If you have hEDS/HSD then I am sure that you are not a stranger to physical therapy. I personally have been to numerous types of physical therapy without any success, and usually walked away worse than when I walked in, before seeing someone who specializes in hypermobility. Now that I see her regularly, so much has changed for the better in my life. I am not saying that I am never in pain or that I no longer have any issues, life is just more manageable and I am a lot more educated in how to move safely and live more comfortably.
I was very surprised to learn that there are not a lot of physical therapists who are well educated in hypermobility and all that goes along with it. A lot of PTs have heard of the condition and maybe learned a little about it in school but they are not knowledgeable enough to truly help a patient with hEDS/HSD which can cause a patient more harm than do good.
It was through a Facebook group and some personal research that I came across Sara Ferruzza, PT, DPT who owns Perfect Ten Physical Therapy in Pine Brook, New Jersey https://www.perfecttenpt.com/. I first spoke to Sara on the phone and then we met in person, she is by far one of the most educated people I have personally met regarding hEDS/HSD, dysautonomia, POTs, MCAS and all that goes along with it. She did a very detailed intake discussion with me of my symptoms and then a physical examination to see what my limitations were and where I needed help. I started seeing her weekly but now I see her once or twice a month depending on how I am doing at the moment.
Sara is great about making herself available if you have an injury and need to been seen quickly. She is also very good about addressing any bothersome issues at your appointments and adjusting your treatment accordingly as needed. We have also spent time in our appointments discussing ways to be prepared and safe for upcoming trips I went on.
So many people are looking for help with their symptoms so I wanted to let those in my area (Essex/Morris New Jersey) aware of such a wonderful resource we have access to but for those who are not in this area, I wanted to let them know that when looking for a physical therapist, do your research and make sure that the person you work with is educated in hEDS/HSD because it does matter!
Here is an interview I did with Sara Ferruzza, PT, DPT of Perfect Ten Physical Therapy (973-556-8465) about her team and office in Pine Brook.
Q – What type of physical therapy do you do?
A – We do orthopedic outpatient PT, specializing in patients with hypermobility.
Q – What makes this type of physical therapy treatment different from other physical therapy?
A – When you come to see us, you will be one on one with your doctor of physical therapy for the entire session. You won’t be left to exercise on your own or with an unlicensed aide. We believe this is the best way to not only learn what exercises you should do but HOW you should do them.
We work with you to get to the root causes of your symptoms to not only feel better but to prevent them from coming back. We want to be your partner in rehab and give you suggestions to try, and then time to try them on your own. We don’t see people on the typical “3x per week” PT schedule but rather create a schedule unique to your needs, which could range anywhere from once a week to once a month.
Q – What made you choose this type of physical therapy?
A – I worked in more “traditional” physical therapy settings for the first 5 years of my career. I felt that I wasn’t using my skills to the fullest, and was making decisions for patients based on insurance regulations and how I could balance multiple patients at the same time, rather than what was truly best for the patient. When I started working with hEDS/HSD patients in 2016, I recognized how important it is to have the one on one care to help patients manage their condition.
Q – Why is it so important to go to someone who understands HSD/hEDS?
A – When working with patients who have EDS/HSD, it seems that some things have to be addressed “backwards”. We find that these patients sometimes do better to move their whole body in weight bearing situations, before being able to move a single joint in isolation. It’s important to recognize how and when to do this. Also, understanding the comorbidities of EDS/HSD is important to help distinguish and appropriately treat symptoms. For example, neck and shoulder pain can be related to POTS, widespread joint pain can be related to MCAS, and determining this and treating it appropriately can be the best way to get the patient feeling better.
Q – What makes Perfect Ten Physical Therapy different from other physical therapy offices?
A – At Perfect Ten we provide referrals for patients to a variety of specialists, to verified providers who listen to their patients and spend time to get the right tests and treatments done. We also have a massage therapist onsite, as well as host support groups to allow patients to learn from other patients, as well as local experts in EDS/HSD.
Information about the next support group:
Our next support group will be Thurs April 25th at 6:30 pm and will feature Dr.Glenn Gero, holistic naturopath. All are welcome. To sign up for this or future groups, visit www.perfecttenpt.com and navigate to the support group page.
