About ActiveCare Physical Therapy®
The Best Physical Therapists in NYC
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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ActiveCare accepts Medicare, No-Fault and Workers’ Compensation patients depending on schedule availability.
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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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www.ActiveCarePhysicalTherapy.com
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Category Archives: Best PT NYC 2014
ActiveCare Physical Therapy Patient Testimonials
We at ActiveCare Physical Therapy 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!
Read below for a brand new testimonial from an actual ActiveCare patient:
Karena and the ActiveCare PT staff are really dedicated to providing the highest quality of service and individual attention that I’ve encountered in NYC. Not only that, they were willing to work with me to find a payment plan that fit my budget. It feels like a family there and they treat each patient with an overall holistic approach to solving whatever problem you may have. From ACL rehab to a minor shoulder injury, they have been an excellent PT center for me over the past few years.! – N. Mandel
Click here to read more great reviews from real ActiveCare patients on Google! And if you have received exceptional care from our physical therapists, then tell us your story!
ActiveCare Physical Therapy Patient Testimonials
Here at ActiveCare Physical Therapy, we believe that the excellence of our care not only speaks for itself…but through the great referrals we receive from our patients.
Read below for a brand new testimonial from an actual ActiveCare patient:
ActiveCare Physical Therapy is wonderful. After I injured my back, I went to a different physical therapy office and didn’t receive the one-on-one approach I needed. I wasn’t getting better and was often seen by 2 or 3 different aides. In my experience, continuity of care with one therapist is a major key to actually healing. Finally, after doing some research I found ActiveCare. Thank goodness because Monique is truly amazing! She’s kind, knowledgeable, and took the time to truly listen to what I needed and tailored my care accordingly. For the first time this entire year I am pain free. All the staff is awesome and I can’t recommend them enough. Don’t walk to ActiveCare, run (if you can)! – L. Raphael, Executive Assistant
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!
National Physical Therapy Month
Please join ActiveCare Physical Therapy in celebrating National Physical Therapy Month! National Physical Therapy Month is hosted by American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) each October to recognize how physical therapists and physical therapist assistants help transform society by restoring and improving motion in people’s lives.
We’d like to share a recent article as posted on the Move Forward PT blog: “7 Myths About Physical Therapy.”
7 Myths About Physical Therapy
People everywhere are experiencing the transformative effect physical therapy can have on their daily lives. In fact, as experts in the way the body moves, physical therapists help people of all ages and abilities reduce pain, improve or restore mobility, and stay active and fit throughout life. But there are some common misconceptions that often discourage people from visiting a physical therapist.
It’s time to debunk 7 common myths about physical therapy:
1. Myth: I need a referral to see a physical therapist.
Fact: A recent survey by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) revealed 70% of people think a referral or prescription is required for evaluation by a physical therapist. However, all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) allow patients to be evaluated by a physical therapist without a physician’s prior referral. In addition, 48 states and DC allow for some form of treatment or intervention without a physician referral or prescription (Oklahoma and Michigan being the exception). Beginning November 1, 2014, patients in Oklahoma will be able to seek treatment from a physical therapist without a physician referral. On January 1, 2015, patients in Michigan will be able to do so, as well. Some states have restrictions about the treatment a physical therapist can provide without a physician referral. Check out APTA’s direct access summary chart (.pdf) to see the restrictions in your state.
2. Myth: Physical therapy is painful.
Fact: Physical therapists seek to minimize your pain and discomfort—including chronic or long-term pain. They work within your pain threshold to help you heal, and restore movement and function. The survey found that although 71% of people who have never visited a physical therapist think physical therapy is painful, that number significantly decreases among patients who have seen a physical therapist in the past year.
3. Myth: Physical therapy is only for injuries and accidents.
Fact: Physical therapists do a lot more than just stretch or strengthen weak muscles after an injury or surgery. They are skilled at evaluating and diagnosing potential problems before they lead to more serious injuries or disabling conditions—from carpal tunnel syndrome and frozen shoulder, to chronic headaches and lower back pain, to name a few.
4. Myth: Any health care professional can perform physical therapy.
Fact: Although 42% of consumers know that physical therapy can only be performed by a licensed physical therapist, 37% still believe other health care professionals can also administer physical therapy. Many physical therapists also pursue board certification in specific areas such as neurology, orthopedics, sports, or women’s health, for example.
5. Myth: Physical therapy isn’t covered by insurance.
Fact: Most insurance policies cover some form of physical therapy. Beyond insurance coverage, physical therapy has proven to reduce costs by helping people avoid unnecessary imaging scans, surgery, or prescription drugs. Physical therapy can also lower costs by helping patients avoid falls or by addressing conditions before they become chronic.
6. Myth: Surgery is my only option.
Fact: In many cases, physical therapy has been shown to be as effective as surgery in treating a wide range of conditions—from rotator cuff tears and degenerative disk disease, to meniscal tears and some forms of knee osteoarthritis. Those who have recently seen a physical therapist know this to be true, with 79% believing physical therapy can provide an alternative to surgery.
7. Myth: I can do physical therapy myself.
Fact: Your participation is key to a successful treatment plan, but every patient still needs the expert care and guidance of a licensed physical therapist. Your therapist will leverage his or her specialized education, clinical expertise, and the latest available evidence to evaluate your needs and make a diagnosis before creating an individualized plan of care.
To learn more about National Physical Therapy Month or to book an appointment, give us a call today at 212-777-4374 or visit www.activecarephysicaltherapy.com.
Karena Wu & SpiderTech Appear at the NEXT Conference
Karena Wu at APTA
ActiveCare Physical Therapy‘s own Karena Wu appeared at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) NEXT Conference in Charlotte, NC this past weekend.
Karena, who serves as the Director of Education for SpiderTech Kinesiology Tape, helped demonstrate proper taping techniques at the booth (a special thanks to our lovely PT Assistant Suzie for taking part in the trial).
The conference was a lot of fun and the response from our fellow PTs was really positive! Check out the pictures below:
Karena Wu talks Arthritis Month on CBS’ “The Couch”
Karena Wu on CBS New York
May is Arthritis Month, and here at ActiveCare Physical Therapy, we are gearing up for the Walk to Cure Arthritis, coming up this Saturday, May 17th.
Owner and Physical Therapist Karena Wu stopped by “The Couch” on CBS New York to talk about the effects of arthritis pain and the importance of Saturday’s walk. Watch the clip below:
You can help more than 50 million Americans who suffer from Arthritis by supporting the cause. Our goal is to raise over $10,00 this year! To make your donation and to learn more, visit our team page.
We appreciate your support!
Karena Wu featured on “Mission Makeover 3”
The ladies of Lifetime’s “Mission Makeover” have gone through amazing transformations this season, pushing themselves to the limit. These inspirational women show just how successful you can be when you set your goals and work hard to reach them.
Karena Wu on Mission Makeover
But all of this exercise can bring with it a level of muscle pain. So I showed the ladies how they can feel a little better with the help of SpiderTech Kinesiology tape. As a certified Kinesiology taping professional, I know that there is both an art and a science to its use and application.
If you missed it, you can watch the video online here:
To learn more about the benefits of SpiderTech tape, contact ActiveCare Physical Therapy. Let’s get your own transformation started today!
Chef Seamus Participates in the NYC Arthritis Walk, Urges Local Chefs to Join!
Chef Seamus Mullen is a leader in raising awareness. With a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2007, the publication of his cookbook, Hero Food which focuses on the healing capabilities of different foods, and his acceptance of Celebrity Honoree in the 2014 NYC Walk to Cure Arthritis, Chef Mullen has brought this disease to light for many. Interview by Karena Wu
Chef Seamus in the NYC Arthritis Walk
I have been a Physical Therapist for 14 years. Seamus and I were introduced by Wylie Dufresne, who is known for being proactive about taking care of his health and who was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis himself. Seamus and I started working together in 2010 when he was trying to control the disease. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. It is a systemic arthritis where your immune system, which normally protects you against disease, mistakenly attacks your joints. RA affects 1.5 million people in the United States, if found in more women than men and commonly affects people between the ages of 30 and 60.
Chef Mullen has gone down a long and arduous path in resolving this. I am happy to share the fact that since he has altered his diet, resumed a regular workout schedule and has supplemented his health, his tests have been negative for the rheumatoid factor (RF). The RF factor is the autoantibody that is found in individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. The higher the level of RF factor found in your system, the increased chance of articular (or joint) destructive disease.
I sat down with Seamus at his delicious restaurant Tertulia to find out more about this special Chef and his work in raising awareness for a cause dear to his heart.
What made you decide to work with the AF and when?
I was diagnosed with RA in 2007 and I soon learned that Arthritis is something that affects people of all ages! I had been so naive when it came to understanding what it meant to live with arthritis that I was pretty sure others out there didn’t know either and I wanted to do whatever I could to raise awareness and hopefully be an inspiration to others living with the disease.
What other events have you done with the AF?
I’ve done the walk, I’ve spoken on behalf of the foundation and participated in the Faces of Arthritis campaign and lots of press over the years.
What made you accept the Celebrity Honoree position?
This is a terrific honor for me, I’ve been living with RA for several years and I have gotten to a place in my life where RA doesn’t hold me back or limit me and I hope that my experience can be an inspiration to others living with arthritis understand that just because they live with arthritis it doesn’t have to derail their dreams.
How do you think this changes the walk?
Being the celebrity honoree makes the walk all that much more important!!
What has changed with you since your original diagnosis?
I went through a period of real emotional and physical distress and for quite a while it felt all-encompassing, but I’ve managed to get to a place through diet, exercise and lifestyle where I feel GREAT. This is a serious change from when I was first diagnosed.
What do you hope to inform the public about your participation?
The importance of raising awareness about arthritis as a disease that affects people of all ages. And for those of us living with Arthritis, to recognize the importance of working together, supporting one and other and ultimately not to let the disease get the upper hand! If you’re living with arthritis, there is NO need to suffer.
What do you hope to gain?
It’s always great to meet other folks in the arthritis community and broaden the outreach.
How does working with the AF impact your daily routine?
It’s great to know that there is an organization out there advocating and fundraising for the disease. I try to be as open as I can about talking about the disease and always refer folks living with arthritis to take advantage of the resources available to them through the AF.
How does it impact your work routine? Generating a team, fundraising, etc?
My team is incredibly supportive, I think last year we had one of the largest teams at the walk!!
What do you thing other chefs think about your work with the AF?
I think most chefs feel a real responsibility to their individual communities…we all like to think of our restaurants as a part of our community and working directly with charitable organizations is a big part of our roles as members of our community.
How can you recruit other chefs to participate?
Arthritis is something that effects nearly all of us…even if you may not personally live with arthritis, chances are you have a friend or family member who does and working with the AF is a great way to help those loved ones.
How can you tell chefs to do other things for social responsibility?
I think it’s pretty ingrained in the fabric of what we do. Most chefs I know are very concerned with social responsibility and contributing to their community.
What is the take home message for you and from this event?
Arthritis affects everyone!
Chef Seamus encourages his fellow chefs and industry colleagues to participate in the Walk to Cure Arthritis. The 2014 NYC walk starts in Foley Square Park and is a 3 mile (1 mile optional) walk across and back on the Brooklyn Bridge. It will be held on Saturday, May 17th. Registration starts at 8:30am and the walk begins at 10:00am. Fellow chefs and restauranteurs can form their own team to walk for a cure, or help generation donations to fund research and a cure for arthritis. Just visit www.walktocurearthritis.nyc.kintera.org.
Arthritis, In the Kitchen?
The restaurant industry is a tough business. You see the desire to get into high end restaurants, the contacts you need to get a reservation, that dreamy look when a customer has tasted something amazing and then the praise and acclaim the chef gets. ‘That was amazing! How did you do that? The flavors were incredible!’ Maybe the chef has been on TV or has a book deal in the works. You want to be that chef, don’t you? by Karena Wu
Well, those little ‘tastes’ of working in a fantastic restaurant and the celebrity status chefs get is definitely enticing. But it comes as a cost. And that cost is the long hours standing, bending forward, the intense heat and the criticism when you mess up at your station. Once you’ve gone through the school and become a chef, this is the life. You do it every day. It is normal for you and it is part of the job. You do it with a normal working body. Imagine how this might feel with a disease called Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Chef Seamus Mullen of NYC’s Tertulia and El Colmado is known as the chef with RA. Seamus became a patient of mine a few years ago. His course started in his left hip with excruciating pain and a visit to the emergency room. Multiple tests and doctor visits later, it was confirmed that he had RA. Our visits together focused on reducing his inflammation, restoring his joint immobility, reducing soft tissue restrictions while trying to maintain strength and flexibility without further irritating his already irritated joints. His biggest contributing factor: working in a hot kitchen, under stressful conditions that added more joint compression, load and irritation. Not the ideal working condition for someone with RA.
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include joint stiffness, swelling and pain. The joints become inflamed during periods of exacerbation. The area gets ‘hot’, with increased skin temperature, significant swelling, and redness. The joint is ‘angry’. Typically, symmetrical distribution of joint irritation is present, meaning the same joint on both sides of the body. Also, hands are very commonly affected which means stirring, chopping, plating, all the work needed to create those magical dishes become difficult.
Other symptoms involve feelings similar to the flu: malaise, fatigue, and muscle aches. For moderate to severe RA, nodules can appear under the skin as well as the involvement of major organs like the lungs, heart and eyes.
Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis focuses on reducing inflammation and slowing or stopping the progression of the disease. Treatment includes medications, occupational or physical therapy, and regular exercise. Medications help reduce inflammation and typically work best in combination. They can include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, steroids, biologic agents and pain killers. Physical and occupational therapy utilize manual therapies, exercises and modalities that reduce pain and inflammation and restore function. Other exercises focus on isolated joint strengthening, endurance and stability training as well as balance and proprioceptive activities. Exercises that increase flexibility and maintain strength around a joint reduce joint irritation by increasing space in the joint, reducing compression and allowing for tissue healing.
As Seamus has shown us, there are many food products that reduce inflammation. His journey in life after being diagnosed with RA lead to the creation of his book, Hero Food, which focuses on the healing power of foods. These are easily included in your diet and can make for very tasty dishes that also serve to help heal the body.
Arthritis affects the young and the old and there are many different types. This is only one type that we are discussing here. This disease did not hold Chef Seamus back. He turned his journey into a positive experience that helped him personally as well as professionally. In fact, Chef Seamus is our Celebrity Honoree at the 2014 NYC Arthritis Walk. Even with the work requirements in the kitchen, he is still able to spend time helping others with this condition. Participating in group events with a mutual cause is a wonderful way to celebrate people who have been diagnosed with a condition, but continue to live life to its fullest and keep themselves healthy and happy.
2014 5K NYC Walk to Cure Arthritis
Foley Square Park, walking across and back over the Brooklyn Bridge
5K and 3K (3 mile and 1 mile option available)
Saturday, May 17th, 2014.
Registration starts at 8:30am, walk starts at 10:00am
ActiveCare PT, NYC’s best Physical Therapists Welcomes our newest PT: Ruchi Thakkar
Ruchi Thakkar earned her Bachelor of Physical Therapy from Mumbai, India. She is currently pursuing her Transitional Doctorate of Physical Therapy from University of the Incarnate Word,Texas.
Ruchi is committed to providing quality care that is customized for each patient, with an emphasis on manual therapy. Ruchi has taken advanced manual therapy courses in Maitland joint mobilizations from Maitland-Australian Physiotherapy Seminars, which emphasize evidence-based techniques for the assessment and treatment of spinal and peripheral conditions.
Ruchi has treated patients with musculoskeletal and sports injuries, and practices Selective Functional Movement assessment for patients with motor control deficits. She uses Functional Movement screening to determine whether patients are ready to return to their particular sports.
Ruchi is licensed with New York State and is an American Physical Therapy Association member. She has taken workshops in sports taping, Theraband exercise and Pilates.
Ruchi is fluent in English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati, and enjoys traditional Indian dance forms. She has trained for nine years and is certified in Bharatnatyam, a classical dance style that emphasizes hand gestures (mudras) to portray traditional stories and myths.
Mission Makeover Season 3, Episode 9
Karena Wu, Celebrity Physiotherapist uses SpiderTech Kinesiology Tape to help the 4 remaining girls on Mission Makeover as they continue to lose weight, eat healthy, feel better and run their first 5K race! Olympic Silver medalist Dotsie Bausch joins the group to give the girls inspiration in achieving their goals.
SpiderTech tape is the original and number one Precut Therapeutic Tape in the world. The girls are using the precut X, Knee and Low Back spiders for their aches and pains during their hard training sessions. They felt the difference immediately and are excited to run the 5K for the very first time!
Catch the show on Lifetime. Airdate April 21, 2014, Monday 7:30am EST, 6:30 CST.
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ActiveCare Physical Therapy, PC
29 West 38th Street
Suite 601
New York, NY 10018
