Excel PT - 20/21 - Excel Physical Therapy

Advance for Physical Therapists and Physical Therapists Assistants – The Wave of the Future

How physical therapy has helped a violinist spread the joys of music, with the help of Excel Physical Therapist, Valerie Brill, PT, OSC, ART- featured in PT Magazine

Philadelphia Business Journal features Excel's Owner, Jeff Ostrowski in it's CEO Profile section.

Advance for Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants- Stepping up to the Plate: PT's are Making their Mark in Major League Baseball.

The new virtual fitness craze called Wii Fit took Europe by storm, and now it's energizing America. It's been on the market for almost two months now, but it's next to impossible to buy one in stores. Stephanie Abrams checks in with people who've had a chance to use the new exercise game, and let's us know if it delivers on its promise to help you lose weight and get fit!

Mickey DeLorenzo has been running, wiggling and sweating. A routine he created keeping him on his game … his Wii Fit game that is. The sensors in his Wii Board and Remote monitor his activity level, challenging him to get fit.

Weighing in on his Wii Board every day, Mickey tracks his progress.He told CBS 3's Stephanie Abrams that he lost 15 pounds in just 41 days.

Mickey boasts, “Just by doing this and nothing else. I eat the same things, I started at 191 pounds and I came down to 176.4 pounds.”

He posted the results on his Web site. Images of himself before he started the routine and after, and there's an obvious difference. He says, “Actually seeing the before and after shot was like, wow.” People from all over the world have commented on the change in his physical appearance on his blog on nintendowii.net.

How did Mickey do it? It took commitment. He even took his Wii Fit on the road so that he never skipped a 30 minute workout, and he admits he gave it his all. The Wii Fit is proving beneficial for more than just losing weight.

At Excel Physical Therapy in Glen Mills, they're using it to help people recover from injuries. Physical Therapist Cam McCormick is helping Tori McGrath recover from a soccer injury to her knee. He says the Wii's interactivity keeps her engaged.

“It's definitely the best part of my therapy,” said Tori. “The feedback is the most important part of it because I do see how I'm improving.”

Cam says it's more effective than the usual workout methods. Tori's balance improved in two weeks. He explains, “When you have visual input for learning, basically the body recovers faster.” The only problem is it's a wee bit hard to get a Wii Fit. They're sold out the minute they arrive in stores, and you'll have a hard time finding one online.

Those ahead of the game, like Mickey, say they enjoy stepping up to the challenge. “With the Wii balance board, it brings a whole new peripheral into gaming.” And we're learning it also brings a whole new peripheral to fitness. If you'd like to see Mickey's Wii Fit Experiment results, you can go to his Web site at wiinintendo.net.

Direct Access to Physical Therapy article written by Excel Physical Therapist, Valerie Brill, PT, OSC, ART, in Liberty Sports Magazine. Direct Access is a law the allows patients to see a physical therapist without a physician's prescription. Step out of the waiting line and into the clinic and get treatment when you need it.