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#4 Let’s compare this….

Now, let’s take a look at comparing the traditional clinic to Paramount.  Please note, these are only examples and if you want a more comparable example to your individual insurance plan - please don’t hesitate to reach out.  

Standard Clinic:

Initial Visit - evaluation and treatment (1 hour) / approx $450.00

Visits after initial evaluation (45 minutes) / approx $300.00

Multiple things billed - not all are a guarantee to be covered by your insurance

30-45 minute sessions

You may be passed around multiple times to different people in the clinic (you will likely see different PT’s or even a PT assistant)

Insurance dictates what treatments can be provided and how many times you can be seen

May require referral from primary care provider before you can begin treatment

Number of visits - 10-12 average

Paramount:

$150 / hour (no hidden costs)

60 min sessions every time

Personalized treatment by a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) that best serves YOU

No Referral needed - Direct Access

Number of visits - 4-6 average

As you can see, these costs start adding up pretty quick if you are unaware of your insurance plan.  At Paramount, we understand that your time and money is valuable.  We also value transparency.  A great benefit that Paramount offers is our Shield Coverage. This allows you access to our physical therapists who can help you decide what the next best step is for you and your family.  For example, if you have a deductible plan, you can avoid having to pay $300 for a 20 minute appointment with a doctor and contact us to determine what the best plan of treatment is.  Again, these are only examples and if you want a more comparable example to your plan - don’t hesitate to reach out and we are more than willing to discuss these options with you!

Phone: paramount@paramountperformancept.com

Email: 920-770-3303

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#3 But, they don’t take insurance….

Hey all- welcome back!  For those who are just tuning in, my name is Heather.  I work in the insurance industry and am also recovering from my own injuries at Paramount.  My goal here is to help you better understand health insurance and how it can apply to the care that you receive.  

One thing that might be frustrating is when you hear that Paramount doesn’t accept insurance.  We live in a world where healthcare is confusing and leaves us wondering if we are getting the best bang for our buck.  While this might seem frustrating, there are so many reasons to choose Paramount for your Performance Training and Physical Therapy needs.  

While it’s impossible to speak for all clinics - what’s recognized is that most insurance based clinics are being forced to shorten treatment time with patients, pass them to assistants, aids and technicians to get more patients in the door.  Insurance can also dictate the treatment you receive (ie: how many visits, what treatments will be covered, who you can see, ect).  In the end, you can’t put a price on your health. You have a choice in the care that you receive! Do your research, find a location and a PT that you match well with and someone who has experience treating the issues you are dealing with.  It is crucial to pick the provider that is going to be able to help you and get you back to what you love doing. I have the utmost confidence placing my care in the hands of Bryan and Kyle at Paramount Performance and Physical Therapy.  After your treatment you will be provided with a receipt that has all necessary information to send into your insurance provider- this does not guarantee reimbursement as each insurance plan and provider is different.  You are also able to use your HSA or FSA account to pay for therapy visits at Paramount.  

At Paramount we believe in transparency.  We understand that people value their money and time.  If you have further questions regarding why Paramount elects to not accept insurance, how we can assist you in making the best choice - please don’t hesitate to contact us via phone or email listed below.

Email: paramount@paramountperformancept.com

Phone: 920-770-3303

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#2 - Why I am #ParamountProud

Hey all! Today we are going to take a little break of insurance and I am going to share my experience with Paramount with you.

About three years ago, I was in a car accident and hit by a drunk driver.  In moments after the accident I was thankful to have walked away with some bruises, scrapes and what seemed like minor injuries.  Within a few hours however, I came to realize how impactful this accident really was on my entire body – headaches, pain all over my body and so much more.  Being in college at the time, it also caused me to miss lots of classes, play constant catch up and work back to being “normal” to succeed in my college courses. Before the accident I was working out daily (sometimes twice a day) and following my accident, almost 3 years later, I still haven’t been able to get into a normal exercise routine.  

Years of having endless pain - I had multiple tests, doctors’ appointments, physical therapy, specialist and pain management visits - with multiple different providers.  Each time, I was met with a response that left me feeling more frustrated, hopeless and down right defeated.  Everyone seemed to come back with “there’s nothing we can do”, “why don’t we try physical therapy again”, “you won’t be able to ever workout again” or the most common “you’re going to have to live with this the rest of your life”.  I was 20 when all of this started happening….living with this for the rest of my life didn’t seem fair.  I was so confused as to why my doctors and healthcare providers thought that medication, injections and telling me to not workout was the best answer. In reality, this all seemed to be putting a band-aid on my chronic pain time and time again.

Eventually, I moved back to the Green Bay and knew that I needed to find someone to get treatment, answers and rehab properly. I ended up finding Paramount and reached out to see what they could offer.  In all honesty, I was scared that it would be like every other experience and leave me at not being able to manage pain or get back to activities that I missed.  Despite my hesitation, I gave it a shot.  I was extremely satisfied with how Bryan and Kyle were able to educate me on what was going on, help me manage the pain, but also start to recover properly.  A lot of things stood out to me in conversations with them, but most of all, I saw how much they truly cared along with their willingness to listen and understand.  Never once did I hear that they couldn’t help me, pain was unmanageable or there wasn’t anything to be done. Instead, I was met with commitment, education, personalized treatment and caring professionals.  Bryan and Kyle continue to believe in my recovery even when I don’t always believe in recovery myself.    

All of these things speak volume of Paramount and who they are.  Bryan and Kyle care about each of their patients and want to help get you back to what you want to be doing.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain when you entrust your care to Paramount Performance.  

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#1 Wait...How does my insurance even work??

Hi all! We are so glad that you’re here and have some good information as we progress through this new year.  I am excited for the opportunity to help educate on one of the most confusing topics - health insurance! My name is Heather - I recently graduated, moved back to the area and have been working with Paramount for my own recovery.  As someone who works in the insurance world daily, deals with pain/injuries - I understand the importance of receiving quality care, along with the confusion and frustration as the patient/consumer.  This has helped me to develop a passion to educate others so that they can fully understand their insurance and so they can feel empowered to make decisions.

Insurance is confusing and overwhelming - to say the least.  We often assume that we have insurance and if we need to receive any kind of care, we will be fine.  However, most of the time that’s not the case and we find ourselves receiving bills a few weeks or months after our visit.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t know anyone that likes being hit with surprise bills.  The goal here is to help you understand more about insurance and educate you so that you can feel empowered to make decisions regarding YOUR healthcare.  Let’s first understand some essential lingo in the insurance world.

Deductible – the amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance pays on your claims

Copay – a fixed amount that you pay per visit for a service (can be different depending on the type of doctor that you’re seeing)

Co-Insurance - this is the area where your insurance starts to pay on your claims.  It might be 80/20 (your insurance company pays 80% and you pay 20%) or any other amount. This is the amount of payment you and your insurance company will pay until you reach your max out of pocket

Max out of pocket  – the max amount of money that you can pay at an in-network provider; once this is met, any covered service at an in-network provider is covered at 100% by your insurance company

In-Network Providers (INN) – providers that have a contract with your insurance company (this is what creates the negotiated or discounted rate)

Out of Network Providers (OON) – providers that do not have a contract with your insurance company (bills from OON providers can add up very quickly)

Here’s the tricky thing - there’s not just one insurance plan in the world which can make explaining insurance and understanding it hard to understand.  Each individual has a different plan and even if your friend works with you, they could even have a different plan, too! It is crucial to understand your plan and know your options are so that your healthcare needs can be met in the most effective way possible.

When trying to make a decision on using any provider - specifically Paramount - I’d encourage you to give your insurance company a call and ask these questions to gain a better understanding of your insurance plan-

Do I have out of network benefits for Physical Therapy?

If so, what are they?

Do I have a limit on how many times I can be seen?

What would I need to do in order to submit a claim for an out of network provider?

Once you have this information, you are more equipped to make a decision regarding the providers you choose to see.  In the coming weeks be on the lookout for more information regarding Paramount and why we value what we do, but also how we do it.  As always, if you ever have questions - please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Email: paramount@paramountperformancept.com

Phone: 920-770-3303

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Are You Going About Exercising All Wrong? What To Know and How to Fix It.

We all want to move, perform and feel better. Don’t you?

Whether you’re an athlete, a weekend warrior or just love to exercise and want to lose some weight and gain some muscle, we all strive to improve. The problem is we typically go about it all wrong.

The usual approach is to just “do more.” We lift more weight, do more reps, take more classes, and push our bodies with more intensity. Basically, we work harder and assume that is helping.

But, what about a different approach. An approach that focuses on quality over quantity. A smarter approach to training. An approach that ACTUALLY does something.

That’s why we developed the Better Athlete Now program. We wanted to find a way to show people how they can make major changes in their lives just by becoming more educated and learning new strategies.

In general, most people tend to struggle with the same areas when it comes to what causes injuries, decreased performance and overall inefficiencies with their bodies. These include but are not limited to issues with:

·     flexibility

·     balance

·     muscle activation

·     muscle endurance

·     movement patterns (poor technique with squats, lunges, planks, etc.)

·     technique (running, jumping, throwing, etc.)

·     understanding of the WHY behind exercises and training

In just 5 days the Better Athlete Now program been able to show people how to improve all of these areas and more with the same techniques and exercises used by the world’s best athletes and that we teach to our clients every day.

The real beauty of this program is it empowers you! Typical workout videos, group classes and training is nothing more than babysitting or Simon Says. They give you an exercise. You do it. They give you the next exercise. Repeat. But, the Better Athlete Now program gives you the knowledge and tools to make life long changes in the way you move and live your life.

It’s time you start looking at the big picture and start making some big changes in your life. We know you can do it and we are excited to be the ones to give you the tools.

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No Worries, My Insurance Covers that...Wait, I’m Not Sure

How much do you really understand about your plan?

Do you really understand your health insurance? Do you know what your deductible is? Do you know what your copay is? Do you know the difference in going in network versus out of network? Have you been to the doctors office, experienced a hospital stay or have had physical therapy in the past and were shocked by the cost of those services when the bill arrived two or three months after your care? Ill bet you were not expecting the cost of the band-aid, throat lozenge or 30 minute therapy session to cost as much as it did, were you? That is because there is absolutely no transparency in our health care.

If you are like me and most of the US, then no, you probably do not truly have a good understanding of your benefits. It is unfortunate but that is the way that insurance companies would like it. They have made it so confusing that most of us do not care to look into the specifics of our benefits. If we are sick or injured we just go to the doctor because we “have” insurance and it will be fine because insurance will cover it. The fact of the matter is that they will cover it, its just a matter of how much is it going to cost you before they cover it and what services will they actually cover?

We will be taking some time to discuss some common insurance issues with respect to Physical Therapy services. But first, lets go over some definitions to make sure we all have a basic understanding of some insurance terms.

1. Premium: the amount of money an individual/business pays in order to obtain an insurance policy.

2. Deductible: the amount of money an individual pays out of pocket prior to your insurance plan picking up the bill.

3. Co Pay: A fixed amount of money an individual pays on the spot each time they need to use their insurance.

4. In Network: healthcare providers or healthcare systems that have contracted with your insurance company in order to receive negotiated (discounted) rates.

5. Out of Network: healthcare providers or healthcare systems that have chose not to negotiate discounted rates with an insurance provider

Now that we have covered the most common health insurance definitions, we can start to get a more transparent look at how you should go about making your decisions. Again, we are going to focus on where to start when deciding on which PT clinic you are going to go to.

The first thing I would suggest looking into is what your deductible is. In some cases, you may have one deductible that goes toward both in network and out of network and other plans you may have separate deductibles for each. Once you know what your deductible is you can find out if you have paid anything toward that deductible for the year. If you have not met your deductible, any of your visits to the PT will actually be “out of pocket” until that deductible is met. For example, lets say you have a $5000 deductible. Your initial visit may cost $400 and each follow up visit may cost $300 (rough estimate) . So, now it is 2 months and 10 PT visits (1 evaluation and 9 sessions) later and you receive your bill in the mail and you see that you owe $3100. You have not yet met your deductible so that money is coming out of your pocket.

On top of this, you may have an associated copay for each visit to the PT. It is not uncommon now to have a copay for a PT visit of $40 and in some cases way more! Now you have added an extra $400 to your PT bill (10 visits and $40 per visit). The unfortunate thing is that in a lot of cases when people pay their copay they think that is all they are required to pay for their PT session and its not until two months later when they receive their bill in the mail that they see it actually cost them another $3100. Can you now see how not having transparency in health care can be a huge issue? I know I do not like to be surprised by a bigger bill than I was expecting!

Once you have determined deductibles and copays it is now time to make a decision. Do I go with an in network or out of network clinic? Based on your plans deductibles it may not be a huge difference as either way you will be paying “out of pocket” until that deductible is met. Once it is met, your in network plan most likely will cover sessions at a higher percentage than out of network. For example in network may pay 80% of of your session while out of network may pay 60%. Obviously there are going to be differences based on your specific plan but this gives you a general idea.

Often times, out of network clinics can actually keep have lower cost since they are not accepting a discounted price from the insurance company. In network clinics usually have to raise their cost due to the the discounted rate they negotiated in order to remain profitable.

Another thing to remember is that you have a choice! If you are going to PT because your doctor said you should have it, it does not mean that you have to go to the PT clinic affiliated with your doctors office. Do your research, find a location and a PT that you match well with and has experience working with the issues that you are dealing with.

At Paramount we believe in transparency. We understand that people value their money and time. After all, we all work hard to have enough of both. When there is an open understanding on both sides, the provider and the client, we can make sure that we are working towards a common goal with your best interest in mind!

Dr. Kyle Schwebke, PT, DPT

Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy

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Top 5 Reasons you should be adding BFR to your surgical rehab!

The world of rehabilitation following surgery, especially knee surgery, is ever evolving. Years ago following an ACL repair a person was placed in a cast and was non weight bearing for an extended period of time. Jump to today and you will be in a brace for a short period of time, but for the most part it is recommended to start weight bearing, range of motion and protected strengthening immediately following surgery. Although rehab following knee surgery has for the most part become more of an accelerated approach, there are times when it is necessary to limit range of motion and weight bearing following surgery. For example, following a meniscus repair or cartilage repair, you will be non weight bearing for a period of time. No matter what the surgery, the research is consistent in showing that a person loses a significant amount of strength and muscle mass, in particular the quadriceps muscle.

In order to minimize muscle loss, strength loss and decreased protein synthesis one usually needs to perform high intensity training, meaning 65-75% of one repetition max (1-RM) three to four days per week. The issue is that following surgery a person is not able to participate in this type of high intensity training due to surgical restrictions and the need for healing to occur. Although low intensity rehab exercises are necessary to help restore range of motion and appropriate coordination of muscle contraction and movement patterns, we have not been able to provided a true strengthening component for our surgical patients. That is until now. With the introduction of the use of blood flow restriction (BFR), rehab specialists now have a tool that allows these patients to perform low level rehab exercises and still get similar effects of high intensity training that help stimulate muscle growth, minimize strength loss and helping increase protein synthesis as well as promoting natural tissue healing factors to assist in recovery.

Five Reasons you should be adding BFR to your post operative recovery!

1. Promote release of natural growth factors needed for tissue healing and muscle growth

☞ Using BFR during even low intensity exercise creates lactic acid in muscle. Lactic acid is what causes that “muscle burn” that you feel after completing a hard workout. Lactic acid is important because it signals our body to release other factors in our body, most importantly growth hormone and insulin like growth factor. These are two major players in our body’s process of healing and recovery. Without BFR, one would need to rely on performing high intensity training to get similar effects of lactate production.

2. Not able to exercise, No problem

☞ By simply inflating the tourniquet system used in BFR, muscle cells are stimulated to increase protein synthesis and ultimately decrease the risk of post operative disuse muscle atrophy (muscle shrinking). Studies have shown that following two weeks on non weight bearing, those who used BFR drastically decreased muscle strength losses and thigh circumference. This means that if you are going to be unable to put weight through your leg due to a surgery, the application of BFR can potentially help prepare you for a quicker recovery due to less loss of leg strength along with promoting release of specific growth factors as mentioned above.

3. Maintain endurance

☞ Once healing time and range of motion allow, performing BFR while on the stationary bike can assist in maintenance/improvement in cardiovascular endurance. Studies have shown that low intensity biking can not only improve your VO2 max (maximum amount of oxygen consumption during exercise) but also shows improvement in lower body muscle strength and size.

4. Promotes use of fast twitch muscle fiber units

☞ Usual rehab exercises live in the slow twitch muscle fiber world. Slow twitch fibers are the first muscle fibers to be used during lower level exercise and are commonly known to be more of an endurance muscle type. In order to improve strength, power and muscle size a person must be able to perform exercise that will use fast twitch fibers. Fast twitch fibers are known to be power muscle fibers used during running, jumping and lifting heavy weight. Early on in recovery from injury you are going to be forced to use lower intensity exercise which primarily uses those slow twitch fibers. Now, with the addition of BFR, rehab experts now have a tool to allow you to tap into the fast twitch muscle fibers even when you are limited due to injury!

5. Possibly reduce amount of muscle scarring/fibrosis following injury

☞ There is a protein in our body that is known as myostatin. One of myostatins main roles is to turn off muscle growth, its other role is to allow for scarring of tissues following injuries. Scarring of muscle tissue is our bodies way of providing a quick fix to muscle to allow us to continue to perform activities while continued healing occurs over time. Performing high intensity training provides a short term decrease in myostatins effectiveness, which is great, as that is how we get bigger with lifting heavy weights. However, if you just injured yourself, your rehab expert would not suggest that you go perform high intensity training to assist in decreasing the scar tissue formation. Now, if you have access to BFR, you can perform low intensity exercise and still get the effect of decreasing the short term affect of myostatin and therefore, reducing the amount of tissue scarring that occurs and assisting in the regeneration/healing process.

Dr. Kyle Schwebke, DPT, OCS

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Blood Flow Restriction Training: What you need to know!

If you have not heard about this unique training and rehabilitation tool then get ready to read up on how this technique could benefit your recovery from injury or surgery, improve your strength and build muscle mass as well as the capability to improve your endurance. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training is a tool that has actually been around for a long time but is just now, within the last few years making its way into the physical therapy and performance training scene. BFR training was introduced primarily in the realm of the Army as there was a desperate need to find ways to help our wounded soldiers build up strength and muscle mass following traumatic injuries that lead to large losses of muscle and amputations. It has since then found its way into the training rooms of many professional sports teams including NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA and Olympic training facilities. This is not a training tool just for professional athletes though. BFR research shows positive effects on people of all ages when it comes to improving strength, building muscle mass and increasing endurance.

What exactly is BFR?

Blood flow restriction utilizes a personalized tourniquet system to partially occlude blood flow to either the upper arm or upper thigh. The pressure provided by the tourniquet system is enough to stop blood from passing back towards the heart but partially allows new blood coming from the heart to the working muscle. Since BFR has become more popular in the training realm there has been an increase in products that claim to be safe for BFR training. However, if you are considering partially occluding blood flow to any part of your body you want to make sure that it is being done safely. The only system on the market that meets FDA standards for application of a tourniquet is the Delphi personalized tourniquet system. By using any other system you are putting yourself at risk!

How does BFR work?

Let’s take the leg for an example, by placing the tourniquet at the uppermost part of the thigh it will partially restrict the new oxygen rich blood from entering the working muscle and will prevent the oxygen depleted blood to pool around the working muscle. This is advantageous for many reasons, all of which revolve around the chemical byproducts that occur during exercise of muscles. One of the biggest effects is the creation of something called lactate. This is the byproduct of working muscle that is commonly known as “the burn” that you feeling during and after your work out. Usually it requires a high intensity exercise to increase the release of lactate and along with high intensity exercise comes small amounts of actual muscle damage. The other cool and important thing about lactate is that it is needed to set off certain pathways in our body that promote the release of growth factors that are needed to help facilitate recovery following exercise. Furthermore, the release of growth hormone signals the release of another important protein in our body, insulin like growth factor, which promotes muscle growth.

The cool thing about BFR is that you are able to create a similar environment around the muscle with low intensity exercise and see similar improvements in strength and muscle gains without the muscle damage associated with high intensity workouts.

For example, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) states that its guidelines for strength training is 2-3 times per week at or above 70% of your one repetition maximum. The literature supports that there is an absolute need for this level of work load to see maximal gains in muscle strength and size and in no way is BFR training a replacement for high intensity exercise. However, for individuals who do not tolerate that level of intense training, for example, people rehabbing from an injury, athletes who are in season and trying to keep decrease the extra load on their joints and body or the general aging population. The literature for BFR training shows that you can get very similar training responses with a load of 20-30% of your one repetition maximum, pretty cool, huh?

Five reasons why BFR training could be right for you!

1. Recovery from an injury

Immediately following any injury, for example an ankle sprain, there is damage to the ligaments and possibly muscle tissue as well. By using BFR following this injury it can assist in activating the necessary pathways that help collagen formation, an integral part in the repair and recovery process. Not to mention preventing possible loss of strength during the time period where your tissues will not tolerate high intensity exercise.

2. Prevent muscle loss following a surgery

Literature has shown that following a surgery, for example following an ACL reconstruction, that the thigh muscle loses muscle mass and size, up to 20% loss within the first two weeks following surgery. This occurs for several reasons including disuse of the leg muscle and the inability to work the muscle at a high enough intensity to maintain muscle strength and size (due to post operative restrictions). BFR has been shown to help minimize this loss and help facilitate recovery and strength gains due to the chemical pathways that are triggered by working the muscle in low oxygen state.

3. Promote strength and muscle mass gains

By restricting the outflow of blood from working muscle, as done during BFR, it allows a build up of physiological components necessary to facilitate strength gains and increase in muscle size. Not only can you see similar gains when compared to high load (heavy) weight training, you can do it without the muscle damage that occurs during heavy resistance training. Although BFR can help facilitate the protein synthesis process necessary for muscle growth, it does need proper nutrition to help reap the benefits!

4. Decrease joint and body stresses during exercise

Are you looking for a way to help decrease the stress and strain your body endures through your in-season or off season program? Have muscle and joint aches and pains that prevent you from training and seeing strength gains? BFR training’s unique approach allows individuals to work at much lower loads (lighter weights) which ultimately leads to less stress on your spine, hips, knees and ankles with similar strength and mass gains seen with heavy load strength training.

5. Improve your endurance tolerance

Whether you are a high level competitive athlete or just looking for a way to stay healthy and active BFR training could be right for you. As we age it has been shown that we start loosing muscle mass and strength. As we get older it is harder for our bodies to process protein (the main source of nutrition to help build muscle). On top of all that, it gets harder for some us to to tolerate the increased intensity of training necessary to see strength and endurance gains. Luckily, BFR has been showing to improve both strength and endurance with as little as 15 minutes of walking on the treadmill over a six week span!

Dr. Kyle Schwebke DPT, OCS

Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy

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Physical Therapy: Your Key to Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse!

Dear Breathers,

With The Walking Dead returning back this week, it’s best we have a little conversation about your Zombie Preparedness Plan, or ZPP.  I’m sure you’ve already thought about the essentials like food, water, shelter, gasoline, weaponry, etc. You’ve also probably thought about who you’re going to ask to join your Zombie Survival Team, or ZST. This list probably includes friends, family, and the neighbor up the street who is a little too into Bear Grylles. This is all well and good, but the best plan in the world means nothing if you don’t have the capacity to execute it. Do you have the strength, endurance, agility, and flexibility to carry equipment day after day while navigating through a post-apocalyptic landscape?  

Let’s talk zombie facts for a second. Max Brooks’ Zombie Survival Guide1 is an excellent resource to gain insight about what you will be up against. Zombies aren’t fast. On average, they move at a speed of about one step per every 1.5 seconds, or about as fast as a turtle. Only 1 in 4 zombies can get upstairs, which gives you another health reason not to take the elevator. And, even if you can’t out run or out climb them, zombies are not very agile, so you can probably out maneuver them when they come stumbling at you. However, the zombie is an amazing endurance athlete. They move constantly and relentlessly. That’s a problem if you’re hindered by a sprained ankle, painful back, or injured knee. Even if you‘re in good shape now, have you made yourself injury-proof? You don’t want to be the slowest member of the herd; things don’t usually end well for those who lag behind.  

Here’s a closer look at the physical requirements needed to stay alive during a zombie apocalypse.  

Neck: While zombies aren’t fast, they are many, and being able to turn and look in all directions will be important as the undead are closing in. Decreased range of motion or pain when turning your neck could literally cost you your head.  

Shoulders: Strength, stability, and endurance of your upper extremities are critical. You will have to be able to hold a gun, stab with a knife, and fend off any zombie that gets too close. However, more than self-defense, you need the strength to clear wreckage from the road, climb up to safety, and pull your friends and family up and out of harm’s way.  

Back: We’ve already mentioned the importance of strength, and your back is no exception. But when society breaks down, you will no longer be dealing with an organized world. Your back will have to tolerate twisting, turning, bending, and extending over long periods of time. Not to mention, you won’t be able to recover at the end of the day on your memory foam mattress. You have to increase your functional capacity to perform even in sub-optimal conditions.  

Hips and Legs: The most important function of your hips and legs will be to carry you for miles at a time. Your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves will all have to be well-conditioned to endure the micro-stresses of being on your feet all day. However, you will still need the unique blend of power and endurance when you find yourself needing to leap to safety, kick open doors, or sprint away from a Biter.

Ankles/Feet: Have you ever been on vacation and noticed how tired and sore your ankles get after walking on a sandy beach? After the Walkers take over, you can forget about having nice, paved sidewalks. The muscles of your feet and ankles will have to react to unstable sand, mud, rocks, and tree roots. With our comfortable shoes and flat surfaces, these muscles don’t nearly receive enough attention in our modern world.

So, are you still feeling confident about your ability to face the Walkers and not go “Full Shane”?

If the answer is no, consider adding a visit to your Performance Physical Therapist to your ZPP. Your therapist can diagnose your areas of weakness and prescribe interventions to enhance your performance in difficult conditions. They can give you the tools you need to zombie-proof your body. They can take you from an average “Joe” and turn you into a “Daryl.”

And, if you’re currently building your ZST, I’m open to all offers. Remember, a Performance Physical Therapist could help keep you in peak condition when the “Stiffs” hit the fan.

Sincerely, 

Your ZST’s Physical Therapist?,

Dr. Bryan Schwebke, DPT

References Brooks M. The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead. New York: Three Rivers Press; 2003.

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Top 5 Reasons to go Direct Access for Physical Therapy.

Have you ever heard the term direct access for health care? How about direct access for Physical Therapy? I am guessing most people haven’t, and if you have, maybe you aren’t quite sure what it really means. In the “old days” patients had to rely on getting an order from their doctor to go to physical therapy and in most cases people would go reluctantly because “my doctor said I have to.”  Recently most states have passed laws that now allow anyone to see a Physical Therapist with direct access (check your local states laws).  This means that anyone can be seen directly by a physical therapist without seeing his or her doctor first.  In other words, a physical therapist can be your first access point for medical care when it comes to problems with movement. I know, this sounds kind of crazy and maybe even a little scary. Let me explain why this should not be scary and why it is actually a great option for people who are experiencing issues with movement, pain or performance.

 Top 5 Reasons to go Direct Access to a Physical Therapist

 1.     COST! When it comes to healthcare, there is no hiding that it can be very expensive.  However, you can be smart and savvy about how you choose to approach certain issues. One of those smart ways to keep cost down is by seeing your physical therapist first when it comes to muscle, joint and other movement related pain. It has been shown that treatment from a physical therapist can provide a significant cost savings when compared to the normal route of first seeing your primary care doctor.  By starting your journey at the therapist’s clinic you may avoid unnecessary doctors visits, costly medications, needless imaging and possibly avoid surgery!

 2.     ACCESS: direct access to a physical therapist allows you the ability to get in and see a rehabilitation specialist quickly. For example, lets say you twist your knee while shooting hoops in the driveway or practicing at the gym. You may wait a day or two (or longer) to see if it gets better on its own. When it doesn’t, you probably end up calling your family doctor. In a lot of cases it may take up to a week or two to get in for your visit and when you finally get there they may do a quick evaluation of your knee and maybe even take an x-ray (maybe warranted, maybe not), which is another cost to account for. At that point, if it is serious enough they may even refer you to see an orthopedic specialist. Now you are looking at the hassle of setting up another appointment and again waiting weeks to get in. This hassle can all be decreased and possibly avoided by making your fist call to an orthopedic physical therapist. Physical therapists are specially trained, and according to studies, rank closely to orthopedic physicians in examining muscle and joint injuries. Following the evaluation with your therapist it can be determined if you really need to get in to see that specialist or if the best option is conservative rehab. In the long run, a therapist can help direct you in choosing the most effective treatment option while wasting the least amount of your time and money!

 3.     RESULTS: Not only can you save money and time by seeing a therapist as your first line of care, you can get great results and possibly avoid those unwanted medications, injections or even avoid surgery! For example, recent studies have shown success with conservative therapy treatment and similar long-term outcomes in those who have underwent therapy versus those who have opted for surgery for meniscus tears of the knee. If you are looking for a way to avoid more serious treatment for your muscle, joint or movement issues check into setting up an evaluation with a physical therapist! Physical therapists use a combination of hands on techniques, specific exercise prescription, work on improving faulty movements and enhancement of already strong movement patterns on top of providing the client with the education on ways to help maintain and progress the improvements on their own!

 4.     MOVEMENT HEALTH: Movement is something that a lot of people take for granted until it becomes compromised from an injury or overuse. Movement is obviously very important for day to day functioning but it is also a huge part of people’s enjoyment. Whether you are professional athlete, high school/collegiate athlete, recreational athlete, fitness enthusiast or a parent just wanting to play with your kids, being able to have pain free movement is huge! When it comes to the treatment of movement issues or pain with movement a great first place to start is a physical therapist. They are, after all, movement specialists who not only evaluate and develop treatments to get you moving better and with less pain, but help educate you so that you can take care your own movement issues with eventually less reliance on a healthcare provider. With that being said, take the first step in taking over your current and future movement health by calling a physical therapist first!

 5.     RELATIONSHIP: How many times can you count that you spent an hour or more with your doctor? Let me re-phrase that, face-to-face time with your doctor? It doesn’t happen often does it? Imagine the relationship you could build with your provider if you were able to spend that amount of quality time trying to figure out and game plan your treatment. You are in luck, this isn’t a fantasy. Physical Therapists spend the quality time you need and deserve during hour long, and possibly longer, evaluations and treatment sessions to help determine what’s going on and how to best get you back to moving pain free and get back to doing the activities that you are missing out on or not performing to your highest level. The best results happen when the healthcare provider and the client are both on the same page and working towards the same goals. So, get out there and start building a relationship with your physical therapist!

 Dr. Kyle Schwebke, PT, DPT

Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy

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How to Pick the Right Strength and Conditioning Coach

Ever felt overwhelmed by the number of options you have when it comes to picking the right strength and conditioning coach? Hundreds of different facilities. Thousands of different trainers. All telling you that they are the best option for you. Well believe me, strength coaches are not all created equal. Here are some tips that will help you sift through the thousands of pieces of coal and help you find your diamond in the rough.  

What do they call themselves? Do they refer to themselves as a “personal trainer”, “strength coach” or a “performance coach/specialist”? If they don’t take themselves seriously then you shouldn’t either.  

What is their cliental? Look for a performance coach that works with athletes that are similar to you and with athletes that are better than you. If you are the best athlete working out with your trainer then you may have reached their ceiling.  

Check their education. Where did they go to college? What certifications do they have. If you are an athlete I would highly recommend looking for someone that is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). This is not the end all be all but is a good start.  

Are they continuing their training? Do they go to conferences, read books and articles, etc. Ask them to explain some of the new stuff they have been learning about.  

Are they educating YOU!? A good performance coach should be empowering you mentally as well as physically. Make sure they educate you on lifts, theory, strategy, etc. Knowledge is power! 

Are they hands on? A good performance coach should be putting their hands on you and constantly correcting your technique and form. If you have worked out with a performance coach for 30 minutes and they have not physically touched you to cue you or fix something then you are likely with the wrong person.  

Do they give you corrective exercises? No one is perfect and everyone has stuff that needs to be worked on outside of your time with your performance coach. Make sure they are giving you things to work on at home to help you correct these limitations.  

Is your program cookie cutter or personalized? You should be looking for a performance coach that will design or modify the strength and conditioning program to fit your needs. You should not be doing all the same things as the other people in your group.  

Do they make you do a screen prior to training? A good Performance Coach will want to have you screened by a Physical Therapist or other professional prior to working with you so they know what your needs are and how to build a program to fit it.  

What types of lifts are you doing? Your workout should be mostly total body movements that work in a variety of planes and should be always changing. You should not be doing more than 1-2 single joint exercises (bicep curls, seated knee extension, calf raises) during a workout unless you are a body builder. 

Is there progression? Lifting and conditioning programs should be changing as you grow and as the seasons change. Reps, sets, frequency and weights should all be changing throughout the year.  

Do they communicate with other professionals? Your performance coach should be asking who your athletic trainer, physical therapist, or skills coach are so that they can communicate with them and modify your program as needed based on their feedback and input.  

Do you like their personality? When it is all said and done, you will be spending a lot of time with your performance coach. Make sure it’s someone you can stand to be around.  

Do not be afraid to ask any or all of these questions when you meet with a Performance Coach. You are paying good money with the anticipation that they will positively effect your life. Make sure they are the right fit for you.  

For more information on how to select your ultimate performance team or for more information on how to safely and efficiently increase your performance please check out paramountperformancept.com and follow us on facebook.

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Cash Based Physical Therapy...You mean you don’t take my insurance? WHAT!!!

The term "cash based" can be a little misleading. Especially when it comes to your health care. The idea of cash based health care has been around for a long time, it just hasn't reached the mainstream public eye. You may be asking yourself, what exactly does "cash based" Physical Therapy mean? Can I only pay with cash? Will they not take my insurance? Who carries cash on them these days? Well, the fact of the matter is this. Cash based simply means that the provider is an out of network provider in other words, they are not partnered in any way with insurance companies. With your usual visit to your family practice physician, eye doctor or dentist you just show up, hand them your insurance card and for the most part you don't have to pay anything up front for your care. With the exception of a possible co-pay (more on that later). This is because they are partnered with different insurance companies. The physician’s office will send a bill to the insurance company for your treatment and then in some range of weeks or even months, payment will be sent back to the physician’s office from that insurance company. Then you, the patient, are left with whatever portion your insurance provider doesn't pick up. Sounds simple and easy, right?

If you as a patient or consumer of health care have ever had to make a call to your insurance provider to get information on your coverage, then you know it isn't always that easy and often very frustrating. With the significant change in health care reimbursement there has been somewhat of an underground shift towards this idea of cash based practice. Now, this may seem somewhat scary, but once you hear the whole story it will make more sense and hopefully open your eyes to the possibility of better healthcare experiences!

Now, I am speaking solely from the perspective of physical therapy, because that's where my experience comes from. With declining reimbursement from insurance providers for our services, therapy clinics have had to make some changes in strategies to remain financially viable. Some of those changes include shorter visits, more frequent visits, more visits or time spent with the assistants/aides/technicians and ultimately less time with the actual physical therapist. Now back to the idea of co-pays, remember those? Most insurance plans for physical therapy have co-pays, meaning you have to pay upfront at the time of each visit. I have been seeing the cost of co-pays rising over the last several years where it isn't unheard of for people to have co-pays of $40, $75 or even $100 per visit, usually until your deductible is met. Doesn't sound fun right? Especially if you are being asked to come 2-3 visits every week!

This is where cash based therapy can become a very viable option for some patients or clients. Yes, the upfront cost may be a little more than your co-pay is. However, I am able to see the client for longer sessions which means that you don't have to be seen as often throughout the week. That also means less travel time and cost for the client. Not being aligned with insurance companies also means that our treatments are not based on what your plan may or may not cover. This way, the client gets the treatment that is best for them without having to jump through any hoops.

Lastly, cash based therapy can also be termed out of network care. Don't get me wrong, insurance is a necessity and obviously can be very beneficial to keeping our costs down. Even though I may accept your payment upfront, that doesn't mean you can't still use your personal insurance. Wait, what is that? Yes, I can provide the client with a receipt and then you, the client, have the right to send in that claim to your insurance for possible reimbursement through your out of network policy. This doesn't guarantee you will get reimbursed but can be something to touch base with your provider to find out more details. 

I hope that this sheds some light onto this possibly scary idea of cash payment in healthcare. Ultimately, it comes down to this. Cash based therapy allows us to spend quality time with our clients and give them the best personalized treatment they deserve! Give it a shot and I think you will agree that your experience will be nothing like you have received at your previous therapy sessions!

Dr. Kyle Schwebke, DPT, OCS

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Welcome Dr Kyle Schwebke to the world of blogging!

Hello all! This is my launch into the blogging world. I must say that I never thought blogging was something that I would get in to. It all sounded so weird to me when it first started becoming popular. Anyways, here is a little about me. My name is Kyle Schwebke and I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy, recent board certified orthopedic specialist and sport and fitness/performance enthusiast.

 My personal career journey over the last five years has had its ups and downs. This is what drives me to keep questioning not only myself, but also our profession as physical therapists. This was always something that I thought was specific to me. As it turns out, it is much more prevalent than I thought! This is a good thing though! We should be continuing to question what we are doing and why we are doing it.

 My passion has always been in the field of sports medicine and athletic performance. However, as I have found it, this type of population is the minority in most run of the mill outpatient physical therapy clinics. With the help of my brother, Bryan, we have taken the opportunity to put together Paramount Performance with the hopes of making positive change in the world of athletics and performance. I look forward to sharing my knowledge of both the rehabilitation field as well as performance enhancement to help make athletes, parents and coaches more aware and better consumers of health care and performance enhancement.

 In order to move forward in anything, whether it is your profession as a therapist, strength coach, sport coach, parent or the athlete themselves, we must continue to address some of the most important questions…The WHAT we are doing and the WHY we are doing it.

 Looking forward to starting this journey!

 Kyle Schwebke, PT, DPT, OCS

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Fact: Most Trainers Are Not Good.  How to Tell a Good Strength Coach from a Bad Strength Coach

Now a days it seems like everyone is a strength coach or a personal trainer. All you have to do is go on-line and watch a Youtube video and you can take someone through a workout that will make them want to puke.  And you know what, that’s great for the everyday population. It helps with availability of trainers, keeps things fresh and the competition keeps costs down.

However, if you are reading this article then you or your children are probably not part of the “everyday population.” You are an ATHLETE. That means you should demand more of your trainers. There are really good trainers out there but there are very few of them and most athletes/parents don’t know how to find them. Here are a few tips to help you find the right performance/strength coach:

Hands on: For me, this is my number one rule for whether I will let one of my athlete's train with a specific trainer. If I watch a trainer work with an athlete and they don’t put their hands on them to correct technique within the first 20 minutes I know they are not the right answer. A trainers job is not just to give exercises. A monkey can point out exercises on a sheet and have someone do them. A good trainer should be always watching, correcting, and modifying technique so that the movements are done correctly and safely.

Motivating: Does the coach motivate you? Working out is hard. Duh! You bust your butt and push yourself to the limit every time you are in the gym, or at least you should be if you are trying to get as much out of the session as you can. A good strength coach should be able to motivate you whether that is internally or externally. They should also be able to change their style of motivation to fit the style that you need as an individual. Make sure you find a coach that fits your motivation type.

Communicating: Does your strength coach talk to the other specialists you work with? A good strength coach should be trying to communicate with your other coaches and medical professionals (Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers) to help design your program for your needs and limitations.

Education: This is a hard area to judge. Strength coaches can hold many different levels of education and certifications. Some have masters degrees and are worthless when it comes to interacting with athletes, others just have bachelors degrees and are very knowledgeable and able to use that knowledge to get the most out of you. Ultimately, doing your research and meeting them one on one is the best way to figure this out, but here are a few other suggestions. • They should at least have a college degree (hopefully in an exercise related field)   • They should be doing continuing education. The best trainers continue to learn. • CSCS and/or ACSM certifications are helpful although not 100% necessary.

Educates Clients: Does the coach empower YOU through education. A good coach should be educating you throughout the session. You should understand why you are doing a certain movement. How does it relate to your sport? Why are the weights, reps and sets changing during a particular time of year? You should leave training sessions physically AND mentally tired.

We are in the age of convenience. The closest gym, the cheapest rate, the quickest results. Do not fall into this trap. You are an athlete and that means you demand more. Respect yourself and your sport! Do your research and find the best fit for you.

For more information on how to select the right performance coach for you or your child or for general questions about performance training for elite and serious athletes please check out www.paramountperformancept.com or email paramountperformancept@gmail.com.  

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Why You Need a Performance Consultant. How to Navigate the Overwhelming World of Sports Performance.

Every team has a coach. Every school has a principal. Every company has a CEO and every Sci-Fi movie has a “Leader” that the Aliens want to be taken to. So, why don't we have anyone overseeing or supervising our young athletes as they participate in the challenging, overwhelming, and cruel world of sports?

I guess you could argue to some extent the coaches do this, and to an even larger extent so do some parents, but are they really doing a good job of it? Is it even responsible for us to put them in charge when they have no experience doing it?

Overseeing the development of an athlete is much more then knowing who your children's coaches are and getting them to the right practice or game at the right time. It’s about selecting the right people to be around the athlete, figuring out how all of the performance specialists are going to communicate and knowing that this interaction between specialists is critical in creating the proper plan of care and game plan for the athlete.  

An athlete, just like a machine, needs to be running on all cylinders with all parts working together to reach optimal performance. If the strength coach and the athletic trainer are not on the same page then there can be problems. If the physical therapist and the coach are not communicating then the coach may push the athlete too hard and injuries may continue or increase.

In the youth, high school and college model, every separate specialty tends to work very independently. This is one of the largest complaints I get on a daily basis as both a physical therapist and as a performance coach. The therapists are mad that the trainers are doing exercises they shouldn't and the trainers are mad because they don’t really know what they can and cannot do with the athlete. Yet, rarely does someone take the time to make the phone call and get everyone on the same page.  

World renowned training facility EXOS has it right. EXOS has a team approach that allows all team members and all disciplines to work together communicating on a daily and weekly basis to make sure each athlete is being taken care of and that their program is designed exactly how it needs to be to optimize performance and/or recovery. This is also the model that most professional teams follow, although having all the performance team members in one area is helpful in making this a reality.  

The EXOS/Professional system is great but few people are competing at a world class level or are able to afford it. However, through the Paramount Performance Connect program you can have your own medical professional who acts as a mediator to organize meetings and facilitates a proper plan of care. This helps to keep everyone on the same page and the lines of communication open so that the plan can be fluid and constantly changed as needed. Think of it as a general contractor who is over-seeing the building of a house. This way coaches can focus on coaching, trainers can focus on training and parents can focus on being parents and enjoying watching their children succeed.

Using a performance consultant is not for everyone. But, for those athletes who are dedicated to being elite, have aspirations of playing beyond high school or are recently recovering from an injury, then the Paramount Performance Connect program is the best investment you can make. Take advantage of medical professionals who understand all levels of athlete development and can help take the hassle out of the confusing world of performance training.  

Please check us out at www.paramountperformancept.com and contact us to sign up or with questions. 

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When Should Kids Start Weight Lifting? The Age Old Question Justified by Age Old Research

Weight training for youth athletes. The question that has stimulated hundreds of uneducated and unwanted opinions. This is arguably one of the most misunderstood and controversial components of sports for todays parents and kids. So, what’s the answer? When do you start weight training? How much weight should they lift? Who should teach them? And is it safe?

This is understandably a confusing subject. A lot of things have changed over the past 30 years. There was once a belief that weight training would stunt growth and cause other problems for children who started too early. This is not supported in literature and is no longer supported by most medical professionals. However, introducing weights at too young of an age can lead to problems if kids don’t know how to do it correctly.  

The best advice is to start your children early. Now, I’m not saying we need little Arnolds’ running around doing 150# squats and screaming “GET BIG!” as they do it. They need to be learning functional movement patterns first. Functional movement patterns are body weight exercises that teach kids basic movements like the squat, press, row, lunge, etc. This should ideally be done by a professional who really knows what they are doing like a skilled athletic trainer or physical therapist although some strength coaches are very good and can manage this as well. Just make sure you do your research first.  

Once the athlete is able to produce these movements without impairments (faulty or uncontrolled movements), then they can move on to learning proper weight lifting technique in the weight room. Again, there should be no or very little weight. Just enough that the athlete can familiarize themselves with the different exercises that may be performed in the weight room.  

As soon as the athlete can prove that they are safe and can do all weight room exercises correctly then, and only then, you can start to add weight. Depending on the age of the athlete this should really only be done under that supervision of a therapist, athletic trainer or strength coach to assure they maintain proper technique and that weights are not progressed to quickly.  

This progression allows for a safe and controlled progression into weight lifting. Once kids get to high school there will be a big push from coaches and teammates to increase the weights quickly with varying degrees of supervision. Therefore, it is important to learn the proper techniques early and build a solid base for the future.  

This is obviously only a brief run down and a very controversial question. For more detail or to speak directly with one of our trained physical therapists, visits www.paramountperformancept.com.

#paramountperformancept #buildyourbase #injuryprevention

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When Should Kids Start Weight Lifting? The Age Old Question Justified by Age Old Research

Weight training for youth athletes. The question that has stimulated hundreds of uneducated and unwanted opinions. This is arguably one of the most misunderstood and controversial components of sports for todays parents and kids. So, what's the answer? When do you start weight training? How much weight should they lift? Who should teach them? And is it safe?

This is understandably a confusing subject. A lot of things have changed over the past 30 years. There was once a belief that weight training would stunt growth and cause other problems for children who started too early. This is not supported in literature and is no longer supported by most medical professionals. However, introducing weights at too young of an age can lead to problems if kids don’t know how to do it correctly.  

The best advice is to start your children early. Now, I'm not saying we need little Arnolds' running around doing 150# squats and screaming “GET BIG!” as they do it. They need to be learning functional movement patterns first. Functional movement patterns are body weight exercises that teach kids basic movements like the squat, press, row, lunge, etc. This should ideally be done by a professional who really knows what they are doing like a skilled athletic trainer or physical therapist although some strength coaches are very good and can manage this as well. Just make sure you do your research first.  

Once the athlete is able to produce these movements without impairments (faulty or uncontrolled movements), then they can move on to learning proper weight lifting technique in the weight room. Again, there should be no or very little weight. Just enough that the athlete can familiarize themselves with the different exercises that may be performed in the weight room.  

As soon as the athlete can prove that they are safe and can do all weight room exercises correctly then, and only then, you can start to add weight. Depending on the age of the athlete this should really only be done under that supervision of a therapist, athletic trainer or strength coach to assure they maintain proper technique and that weights are not progressed to quickly.  

This progression allows for a safe and controlled progression into weight lifting. Once kids get to high school there will be a big push from coaches and teammates to increase the weights quickly with varying degrees of supervision. Therefore, it is important to learn the proper techniques early and build a solid base for the future.  

This is obviously only a brief run down and a very controversial question. For more detail or to speak directly with one of our trained physical therapists, visits www.paramountperformancept.com.

#paramountperformancept #buildyourbase #injuryprevention