Prime Ortho Rehab is an outpatient physical and occupational therapy clinic specializing in orthopedic and neurological diagnoses from adolescence through adulthood. Patients of all ages are treated at Prime Ortho for orthopedic diagnoses including neck and back pain, spinal stenosis, disc herniation, athletic injuries, rotator cuff injuries, balance dysfunctions and walking difficulty. The practice also treats neurological diagnoses such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetic neuropathy and multiple sclerosis, with a focus on maximizing independent function, mobility, fall prevention and safety. Therapy also includes pre- and post-surgical care for orthopedic surgery, including joint replacement, spinal fusion, discectomy, rotator cuff and meniscus repair, and ankle and foot surgeries. “No matter what the diagnosis, we’ve got you covered,” said co-owner and physical therapist Micky Porath.
At Prime Ortho, priority one is comprehensive patient care, from the moment patients walk through the door. “We don’t allow insurance or diagnosis to dictate how many minutes the patient is seen,” Porath stressed. “Every evaluation is scheduled for a full hour, allowing the therapists to truly identify the root of a patient’s problem and create a highly specialized program for the individual, not the diagnosis.”
The professional staff members hold multiple and varied advanced certifications including the Mulligan approach, Maitland approach, pelvic floor dysfunction, sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction, and some are certified strength and conditioning specialists (CSCS). Prime also offers dry needling, myofascial release and trigger point therapy. Since the landscape of healthcare is constantly changing, continuing education is paramount to advancing understanding of the human body. “Our goal of patient care not only encompasses everything from the skilled therapist and more one on one time, but also to patient advocacy, including compassion and care from the moment you walk in,” said Porath.
“Our office staff and manager, Karen Barreto, practice the utmost professionalism and compassion for our patients, taking special care to assure that every patient feels that their needs are being met.” At Prime Ortho Rehab treatment is carefully coordinated with physicians, with therapists advocating for their patients when necessary.
For those who have difficulty leaving home, Prime Ortho offers all of its extensive care at the patient’s home. In-home services are provided by highly skilled outpatient orthopedic PTs and occupational therapists, who specialize in assessing and addressing patients’ needs in the comfort and convenience of their home. All in-home visits are one hour.
Prime Ortho Rehab’s Google reviews attest to their quality of care and patient success.
Co-owners Jessica Lowy, PT, DPT, CMTPT and Porath, PT, MPT are inspired both by their patients and by the challenge of figuring out a patient’s root problem and guiding them through a successful rehabilitation process. “We think of ourselves as investigators, putting together the clues of the body and figuring out the puzzle that creates pain and movement dysfunction,” said Porath.
Growing up, Porath was on a New York State swim team and various sports teams throughout school. During college she completed national board certification in athletic training as well as aerobics, setting her on the path for physical therapy school at Columbia University. “Understanding the way the body moves, and how pain or injury can change that movement, really is my passion.”
Porath considers it vital to keep current on the latest research, and takes continuing education courses, including the McKenzie techniques, Feldenkrais, Schroth Method for scoliosis, SI dysfunction, as well as cutting-edge courses such as blood flow restriction, to continually improve her understanding of how to help patients achieve their goals.
Lowy’s initial exposure to physical therapy occurred after fracturing her foot in high school. She credits her recovery and return to the school’s volleyball team to the physical therapy she received, and continued her athletic career in college on the tennis team. Lowy earned her physical therapy degree in 1996 from Hunter College, completing the doctorate in physical therapy at Touro in 2010. In addition she is certified in functional dry needling, and completed training in the McKenzie technique for neck, back and extremities; cranial-sacral therapy, pelvic dysfunction, manual therapy, orthopedics, the Schroth Method certification for scoliosis and Pilates.
“I enjoy putting all these techniques together to figure out the orthopedic issues,” said Lowy, “because someone’s pain location may not be the source of the dysfunction, so solving the puzzle and reeducating the body for optimal dynamic movement patterns,” has been her focus for 26 years as a physical therapist. “My passion is to return patients to their previous level of function.”
Porath emphasized: “It is important to understand that not all therapy places/therapists are comparable. Patients should be aware of the quality of therapy they are receiving. Important questions for patients include: How much time is spent one on one with a therapist? Is someone watching you do your exercises to correct your form? How qualified and educated is the therapist? How many patients does the facility schedule an hour per therapist?
“At Prime Orthopedic Rehabilitation, every patient has individualized time with the therapist. Evaluation and treatment are one-on-one with the therapist. We do not just put the patient on an exercise machine and call it therapy. Our skilled manual therapists perform hands-on treatment for muscle, soft tissue and joint restrictions, and every therapy program is individually and specifically tailored for each patient’s needs.”
The clinic has a warm, welcoming environment and engenders confidence that the team is there to help. Their highly educated and knowledgeable therapists inspire trust that Prime will meet patients’ needs and help them achieve their goals. From a patient’s point of view, “there’s no better feeling of relief than when someone understands what is happening to you, and can help!” said Porath. “That is Prime’s greatest gift.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Prime Ortho Rehab at 201-503-7173 or contact them online at https://prime-rehab.com
By Ellie Wolf
