Initially, Brooke came to Rausch PT in January of 2021 with left hamstring pain.

Brooke plays basketball on her High School Varsity team as well as on a club team. Up until she began her rehab at Rausch PT with Dr. Renee, Brooke was playing through this hamstring pain until it got to the point where playing basketball was unbearable. Brooke initially started her treatment for this hamstring strain but as the pain didn’t subside, it was recommended to see a doctor and he highly suggested an MRI. The results came back showing that she had a herniated disc in her back (L5S1) that was pressing down on the nerve running down her left leg, which was causing the hamstring pain. When she returned to physical therapy with Dr. Renee, they started with a new set of exercises to try to push the disc back in place and alleviate her nerve pain. Even with extensive physical therapy and a steroid shot as well, Brooke still continued to have pain in her leg. After talking with Dr. Renee and her parents, it was decided that surgery was the best option at that point.

At the end of April 2021, Brooke got a microdiscectomy, and the doctors were able to successfully remove part of the disc that was pressing on her nerve.  She returned back to Rausch PT after the surgery and continued to work with Dr. Renee throughout her recovery and she remains pain-free to this day. With a combination of her surgery and dedication to her PT, Brooke was able to fully recover and get back to the same level of basketball that she was at pre-surgery and is now happily back to playing basketball with her teams!

Brooke’s life has improved tremendously as a whole through physical therapy. Throughout her pre and post-surgery physical therapy treatments, she was able to learn more about her body and how she could manage injuries in the future. Brooke now has a better understanding of what she can do and when she needs to stop pushing herself as an athlete. She contributes a lot of the mobility exercises that helped her move better and ultimately lead to her successful recovery. It was important for her to address the tightness in her hips, so Dr. Renee had her work through different exercises to open them up. Along with some exercises such as “open books” and nerve glides, she also contributes the additional deep tissue massage and cupping at Rx Massage that she added to her rehab in order to reach her ultimate successful recovery.

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Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary consultation. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us to! (949) 276-5401
    

Disclaimer — All the information that you find on our blogs and social media pages is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as your personal professional diagnosis, or treatment. Come and see us for your excellent, personalized care! https://staging.rauschpt.net/

On July 7th, 2019 Louis Portillo suddenly could not move his left arm. Being a violinist and having just had a rehearsal the day before this was very frustrating for him. Louis was taken to the ER thinking it might be a stroke — which was ruled out. He then went to an orthopedic surgeon. Real severe pain had set in and he thought it might be a torn rotator cuff, but the MRI showed no damage. Then a nerve conduction test was done. Finally, after three weeks, the doctor came up with the diagnosis: Parsonage-Turner, a rare syndrome that eventually goes away maybe in 3 years. In order to prevent atrophy of the affected areas, physical therapy was recommended to Louis by his doctor.

Louis began his physical therapy at Rausch Physical Therapy in Laguna Niguel. At first, he could barely move his left arm at all and the pain continued, but his physical therapists at Rausch, initially Sean, and now Max (and their wonderful aides) had him do various stretching movements. As time went on, strengthening movements were used also. Some physical manipulation of the affected areas was also done in each session. In addition, Louis added therapeutic massages to his recovery plan, which were done at Rx Massage with Melissa. This coordinated progressive team effort that included our PT’s at Rausch Physical Therapy and Massage Therapists at Rx Massage helped Louis get to where he needed to be.

On October 30th, 2019 Louis started making attempts to play the violin again. He viewed it as a form of physical therapy. He would lay inclined in a chair with his left arm barely able to move. Although minimal, the movement still did occur, and since the fingers on his left hand were not affected this gave him some basis for hope.

The physical therapy at Rausch PT and the encouragement that he receives here have given Louis a rallying point of well-founded hope since after one year he has improved greatly. On July 15th, 2020, almost a year to date from when Louis first could not move his left arm, he had his first violin rehearsal.  This meant a lot to Louis, and he can’t say enough about how big of a role Rausch has played in it.

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Let’s talk! We are here to help. Give us a call for a complimentary consultation. We would love to meet you.

Did you know there’s no prescription needed from a doctor to see us – but we will communicate your progress and treatment to your doctor if you’d like us too!
(949) 276-5401

Disclaimer — All the information that you find on our blogs and social media pages is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as your personal professional diagnosis, or treatment. Come and see us for your excellent, personalized care! https://staging.rauschpt.net/

Arland Van Horn is a real-life Superwoman. When she’s not at her day job at Disney, or at her after-hours job as co-founder of STRIVE Omni Sport, Arland is busy training for her next race. She did triathlon back in college, took a break, but started racing again in her 40’s. Most recently, Arland completed a full IRONMAN in Canada back in July, but a back injury almost derailed her journey to completing her second IRONMAN before it could even start.

“I was having a lot of lower back pain on the bike,” Arland said. “I was already committed to IM Canada and I was worried I wouldn’t finish the bike if I didn’t address whatever was causing the back pain. 112 miles of really hilly biking was looking almost impossible.”

Yep, even superhero bodies break down sometimes. Arland has been a patient at Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance for many years now for a myriad of injuries. As a passionate believer in STRIVE’s mission to “to reach limits we thought unachievable” and “STRIVE to be the best that we can be,” Arland says she appreciates Rausch PT’s focus on goals, not just fixing an injury.

“I hate being injured, but I actually really enjoy going to the clinic, even though that’s weird,” she said. “It’s a fun, supportive, goal-oriented environment. No one tells me “no” or “you can’t” (at least that I’ve listened to.) The focus is always on understanding my goals and helping me overcome whatever physical obstacle may be in my way.”

Arland says her PT Ashley not only helped her make it to the start line in Whistler, but her advice also really helped her push through to finish the bike.

“I finished!” Arland said. “That’s always the main goal in an IRONMAN. I had a PR swim, a rough bike and a decent run. I still had back pain (I probably started working on it a little too late to completely correct the issue,) but I was able to get through it through a lot of strategies Ashley helped me create. Did you know you can do “Cat/Cows” on the bike? It helps!”

Arland’s next triathlon is Oceanside 70.3 in April, and her goal is to be healthy and have a pain free race with the help of PT.

“I think triathletes in particular need to remember to take time to rehab and recover more. We are collectively terrible at it, especially me. I’m grateful to all the folks at Rausch for always being there for me when I need help.”

 

At just 12 years old, Samantha Gugliuzza is our youngest Client Spotlight to date. Sam is a serious soccer player with some big dreams, and Rausch PT will help get her there.

At Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance, our goal is to not only help our patients get back to doing what they love, but to also help educate them on how to avoid future injuries so they can continue to do what they love for many years to come. Samantha Gugliuzza is the perfect example of this. Sam has been playing soccer since she was three, and she is currently in her seventh season playing with the acclaimed So Cal Blues Soccer Club. However, after developing Osgood-Schlatter disease, a childhood overuse injury that causes a painful lump below the kneecap, 12-year-old Sam was in dire need of physical therapy in order to continue playing the sport she loves.

Sam has been a patient at Rausch PT for more than a year now, and she says PT has not only helped her control the pain, but it has also taught her how to avoid future potentially-sidelining injuries.

“I believe that more young soccer players should come to physical therapy,” Sam said. “The physical therapists at Rausch PT can help you with any pain you may be having, but more importantly they help you to prevent future injuries by learning the proper way to warm up, cool down, stretch and work on your form to help you train and play smarter.”

Sam was paired up with DPT Lyndsay DeFilippo, “the Soccer PT” and a former soccer player herself. Together, Sam and Lyndsay have been working to gain strength and stability so Sam can continue to work toward her athletic goals while dealing with Osgood-Schlatter’s.

“As Lyndsay is a former soccer player, she understands the challenges and physical demands of the sport,” Sam said. “She has helped me physically and mentally by structuring a program to build strength in the areas of my body where I need it the most. My strength and stability have definitely increased (for example arch strength, hip strength.) Lyndsay’s words are always in my head reminding me to do a proper warm-up, to have proper form when striking a ball, and most importantly stretching after practice and games.”

It was actually Sam’s mom, Alex, who first discovered Rausch PT. Upon a friend’s recommendation, Alex came to PT while training for her first marathon. Alex says she went from not being able to run four miles without knee pain to running 26.2 pain-free.

“With the help of everyone at Rausch PT I was able to accomplish a goal I did not think was possible (running my first marathon in under four hours,) Alex said. “So I love that I can drop Sam off for physical therapy knowing she is in very capable hands. Over the years I have come to know almost all of the physical therapists and aides there, and it is such an energetic and inviting place to come. I trust them with not only myself, but my daughter as well.”

With the continued support of her family (and Rausch PT-family,) we know anything is possible for this soon-to-be teenage soccer star! Now that Sam is managing her knee pain and has incorporated a recovery program into her training, she is set up for soccer success in the future.

“My goal for soccer is to continue to play at a very high-level and intensity. My team will be playing in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) this year, which we are excited about. I also hope to play in high school (while achieving a high level of academics at the same time,) and I hope to eventually play at the college level.”

Good luck to Sam, and remember Rausch PT will always be here to help Get You There!

 

At 72 years old with progressive heart and lung conditions, John Elliott may not be able to speak loudly or for a long time, but he has a lot to say. As one of our long-time patients, John is a staple around the clinic, and his determination and attitude continues to inspire our staff to get involved and never give up.

John Elliott first came to Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance nearly six years ago, when a car barreling down the wrong side of the road hit him head-on as he was waiting at a stop sign on his bicycle. John suffered shoulder, leg, ankle, and neck injuries, which meant a good deal of intensive physical therapy. According to John, he’d been to physical therapy at a number of facilities over 30 years, but the approach and atmosphere at Rausch PT took him by surprise, especially its focus on sports recovery and performance.

“Since being treated [at Rausch PT], I can’t imagine ever again being treated by a PT who has not participated in sports and experienced the strains and issues that attend just about every sport. Sports injuries are not ‘if,’ they are ‘when,’ and I feel that a PT who has experienced these issues has a better understanding than someone who just got it from a book or as feedback from their patients.”

Ride On, John

John has been a cyclist his entire life, a fact that his cardiologist now says is the major reason why he’s survived his heart problems. Ironically, 25 years ago his heart and lung issues nearly forced him off the bike for good. John is a retired Nuclear Health Physicist, and when an industrial accident in an adjacent laboratory facility impacted his health enough to force me into a disability retirement, it also drastically impacted his life-long road bike activities when balance became a major issue.

Apparently 50 years of riding 2,000 to 4,000 miles a year was too hard to abandon, so John researched his alternatives and eventually purchased a recumbent racing trike. It was during his daily trike rides when John met two Challenged Athletes, also riding adaptive cycles, who encouraged John to re-enter competitive events through Challenged Athletes Foundation as a relay triathlete.

So, at 65 years old, John entered his first event, and since then (between yearly hospitalizations) John has been able to complete several races each year, from sprint tri events to an Ironman 70.3 event. However, his most treasured event is the San Diego Triathlon Challenge benefiting CAF.

Challenge Accepted

“CAF and the mentoring program are major inspirational forces in my life, and have become an inseparable part of cycling for me,” John said. “Working with athletes facing many different physical challenges always reaffirms my belief that the easy roads only lead downhill; you owe yourself the climb!”

It was John who introduced Rausch PT to the Challenged Athletes Foundation in 2013. The residual pain from his car accident injuries prevent John from running or swimming, and so he always enter triathlons as a relay team member. In 2013, John wanted to have his support team behind him, so he approached a few Rausch PT staff/athletes to join his relay team, and ever since then John has been a driving force behind our clinic’s involvement in CAF and SDTC. This year alone, Team Rausch PT raised more than $10,000 for CAF… thanks to John’s encouragement to never give up.

John nearly didn’t get to race this year after undergoing bypass surgery in June. With only four months until his 44 mile bike race at SDTC, John’s surgeon said it wasn’t going to happen, that it would at least a year to recover from the surgery. In fact, John wasn’t even allowed to walk outside until mid-July, or get on a bike until August for his first 2-mile “baby steps” ride. Nevertheless, John says that his years of physical therapy at Rausch PT, learning how to re-train his body after his 40 heart hospitalizations to-date, really paid off. His physical therapist, Dustin Hancock, coordinated with John’s cardiac rehab team to modify John’s PT treatment to the realities of “being held together with wire and glue,” as John puts it. Dustin also helped coach John on how to work in 1,200+ miles of progressively increasing distance and speed cycling in just two shorts months before SDTC.

“The best part for me is always the actual event–the fun, companionship, and inspiration of all my teammates and all the Challenged Athletes. That, and the satisfaction of having made it back to the starting line one more time!”

Never Give Up

John says the hardest part of his recovery journey is the progressive nature of his heart and lung issues, along with aging. Each trip to the hospital means weeks of conditioning before he’s cleared for cycling again, which means keeping a training schedule can be difficult. Still, John says he’s confident that with the clinic atmosphere, the skill of the PTs and helpfulness of the PT aides, and the fact that the staff at Rausch PT listen to what you are saying about your injury and progress will keep him in the saddle for as long as possible.

“I don’t plan on stopping my riding, so I probably won’t ever stop needing PT at Rausch.”

 

On your first visit to Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance, your PT will ask you what your goals are so s/he can develop a plan to help get you there. For Julie Grables, “there” was Athens, Greece.

Julie Grable is no stranger to accomplishing spectacular goals in style. Last year she completed her 50th half marathon on her 50th birthday, so this year Julie knew she wanted to do something special to celebrate her 10th full marathon. With the New York, Chicago, Washington D.C. Marine Corps., and (3x) Los Angeles Marathons already under her bib, Julie’s husband suggested they go somewhere “exotic” for her 10th full marathon.

An Ancient Tale

The Athens Classic Marathon follows the route of the very first “marathon,” ran in 490 B.C. by Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. He ran from the battlefield in Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. After running the distance and announcing victory to the government, legend has it he collapsed and died.

“A story that the Greek like to share with you—especially the collapsing and dying part—whenever you mention you’re in town for the Marathon!” Julie said.

Since she’d never ran an international race before, Julie quickly booked her spot for the ancient race in November and began training.

Tear-ible News

However, after several months of painful running, Julie knew she had a problem. With four months left before the big day, she came into Rausch PT hoping to get back on track. Physical therapist Ashley Heller suggested Julie had a high hamstring strain. Two months after that, Julie went to get a MRI and was diagnosed with a high-grade tear.

“I had one other running-related injury years ago, and the suggestion from the physical therapist I saw then was, ‘Don’t run.’   Not an option!” she said.  “I love that Rausch [physical therapists] understand their clients’ goals and support them.”

Initially, Julie’s hope was to be back to pain-free running for the Athens Marathon; it quickly became clear that her sole goal was to manage the injury and get through training without making it worse.

“Without PT, the AlterG (Can you say love/hate relationship?) and the Rausch Team, I don’t think I would have even made it to the starting line,” she said. “In addition to the PT, Ashley helped me work on my running form and gave me lots of good tips to help with training and the race itself.”

Bravo, Jules

During her final appointment before the big race, Ashley taped up Julie’s hamstring for the 15-hour flight to Greece and sent her on her way. Since she had to significantly alter her training program to ensure she wouldn’t aggravate the injury, Julie says she felt very unprepared and undertrained on race day.

“I was even more nervous for this marathon than I was for my first one, probably because I know how far 26 miles is to run!”

Here’s what Julie had to say about race day:

I was SO nervous, but once I got to the starting line and saw all the festivities and started talking to other runners, my nerves calmed a bit. I knew I had eight hours to finish and my plan was, worse case, to walk the race.

When the race started, I immediately knew it was not going to be as bad as I thought. I listened carefully to Ashley’s voice  in my head telling me, “Slow down, take small prancing strides, walk when needed and you can do it.” I was shocked that I did not feel my hamstring until 11.73 miles (Yes, I know exactly when I felt the first twinge.) […]

It was amazing to run along thousands of runners from all over the world and to be cheered on by the locals yelling, “Bravo! Bravo!” Once I go into the City of Athens (around mile 23) I knew I was going to finish the race with plenty of time to spare. At that point my brain took over and I just dug in for the last three miles. The race finishes in the Panathenaic Stadium, which was host to the ancient Olympic games. There were crowds of people in the stands cheering, and I was scanning for my husband when all of the sudden I heard, “Jules! Jules!” and saw him waving and taking photos. I always cry when I finish my marathons, and this was no exception.

According to Julie, this experience was her most unique training season and race. While she finished 1:40 minutes longer than any of her previous marathons, Julie says she finished faster than she thought she would and “simply did not care.”

“I am thankful for the support of everyone at Rausch PT and know they will get me healthy for my next race. I have not ruled out the Vancouver Marathon in May 2016…”

 

Amy Hansen initially came to Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance so she could start hiking. The journey she took instead is more incredible than any of us could have predicted.

“It feels like I can do anything.” – Amy Hansen

July 27, 2015 was a big day for Amy Hansen. Walking in to the clinic, decked in Rausch orange and blue from the bow in her hair to the socks on her feet, you could tell she was celebrating something. With her trademark mischievous smile, Amy rushed to hand out her #RauschStrong #TeamTitaniumAmy medals to her physical therapists and aides. After getting settled in, she steadily walked over to the Performance Lab, zipped in to the Alter-G® Anti-Gravity Treadmill®, and ran for the first time in a year.

It was a stark contrast from July 27, 2014—the day Amy was carried out of the clinic on a stretcher, flanked by emergency personnel, after snapping her femur during an appointment.

Amy’s Fight

Amy has been fighting the odds since she was born. She has a rare bone disease that only five people have ever had, and she’s the only person in the whole world who’s ever had this disease as well as a neurological condition. Originally, Amy came to Rausch Physical Therapy to work with Dustin Hancock, DPT, who specializes in patients with neurological issues. Amy says her goal was to be able to go hiking, so they began working on getting stronger and building muscle. Amy’s mother Janice says she got so much more out of coming here.

“I expected her to gain more flexibility and balance, to be able to walk better, but what she got out of it was more of an essence of herself as a healthy person. It’s challenged our whole family to do more physical things.”

In addition to the physical changes that were taking place, Janice began noticing that Amy’s personality really began to come out—something that rarely happened in medical settings. She talked freely with her aides Chris and Brent, playfully joked around with Dustin, and became increasingly more independent.

“Imagine being told you were unhealthy your whole life, and then people here [at Rausch PT] tell you that you ARE healthy and you CAN do things. Dustin and everyone at Rausch constantly encourage her to do her best.”

July 27, 2014

A few days before Amy broke her leg, she had told her mom that she was experiencing some pain in her leg. This was not uncommon for Amy, so Janice took note and then went about their normal life. A few hours before her leg broke, Amy and Janice were walking around the mall; Amy still complaining about the dull pain. The moment she broke her leg, Amy was walking from one exercise to the next when her leg finally gave out. It could have happened anywhere at anytime, but Janice says she’s forever grateful that it happened at Rausch PT.

“It was completely unexpected,” Janice said. “Sometimes there’s pain, but nobody [with this disease] has had a bone break. We’re just lucky that it happened here with people who know what to do. You think of it as a traumatic experience, but it wasn’t. Everyone was so calm.”

After she was released from the hospital, Amy was eager to get back to her favorite place, Rausch PT, to be with her friends and start working to get better. She was in for a difficult recovery, longer than most because of her bone disease. Despite the titanium rod placed in her leg, her injury refused to heal. However, Janice says the most difficult part was overcoming her fear.

“A year ago it was a lot more about fear, ‘What I can’t do,’ and not trusting her body,” Janice said. “A year later, she’s much more conscious of what she can do and what she’s looking forward to doing next.

July 27, 2015

After running on the Alter-G, Amy said she felt less stressed; she thought it was going to be harder, but it was fun to get back to running.

“It feels exciting [to run again,]” she said. “It feels like I can do anything.”

The thing the Hansens say they like most about Rausch PT is that the goals that Amy and her team set are less about, ‘What’s the next clinical step?’ but rather ‘What’s the next thing you want to do, place you want to go, or activity you want to try?”

So, what’s next for Amy? She says she wants to run a Disneyland 5k Marathon next year and go paddle boarding with her friend Dustin (Although, she says she’s still not sure about the sharks.) One thing is for sure, Amy has become part of the Rausch PT Family.

“They were there for me when I broke my leg, and they continue to be there for me,” Amy says. “We’re all a good team.”

 

You never plan on ending up in the emergency room on your morning commute, but as Rausch Physical Therapy patient Chris Powers knows, you can’t plan for much in life.

Last September, Chris was on his way to work when a drunk driver slammed into his car, sending it flipping across the freeway until finally coming to a rest, upside down, blocking the I-5 freeway at 3:30 a.m. The other driver was arrested at the scene, and Chris was transported to the hospital with a possible C-5 fracture.

Luckily, Chris survived the crash with “only” some soft tissue damage to the neck, head and back. Though, if you ask him, the worst injury he sustained was terrible pain from his wrist to elbow—an utter tragedy for a guy who’s played the drums since he was 10 years old.

As life would have it, Chris was set to play a gig at a bar with his 80’s/90’s cover band One Hot Mess just one week after his accident. Determined to still rock it, he did his best to ignore the pain that made sitting at his drums nearly impossible and managed to bang out what simplistic patterns his injured arm could muster.

“I remember popping a ton of Advil before and after the show,” he said. “I was stressed out knowing that if I don’t get this arm fixed, I’m probably looking at having to hang up the sticks and find another drummer for the group.”

So, after barely getting through that set, Chris set out to find a physical therapist who could help get him back into rockstar shape. On a recommendation from a co-worker he decided to give Rausch PT a try, with high hopes but low expectations ingrained from past PT-experiences.

However, Chris says that after working with Lyndsay for just a few months, the pain in his arm was gone. Now, less than a year later, he’ll be back up on stage this Saturday—this time at the House of Blues in Anaheim.

“I’m where I’m at today thanks to Lyndsay. Her course of treatment and plan of action—designed by her and enacted upon by the aides—has given me the ability to feel better and do the things I loved prior to my collision.”

Like so many of our patients, Chris and his wife, Jeanine, also love running and hiking. While he jokes that he hasn’t yet crossed over into the ranks of “those who believe there is something good in running full marathons,” Chris also came into our clinic with the goal of lessening the pain in his neck and back so he could return to participating in 10K’s and Half-Marathons.

After some tissue work with his PT Lyndsay, a few sessions on the Alter-G Anti-Gravity Treadmill, and a great exercise program led by his aide Ciena, Chris says he’s back to normal. He and Jeanine have even registered to run the Zion National Park Half next year.

“I love drumming, I love running, and I love not hurting!” he said. “I have gone back to all of my passions since my treatment at Rausch PT. Lyndsay, thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me get through what I needed to get through. My drums thank you, too!”