Hi all,
My name is Zachary Ginsberg. I am a
senior at BASIS Scottsdale Charter. For the third trimester of this year, I
will be performing research at Synergy, a physical therapy studio, trying to
determine what makes physical therapy work for some and not for others. My
project, titled “Physical Therapy or Pure Quackery?” should add new insight
into what factors make some people prone to therapy by using several patients
as cases and examples to generalize from. My on-site mentor, Vincent Peries, is
an expert in the field, and will guide me as I explore different methods and
learn how to adapt therapies to different patients.
There
are several reasons for why I chose this project. First is my love of sports. I
swim and play water polo in addition to being a big football fan. The
environment of Synergy is strongly oriented around sports, as most patients
develop their injuries from physical activity. Secondly, I had a memorable
experience as a patient last summer. The staff was supportive, caring, and
spirited. I had a speedy recovery. Vincent dug into the deep muscles and
released the pain in my lower back with strategic exercises. Thirdly, I have
always had an interest in the medical field. This experience could foster that
passion and provide me with perspective on the real-world applications.
At
the beginning of the project, I will record information on each of the patients
regarding their height, weight, age, and injury. I will explain Vincent’s
method and plan of attack, while asking them about their therapy and recovery
routine. Over the course of the trimester, I will track their progress. By the
end, I will be able to show, superficially, which of the factors made the
difference.
I
hope you enjoy my findings and my stories. I will update the blog at least once
a week. Feel free to check out my proposal: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_8uaQ7hjmdWxOTzpH2D1xo-kghnHm0bL5m2LBGwAOas/edit?usp=sharing
Also, please check out Synergy’s website:
Thank you,
Zachary
Very cool! What happened that resulted in you having pain in your lower back and having to be a patient there?
ReplyDeleteThank you Daria! It was gradual– I started getting more and more back spasms, probably from swimming.
DeleteSuper excited to hear more about your experience. I really like that you have a personal connection to your topic as well! I feel like it would be interesting to see how much physical therapy helps prevent future injuries as well
ReplyDelete"Quackery"
ReplyDeleteI'm already going to enjoy this. :)
WOW ZACH! I AM IMPRESSED
ReplyDeleteI love how you talked about your background and reasons for getting interested in physical therapy! Around how many patients will you be working with?
ReplyDeleteThanks Navya! I'm thinking around 10, but that number can easily change based on the first few weeks.
DeleteSo what makes you use the word quackery, Zachary?
ReplyDeleteMr. Bloom
Well, apart from rhyming with therapy (somewhat), I have to question the practice and not just assume its effectiveness in order to claim my work as proper research. Calling it "Quackery" is a nice way way of doing so. Plus, I'm sure it grabbed your attention :)
DeleteThere are so many sports, but only one form of physical therapy. Is it safe to assume then that being versed in physical therapy alone grants the individual the ability to aid in any athlete's recovery?
ReplyDeleteThats a very good point. Actually, physical therapists are trained to adapt their methods to different types of athletes. Given the different body types based on different sports, therapists know the optimal method for each person.
DeleteZachary: As someone who has progressed through a relatively long life never having needed any physical therapy of any kind, I look forward to learning about this topi and reading your comments and insights about the treatments at Synergy. Good luck and enjoy this experience.
ReplyDelete