ACTIVECARE PHYSICAL THERAPY ®

Heal Yourself With the Best!

About ActiveCare Physical Therapy®

The Best Physical Therapists in NYC

  • Our therapists are licensed in New York State and active members in the American Physical Therapy Association. We have advanced training in joint mobilization and myofascial release techniques.
  • We are dedicated practitioners with a passion for the profession and a comprehensive, holistic approach to treatment and healing. We treat each patient as an individual and treat the whole person, with a plan of care designed to meet the patient’s set goals for health, functionality and a return to work, tasks and activities. We network with a team of physicians, chiropractors, acupuncturists and massage therapists in order to provide guidance to other modalities that may be effective in the patients’ care. We also offer superior Telehealth services for physical therapy.
  • Physical Therapist and owner Dr. Karena Wu PT, DPT, OCS is a graduate of the Program in Physical Therapy at Columbia University and is affiliated with several healthcare organizations in New York City. She is certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Kinesio Taping Practitioner and Pilates Instructor, and uses SpiderTech Taping. She is also a Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist, Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Graston Technique® Specialist and Pilates Instructor. She holds LSVT BIG, FMS and SFMA Level 1 certifications as well. Dr. Wu also specializes in vertigo and temporomandibular joint disorders.
  • ActiveCare is primarily an out-of-network facility. We accept all insurance with out-of-network benefits and file for most major insurance plans. We work with all prospective patients to create workable payment plans regardless of insurance coverage.
  • ActiveCare accepts Medicare, No-Fault and Workers’ Compensation patients depending on schedule availability.
  • ActiveCare’s administrators provide seamless and efficient concierge-style client service to all of our patients. And the whole ActiveCare team makes sure your time with us is a beneficial, productive and enjoyable experience.

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* We Accept Medicare | No Fault | Workers Comp *

Author Archives: Tim Bruderek

ActiveCare Physical Therapy Patient Testimonials

We are happy to see that our patient (and friend) Roz is doing great after two knee replacements. Roz had a lot of wonderful things to say on Facebook about the physical therapy she received from our Dr. Karena Wu. Check out her testimonial:

roz_Active_Care_PT_PatientThank you for the great P.T. that I received pre- and post-op for my total knee replacements on both knees! You contributed mightily to my successful rehab. It was quick and (almost) painless! I am back to 100% – walking an average of 5 miles and climbing 10-20 flights every day. I made a quality of life decision to have the surgeries – and my quality of life couldn’t be better! I’ve been to two other places for P.T. in the past; yours is by far the best and you are the best therapist ever! You are very smart, knowledgeable, dedicated and run a terrific practice. Your facility is open, sunny, clean and cheerful. I never minded coming for therapy. Your staff is well-trained and well-directed. – Roz P.

And as a follow-up, Roz also had this incredible news to share:

Normally I wouldn’t show (let alone share) a photo of me in a bathing suit with anybody; however, since I was able to get up and down BY MYSELF from this low-in-the-sand beach chair is on point. After two knee replacements and your P.T., I walk several miles a day on any surface and climb up and down stairs (8-20 flights/day) with no pain.

Click here to read more testimonials from real ActiveCare patients. And if you have received exceptional care from our physical therapists, then tell us your story!

Welcome New Physical Therapy Aide Kelly Picciuro!

Kelly-Picciuro-PT-ActiveCareKelly Picciurro was born in Marlboro, NJ and lived there until she entered college in the fall of 2009. She recently graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in psychology. She will enter a physical therapy program in the fall of 2014 in order to fulfill her wish to become a physical therapist. Kelly realized she wanted to go into the field of physical therapy after working in a PT clinic in Maryland and two hospitals, one in New York City and one in Washington, DC. Kelly also enjoys working out and staying fit, going to the beach, and traveling around the world with her family. She plans to open her own practice once she graduates from school. She is very excited to be part of the ActiveCare PT team and knows that she will gain great knowledge from this experience, preparing her for school and what will come after she graduates.

 

Kelly returns to the ActiveCare Physical Therapy staff working again as a PT aide. She has just finished her 2nd year at Rutgers School of Health Professions, Doctor of Physical Therapy program. She will spend her summer working alongside Dr. Wu to further add to her academic knowledge. At the end of the summer, Kelly returns to school to finish the program in clinic.

Please join us in welcoming Kelly to the team!

Welcome New Physical Therapist Kristen Rubio!

Kristen Rubio Physical TherapistDr. Kristen Rubio is a native of Orange County, California and received a Bachelor of Science in International Studies from the University of California in Irvine. She recently received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Long Island University in Brooklyn. Kristen is a certified Pilates Instructor through the Kane School of Core Integration in NYC, and used to get referrals from ActiveCare Physical Therapy prior to her completion of PT school. She brings this specialty background into her physical therapy practice.

 

Kristen advocates a holistic approach to patient care by addressing the body as a whole structure that is interconnected to the presenting dysfunctions or injuries. She believes posture, strength, flexibility, coordination and body awareness are all key points of focus in returning to full function.

 

She is dedicated to providing excellent care with focus on what is important to the patient. She believes the top priority is helping to achieve individualized patient goals.

 

Kristen is actively continuing her education in manual therapy through the Maitland Australian Approach and the Institute of Physical Arts.

 

In her free time, Kristen is a Teacher Trainer at the Kane School of Core Integration. She also enjoys traveling, aromatherapy, yoga, art and wine tasting.

 

Please join us in welcoming Kristen to the ActiveCare PT team!

People Love ActiveCare PT on Yelp!

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ActiveCare Physical Therapy is a proud recipient of the People Love Us on Yelp Award! See what some of our happy patients have said about the great care they have received:

“I’ve done PT before but I have to say the therapists and staff at ActiveCare are really best in class.”

 

“What a wonderful and effective experience. Rave reviews for the office team, my totally competent therapist and her assistant.”

 

“Karena is the best therapist I’ve ever worked with and she is an excellent coach and teacher. She surrounds herself with warm and fun staff and there is a great atmosphere in the office – this is key because you will want to show up and not blow off your come-back.”

Thank you to all of our patients for the positive reviews! If you would like to share your experience, leave us a review on Yelp!

The Walk to Cure Arthritis 2016

Team ActiveCare Physical Therapy raised almost $9,000 this year for the Walk to Cure Arthritis. We had 20 team members walk on Saturday, May 14th, 2016. ActiveCare hosted a booth and gave out information and samples for the participants. The NYC Walk to Cure Arthritis was the largest Arthritis Foundation walk in the nation.

You can continue to donate under our team name: www.walktocurearthritis.org/nyc/activecarephysicaltherapy. Please help us reach our $10,000 goal. We are only $1,000 shy! Thank you for everyone’s support and time.

ActiveCare Physical Therapy Patient Testimonials

At ActiveCare Physical Therapy we are proud of the excellent care that we provide to our patients – and it shows! Read below for another great review from an actual ActiveCare patient!

Maureen BermanIn early March 2016, I was diagnosed with BPPV – a debilitating type of vertigo that created dizziness, affected my balance, and made it impossible for me to function in daily life. I was lucky to be referred to Karena Wu, who has an expertise in treating BPPV. During our sessions, she displayed great knowledge of the symptoms and treatment of BPPV. Perhaps, even more significantly, she also demonstrated caring and concern for my physical and emotional well-being during a very difficult time in my life. After several hands-on sessions, coupled with recommendations for at-home exercises, I am now free of dizziness and vertigo and am able to carry on with my normal activities.

She is a dedicated practitioner who distinguishes herself by a unique combination of her patient-focused orientation, knowledge, and caring attitude. I would recommend her enthusiastically. – Maureen Berman, Business Owner

Click here to read more great testimonials from real ActiveCare patients. And if you have received exceptional care from our physical therapists, then tell us your story!

Tips to sprint your way back to exercising in spring

Spring is here, and it’s time to stop hibernating and start exercising more.

Karena Wu, Clinical Director of ActiveCare Physical Therapy and co-author of “Pop-Doc,” has tips to help you sprint your way back to working out and staying healthy. Watch Karena’s appearance on PIX11:

 

Join ActiveCare in the Walk to Cure Arthritis

walk_to_cure_arthritisWalk to Cure Arthritis is the Arthritis Foundation’s annual community fundraising 5K walk event.  The funds raised from the 5K support the nonprofit mission and research aimed at finding a cure for arthritis, America’s leading cause of disability. Whether you have a family member or loved one who suffers from arthritis, or are simply looking for a walking or running event for charity, the Walk to Cure Arthritis is a great way to get moving in support of a worthwhile cause!

ActiveCare Physical Therapy has formed a team for the Walk to Cure Arthritis to help the more than 50 million Americans and 300,000 children with arthritis live better today and to keep the Arthritis Foundation’s promise of finding a cure for tomorrow.

New York City

Saturday, May 14th, 2016

Foley Square Park

Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge

Walk Begins at 10:00am

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If you are interested in joining our team or in donating, please visit our team page.

 

What Workouts To Try When You Need A Break From Your Fitness Routine

As published in Elite Daily.

Ever heard a story about experienced runners having a hip dislocate on a long run? Beginner fitness goers pulling muscles for choosing a demanding workout? Weight lifting lovers getting hunchbacks from solely lifting weights at the gym?

While we all have our chosen workouts, it’s important to try a complimentary workout to give a healthy edge to your fitness routine. For example, if runners are having joint issues, at times they need to switch gears to workouts that are easy on the joints.

If beginning fitness goers are pulling muscles too soon, they need to veer to workouts that allow muscles to heal. If weight lifting lovers are getting hunchbacks, they need to try workouts that help posture.

With that said, we bring in the experts. Physical Therapist Karena Wu and Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. David Neuman, co-authors of the new health book and website “Pop-Doc,” are sharing their input on the popular fitness classes to try that’ll give a healthier edge to your workout routine. They even have some safety tips along the way:

Need something easy on your joints?

Do SoulCycle. Dr. Neuman says,

Cycling does not involve impact forces across the joints, and therefore there are less joint reactive forces across the joints. Less forces across the joints may prolong the life of joints.​

Do Pure Barre. Pure Barre is an effective workout that focuses on women’s problem areas: hips, thighs, glutes, abs and arms. Wu says,

Their technique avoids any bouncing or jumping, thereby protecting your joints as your strengthen around them. It’s effective because it strengthens and immediately stretches to create long, lean muscles and avoid the compression in the joint if you don’t stretch after.

If you’re looking for total body exercise that yield the dancer’s long lines, this is the workout for you.

Need something that allows muscles time to heal?

Do Barry’s Bootcamp. Dr. Neuman says,

This group workout offers a unique experience and attempts to change up the workouts daily, so the body can work different muscle groups on different days. This can allow for the other body areas to recover while other areas are getting a workout. Just remember to use proper technique and don’t overdo your workout.

Need something to keep your heart rate up?

Do Orangetheory Fitness. According to Wu,

Orangetheory’s method is that they give you a heart rate monitor to wear at their classes so that the entire class reviews their own performance on a few screens. You see everyone else’s status, which inspires you to keep up with and ‘win’ in the class with your best performance.

Do Zumba. Zumba is another group-oriented workout that focuses on bodily health and wellness, but in this class, you’re dancing your way to the goal line with Latin music. According to Wu,

It’s a cardiovascular workout with a serious element of fun because of the music and dance moves, which means your practice in the class translates to showing off on the dance floor.

So, if you’re looking get your heart pumping, strengthen your limbs and learn some fancy footwork, this is your class.

Need something to help with your posture?

Do hot yoga. Here, you’re surrounded by an intense heat environment that helps with cleansing your body and your internal fluid movement. According to Wu, this fitness class has a lot of static poses, so it requires a lot of stability and balance. Wu also recommends hot yoga over any of the other popular fitness classes because it is more centered on body awareness and posture.

Need something to strengthen your arms and legs?

Do Flywheel. Flywheel is an innovative take on indoor cycling and includes a component of upper body exercises. Dr. Neuman notes that Flywheel can help make your upper body more conditioned, toned and flexible if done in a controlled fashion with the right amount of weight.

With all of the above, Dr. Neuman notes that the danger with any exercise is when you exercise too often during the week, exercise with too much force or weight and exercise without proper technique.

Doing these three things can lead to joint irritation and inflammation, joint swelling, pain stiffness and daily pain. So, above everything else, both Dr. Neuman and Wu stress that you should really listen to your body and take a break when your body gives you the signal.

Click here to read the original article, or visit us online at activecarephysicaltherapy.com to book an appointment.

Karena Wu Appears at the APTA CSM

ActiveCare Physical Therapy Owner/Director Karena Wu recently appeared alongside SpiderTech at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)’s Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) in Anaheim, California. Karena along with Spidertech’s Kyle Bertrand demoed kinesiology taping methods on guests and patients. Check out our pictures below:

If you have any questions on how to use kinesiology tape in your own practice, give us a call at (212) 777-4374 or visit our website at bestptnyc.com.

What to Do When You Are Feeling Overwhelmed

By Karena Wu, as published in Total Food Service.

It is the middle of winter in NYC and it finally got brutally cold. The weather has been changing since the fall and the holidays have come and gone in a flash again. It is always a very busy time, between work in the restaurants, social life and family time. It is a serious juggle of time, energy and stress.

Sometimes the years and the repetitiveness of work can become overwhelming. We love what we do; we have a passion for it. But at times, the repetitive nature, life stresses, and any other situations can lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed and overworked. There is a lot to be done in the service industry: all of that prep time and then the service part which means a whole heck of a lot of work all the time. Time flies when you are having fun but it also flies year after year.

How can you tell if you are overworked or overwhelmed? Look for tell-tale signs of difficulties with simple tasks. Here is a small list:

  • Feeling fatigued or exhausted. Psychological stress is taxing. We can physically go through the motions but if you are not mentally there with it, everything feels difficult. Feeling tired or just ‘blah’ about things is a sign that you might be mentally stressed and might need a break to get yourself refreshed and recharged to go back into what you love to do.
  • Difficulty with sequencing or forgetfulness. We all have our routines in life. When we get up to start our day and get out of the house, we usually do things in a certain order and do a certain number of things. Forgetting one of those items or doing one out of sequence can be a sign that you are mentally taxed. These rote activities require very little thought but when you forget, it means that your mind is not working so well.
  • Feeling irritable. Being overwhelmed and overworked can lead to a very short fuse. Chronic stress and fatigue can lead to physiological changes of more cortisol and less dopamine to the brain, which means ill-temperament and irritability. You might lack patience in situations that you normally would be a little more relaxed about.
  • Weight gain. When your brain just can’t handle it anymore, it means letting go of the normal discipline one can have with their diet. This can lead to unhealthy choices. It might be overeating to gain comfort from foods that can offset the stress, but only temporarily. Other times, it can be forgetting to eat which taxes the body even further which means the body holds on to every morsel that is ingested because it thinks it is starving. Either way, cortisol a hormone released during stressful periods leads to an increase in weight gain especially in the abdominal area.
  • Lack of motivation. I find it difficult to wake up in the morning. Sometimes it is hard to get up and out of bed, especially in the winter months. Waking up to face the day’s tasks when you are not feeling mentally or physically up to it is difficult. Once you are up, you can tackle anything but when you are overwhelmed, the mere thought of leaving the safety of your bed is daunting and this can be a sign that you are overworked or overwhelmed.
  • Inability to focus. You might find yourself easily distracted or just forget where you are while you are doing something. You might miss a deadline or important facts. You have mentally checked out because the brain is waving the white flag of resignation from being overworked. Take a break and recharge so you don’t feel overwhelmed with your daily routine.

The service industry is physically and mentally taxing. It requires long hours on your feet, strength and endurance to prepare and process food items and then the mentally capacity to deal with the public with your most pleasant demeanor. It is important to take care of your health and wellness on a regular basis. Keep a balanced diet, exercise in moderation, and mentally challenge yourself with activities outside of the workplace. Take heed of the above list and listen to your body when it changes. It takes a strong mind to power the body and a balanced system in order to make it in this industry so keep up the good work and your customers will enjoy coming back to enjoy your delicious creations and excellent service.

Click here to read the original article, or visit us online at activecarephysicaltherapy.com to book an appointment.

Celebrating the Launch of Pop-Doc

Karena Wu and the ActiveCare Physical Therapy team joined co-author Dr. David Neuman to celebrate the launch of their new book and website Pop-Doc.com. Check out our pictures from the party:

To learn more about ActiveCare Physical Therapy, visit our website.

Orthopedic Surgeon and PT Karena Wu Launch Pop-Doc Book, Website

As published on ptproductsonline.com.

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Pop-Doc was written to help motivate post joint surgery patients and help them strengthen their recovery time during or after their physical therapy sessions.

Written by orthopedic surgeon David T. Neuman, MD, and physical therapist Karena Wu, PT, MS, CSCS and CPI, the book is described in a media release as an easy-to-follow, at-home recovery guide for postoperative patients. It features descriptions of exercises (demonstrated with photos) that patients can perform at home postsurgery.

“For years I have been asked by patients and other medical professionals if there was a comprehensive workbook of sorts that could really help guide patients through exercises that would help with recovery. It simply didn’t exist. I wrote this so patients don’t feel alone or confused about what to do after surgery,” Neuman explains in the release.

A soon-to-be-launched website will offer a social forum where patients can visit to talk about their joint pain or dysfunction, and their recovery. Book purchasers will also have access to the not-for-profit joint health initiative, Jeo-Joint Education Outreach, per the release.

Click here to read the original article, or visit us online at activecarephysicaltherapy.com to book an appointment.

ActiveCare Physical Therapy Holiday Party

The ActiveCare Physical Therapy staff had our annual Holiday Party this year at 5th & Mad in New York City. We wanted to share a few of our favorite pictures from the event. Please join us in celebrating another amazing year at ActiveCare!

Welcome New Physical Therapist Rebecca Young!

Rebecca_young_Physical_TherapistRebecca Young, born and raised in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in San Marcos, CA with a focus in manual therapy.

Rebecca’s treatment philosophy involves a holistic approach, incorporating core and postural stabilization into all exercise programs. It is always important to have a strong foundation to build from. She is dedicated to providing quality individualized care to all of her patients and is passionate about helping them get back to what they love to do.

Prior to joining the team at ActiveCare Physical Therapy, Rebecca worked for ATI Physical Therapy in Seattle, WA which specialized in work related injuries. Her treatment approach focused on manual therapy, careful selection of therapeutic exercises, and preparation for a safe return to work.

Currently, Rebecca is focusing on continuing education to sharpen her manual therapy techniques with the goal of becoming a Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist. She also is working towards becoming an Orthopedic Certified Specialist. Outside of the clinic Rebecca enjoys hiking, cooking, traveling, music, and exploring her new home of New York City.

Please join us in welcoming Rebecca to the team! And you can read more about the ActiveCare team on our website.