonials

 Dr. Christine Stathes  is going to be the best physical therapist you will ever work with. That's the bottom line.  Before I can explain why, I need to provide a brief background of my medical history.

I have a neurological condition called neurofibromatosis type I.  Simply put during my gestation period, chromosome 17 malfunctioned.  That malfunction causes tumors to grow on my nerves.  In 2013 I was found to have tumors growing in my cervical spine and beginning to press on my brainstem. They had to be removed to save my life. Unfortunately the procedure left me unable to walk independently, drive, dress myself (unless it's just sweatpants and a pull over, sleeveless shirt), shower and attend to most of the activities of daily living. I also lost most of the functioning in my right arm and hand and 40% in my left arm and hand.

I have been receiving physical therapy twice a week for seven years.  In that time I have worked with 12 physical therapists. Dr. Stathes  stands head and shoulders above every physical therapist  I have worked with.   First of all, she is fiercely protective of her clients.  She's like a grizzly bear when it comes to fighting for the people under her care. Her patients always come first, and she will advocate for everything they are entitled to even if it means bumping heads with administrative staff.  But she goes a step beyond that as well.

Most physical therapists will develop a plan and rigidly stick to it throughout the course of  treatment.  Not Dr. Stathes.  She is constantly and intensely observing her patients and will revise therapies accordingly. Additionally, she "changes things up."  Sometimes it becomes quite boring doing the same exercises over and over and over.  Dr. Stathes  recognizes this and develops different methodology to address the same medical issue.  This keeps her patients engaged and motivated.  She is also the most "hands on" therapist I have ever worked with.  

 Now it is true that my wife and I affectionately nicknamed  Dr. Stathes  "the PT de Sade.''   But that is because  the old adage is true, "no pain, no gain." I made more progress with her than I made with every other therapist I worked with over the past 7+ years.   In all seriousness, the pain levels from treatment are really  not bad at all. In fact, she is the only physical therapist I've worked with in which my overall pain levels DROPPED the day after she worked with me.   Additionally, she begins every  session asking her patients what they're pain level is at the moment and then revises her treatment plan to work around that  pain level. I  could not more strongly  recommend to anyone reading this review to pick up the phone and contact her NOW. Whether it's short-term post operative care or treatment for  a sports injury or long-term care, Dr. Stathes  is the physical therapist for you.

Finally, I am a musician. Although I can play seven instruments, drums were always my primary instrument.  Dr. Stathes  understood that it was emotionally devastating for me when my neurological condition and the surgeries ended up taking away my ability to play every one of my instruments.  She  wanted to see what my playing ability was like now.  So, as you can see in the photo, she set up a couple of exercise balls,  and  tracked down drumsticks.  She told me to play a drum pattern on the balls. Just look at how intensely she's watching me.  When she saw that I had difficulty maintaining a drum pattern because of my right arm and hand not been able to execute the pattern, she suggested reversing hands  (left-hand playing the right-hand part).  Although I play a right-handed drum kit, I am left-hand dominant and Dr. Stathes  recognized even before I did  that it might be easy transition to begin to play a left-handed drum kit. And that's just what I have begun to do.  I cannot do drum rolls like I used to because of the limitations of my right arm, BUT I AM PLAYING AGAIN!