ABOUT
Meet Dr. Rachel Patton
PT, DPT, SCS
My Story:
Often, if you ask a physical therapist why she chose this profession, she will give you an answer about some excellent experience she had with physical therapy. It was after I was already in Physical Therapy school that I had this defining moment.
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I played Division I college volleyball and tore my ACL and meniscus at the end of my senior season. I was devastated and had surgery. About 6 months into my physical therapy, when most people were running and jumping, I was still experiencing pain in my knee. If I were seeing an average physical therapist, I'm pretty certain that she would tell me "this is as good as it's going to get... Sorry! Good luck, keep working on strength, but you aren't showing enough improvement to justify continuing treatment..."
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However, my story did not end that way. My physical therapist said, "I am going to figure this out." The short version - she worked tirelessly, leaning on her mentors and trying out new techniques with me. And guess what? It worked. I fully recovered and had no knee pain.
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After seeing and experiencing her devotion to excellence, I knew I could never provide less than that. It changed my life. That's why I am here. I want you, too, to experience the life-changing effect of physical therapy. It can work for you, and I want to help.
My Philosophy
I am a movement
As a movement specialist, I focus on the whole-body system and not just the injured area. I not only want you to recover, but also help reduce your need for physical therapy in the future! I use a systematic approach to look at your movement and will help show you the changes in your movement as we work together.
Education / Background
I received my Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Evansville. Following graduation, I pursued a post-doctoral Sports Residency Program where I received additional training and education with a focus in sports. During this time, I worked with many different athletes across the spectrum in addition to patients experiencing other orthopedic injuries.
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After completion of the residency, I sat for a second board examination to become a Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist. Roughly 1% of all physical therapists have this specialty.
Who Do I Treat?
My training is in orthopedics and sports. A typical client might look like:
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A mom who has been busy with life, but is noticing some aches and pains in _(fill in the blank for yourself!)_ from holding small children. She wants to be active, but is unsure how to start when her body doesn't feel great.
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An athlete who has experienced an orthopedic injury or surgery (except of the hand). I have worked with countless high school and collegiate athletes who are recovering from injuries or surgeries.
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A person who has seen multiple providers, perhaps even a physical therapist, but feels stuck and isn't improving. Sometimes the most fun cases are the ones where you can bring a new perspective.
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An athlete, weekend warrior, or athletic individual who is wanting to either improve their performance or is noticing something doesn't feel "quite right" during their exercise.
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If you fall into one of the categories, described above, I'd love to help! If you have a question or are unsure if I can help, please feel free to schedule a free phone consultation here!
Specific Certifications
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Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
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Bachelors of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies - Sports psychology and Exercise Science
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Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS)
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Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
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Functional Movement Screen Levels 1&2 (FMS)
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Selective Functional Movement Assessment Levels 1&2 (SFMA)
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Y-Balance Test Certified
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Dry Needling (through Kineticore)
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Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE)
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Blood Flow Restriction (BFR)