Category: 20 Years of SPEAR

Last week, the team at Brooklyn – Park Slope congregated to commemorate the one year anniversary of the clinic’s launch! The team excitedly celebrated the eventful occasion with many laughs, pictures, cake, and of course—ribbon cutting!

Opening up just two months into the pandemic in April 2020, it was a tough (and admittedly scary) time to try new things. There were many questions up in the air about whether or not it was the right moment to make such a big decision.

Now, one year later, it’s clear our leadership team made the right choice. Park Slope has evolved into a beaming example of where hard work, determination and grit can take you. With the leadership of  Clinical Director Austin Afshar, PT, DPT, CSCS the clinic has already become a beaming illustration of our company values and community impact. Austin addressed each team member directly at the ribbon cutting event, thanking each individual person for their specific contribution in the clinic’s success, and that of our patients.

CEO and Co-founder Dan Rootenberg also spoke to the team, admitting he had his doubts about taking such a big jump during a volatile time. Ultimately, he learned the leap was in good faith. Speaking of the clinic opening, Dan expressed: “It brought hope. It brought inspiration. This was the team, that showed everybody the future, and the positivity—knowing it’s going to be okay.”

Park Slope has been a successful venture thus far because of the dedication of the team. Everyone has input much soul and passion into making the clinic great, and that’s why it will continue to grow and progress. We’re so proud to reach more patients in Brooklyn who need our care. Congratulations to the entire Park Slope team—we know the future is bright!

You can learn more about our Brooklyn – Park Slope clinic, or request an appointment here!

The Union Square team stands ready to cut the famous big red ribbon!

The unexpected arrival of the pandemic last year put many of our lives on pause. With New York at a standstill, plans and ideas were forced to be placed on hold. For our newly opened Union Square – 14th St clinic, this meant postponing our ribbon cutting ceremony, meant to celebrate the launch of the location, leadership and team.

A year and a half year later, on May 6th, 2021, we were finally able to properly celebrate the opening of this amazing clinic! Led by Clinical Director Michael Virgile, PT, DPT, CSCS, Union Square has already made momentous progress in helping bring New Yorkers back to life. The team has built a close rapport in such a short amount of time; the camaraderie is palpable, and stands a true testament to the fantastic care they bring to patients each day.

Centrally located, the clinic is conveniently situated in a commutable area of Manhattan for ease of accessibility and convenience for our patients. With over 4,000 square feet of space, the clinic provides ample room to give patients the best treatment in comfort and style. The clinic is located right in the center of one of NYC’s most popular neighborhoods, making treatment more easily accessible than ever before. All areas, equipment, rooms, etc. are also always thoroughly cleaned and sanitized per CDC guidelines.

It was amazing getting our team together to celebrate this momentous date together (safely, of course!). We’ve got one and a half years in the books, we can’t wait to see what else our clinic accomplishes!

You can learn more about our Union Square – 14th St clinic, or schedule an appointment here!

The SPEAR team getting ready to cut the ceremonial red ribbon!

April 2019 was a historic moment for SPEAR: it marked the grand opening of our Long Island City—CityView clinic! The first of its kind, the launch of this clinic is our first venture into Queens. This was a momentous occasion, as it brought us one step closer to achieving our goal of reaching as many New Yorkers as possible to continue providing top-notch patient care.

While the clinic did open on time, we never did get a proper celebration for this launch due to the pandemic. It’s never too late to commemorate, however—so we hosted our ribbon cutting now! Our SPEAR leaders and teammates congregated safely at Long Island City – CityView to commemorate the launch of the clinic, which opened almost two years prior down to the day. Clinical Director John Mackarey, PT, DPT did the official honor of cutting the ribbon, symbolizing the ceremonial grand opening of this clinic and all the amazing opportunities for healing it has to offer!

CEO and CO-founder Dan Rootenberg addresses the team in a rousing speech

Introducing a new clinic location allowed us to be more easily accessible and accommodate more appointments for those who need it most. SPEAR’s partnership with CityView Racquet Club truly provides an elevated experience for patients within a premier luxury facility with plenty of incredible amenities. Long Island City – CityView is equipped with many treatment areas, updated workout equipment, locker room facilities, and is always thoroughly cleaned and sanitized per CDC guidelines.

We’re so excited we had the opportunity to finally celebrate such an eventual marker in SPEAR’s history. We look forward to continuing to expand and grow in the NY area, helping more residents get Back to Life!

You can learn more about our  Long Island City—CityView clinic, or schedule an appointment here!

At September’s Ascend Conference, SPEAR was named the 2020 Ascend Practice of the Year by WebPT—and now, the official press release of the award is here!

In the announcement, our CEO and Co-founder Dan Rootenberg gave his thoughts about receiving the award:

“To be recognized as the Ascend Practice of the Year is an incredible honor, and one that is especially meaningful after the challenging year we — along with so many of our colleagues — have had. By staying true to our community, our core values, our therapists and our patients, we were able to rapidly innovate our services and take calculated risks that have propelled us through the COVID-19 storm. This recognition is extremely meaningful to the entire SPEAR team and will fuel our continued efforts to expand our impact and improve the world’s healthcare system.”

Dan Rootenberg, PT, DPT, CSCS, CEO & Co-founder of SPEAR, discusses why the award is so meaningful to him and the entire SPEAR team.

Also in the release, Web PT states the reason SPEAR won the award:

“SPEAR was selected as 2020’s Practice of the Year for the team’s ability to incorporate new technologies and strategies that kept their practice afloat throughout the COVID-19 lockdown.”

2020 was an incredibly tough year for many companies. What helped us flourish was our dedication to helping our community and our ability to adapt swiftly to change. Together, we were able to weather the storm, and are ready for anything else that may come our way. Thank you for the official recognition, WebPT!

SPEAR team members Andy Pakter, PT, DPT, CSCS, BFR and Alex Becerra take you through a 30-minute full body circuit routine from our #MovementMondays workout series! You’ll start with a dynamic warm up, then jump into five different exercises, 30 seconds each with a 20 second rest. Get ready to get those endorphins pumping!

Watch The Video Below:

Missed a workout? Visit our Youtube channel  for more exercises, workouts, and advice from your expert PTs and OTs!