Category: SPEAR in the media

Summer is heating up: the world has got its eyes on the 2020 Olympic games starting this month. Our very own CEO and Co-founder, Dan Rootenberg, jetted off to Japan to continue his work with the Israel national baseball team as their official physical therapist!

Team Israel is up against some of the biggest players in the world, with a need to be physically ready to perform at optimal levels for the international sporting event. Holding a true passion for baseball, Dan is excited to be able to help rehab and guide the all-star players. “It’s just about putting these professional athletes in the best position to be successful,” he says of the importance of his role.

Dan has been involved with the team since 2012, during the World Baseball Classic qualifiers. He also offered his attention and rehabilitation skills at the 2017 World Baseball Classic in Seoul, South Korea, helping the players by providing strength and conditioning and physical therapy guidance. “I played in the Israel baseball league, a pro league in Israel in 2007. My first son, Jack, was just born. I went out there and the relationships that I established there, that’s where a lot of this really came from. It started there during that league,”  Dan recalls of his time. “The manager of the team, Eric Holtz, was a good friend of mine. Nate Fish [Third Base Coach] was another guy—we all played together. Shlomo [Lipetz], who’s a pitcher here, was a teammate of mine; Peter Kurz, who’s the general manager— his son was a teammate of mine. There’s a lot of personal connections here, and it’s amazing to see how much the sport of baseball has grown.”

Growing up playing baseball, Dan has maintained an elevated level of excitement, passion, and fervor for the sport. The love of the game has translated into more than just playing—he has also participated on the board of two little leagues and donates his time coaching and guiding inner-city children, coaching more than 200 kids in the past decade alone! He has collaborated with Pitch In For Baseball (PIFB), pledging a sizeable donation to the organization to purchase baseball and softball gear for underprivileged youth players.

SPEAR is always passionate about giving back to our community. Our teammates have amazing empathy, one of our core values, and are often looking for ways to contribute their knowledge where it is needed most. Our team is heavily involved with the youth community, particularly working with local little league baseball teams to offer free screenings to the youth players to ensure a smooth (and fun!) season. Partnering with local youth athletes is just one way we like to give back to the community. We even had our own teammates participate in the exhibition games: Tom Barcia, PT, DPT, ATC, and Clinical Director of our Midtown- W 44^th St clinic, joined Dan during the team’s exhibition games to get them properly warmed up and ready for some practice games.

SPEAR has been involved in the treatment of Team Israel players in the past as well. “We’ve treated a number of players in our SPEAR facilities; different physical therapists on the team have worked with a lot of these guys,” Dan recalls. “It’s nice to have that continuity because then they come here, I can talk to the therapist that treated them and then have a continuous program for them…it’s helpful to be able to take whatever they’ve been doing in the clinics, pair it with what they have to do on the field and then help them here…really it’s just about putting these professional athletes in the best position to be successful.”

Team Israel is up against some big contenders this summer: the United States, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea. Currently ranked 24^th in the world and 7^th in Europe, the team is the competition’s endearing underdogs. The full roster consists of 12 pitchers, 3 catchers, 6 infielders, and 3 outfielders. The world’s got their eye on second baseman Ian Kinsler, former MLB all-star, who played for 14 seasons for the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres. The Summer Olympics are bound to be a hot one! Team Israel’s first match kicks off next Thursday, July 29^th, against South Korea.

“Nobody expected us to be in the Olympics,” Dan says. “The fact that we’re there is pretty incredible in and of itself, and we’ve got a lot of a lot of high hopes about coming back with a medal.”

We are so proud and honored to have Dan there representing the field of physical therapy and its vital importance in the competition and the overall health and safety of the athletes.

Here’s a teaser of some awesome content we got on the pipeline, sure to be a home run:

After a very long and difficult year, New York is finally on the rise. As SPEAR continues to help the city make a full comeback, CEO and Co-founder, Dan Rootenberg, was recently featured on NPR to discuss the hot-button topic of returning to office life full-time. Interviewed by Audie Cornish, Dan expressed his support for coming back in: “I do believe that people learn from each other more. There’s more collaboration. There’s Zoom fatigue. I mean, I’m on so many Zoom meetings. It’s, you know, it’s really exhausting after a while. And so there’s a totally different feeling when you get together.”

You can read, and listen, to the entire article here!

With the onset of the pandemic, life changes and everything else going on, it’s safe to say many people have been feeling stressed. People are constantly looking for ways to get rid of worry, which can also manifest as tension in the body. Enter: massage guns. A popular trend, massage gun ads, videos and informational posts have been sprouting up all over the internet. The question is: do they actually work? Our very own Ashley Rozek, PT, DPT, CSCS, and Clinical Director of our Grand Central – 3rd Ave clinic, and Donald Zerio, PT, DPT, TPI LII,  is here to help bring some truth to light, recently contributing her knowledge to a CNN article exploring this very topic!

While massage therapy often noted to be very beneficial for recovery, it’s not always an accessible option for all. Especially during the middle of the pandemic, where social distancing was necessary, many people turned to other options to be able to alleviate those tight knots and pains in their muscles. Naturally, handheld massage guns became a easy solution.

Donald says these popular massage guns work just like a foam roller: “They do work in the same sense that foam rolling works. It is another method of soft tissue mobilization that provides the benefit of loosening up tight muscle tissue, which provides a feeling of relief and provides a short-term improvement in flexibility.” Donald also points out that you can easily injure yourself with a massage gun if not used correctly, which can worsen your situation. His advice? Talk to your PT! “We tell our patients to bring in their massage guns to a physical therapist so we can demonstrate how to use the different percussion heads and vary the depth and speed for specific muscle groups.”

While Ashley also believes these massage guns are good for recovery and pre-workout, she stresses: “it is important to come see a physical therapist and learn how to safely and correctly use the gun on your body so you can effectively use it at home.” It’s always best to get professional advice from a physical therapist to ensure you’re occupying the right tool for your specific needs.

Have questions about whether or not to get a massage gun? Contact one of our physical therapists for help!

To read the full article on CNN, click here!

Of all the things to worry about during a pandemic, wearing a mask shouldn’t be one of them. Found to be an easy way to help stop the spread, it is an essential component in our ongoing combat to eradicate the virus. Unfortunately, some people are experiencing issues with everyday mask wear: recent studies have found a correlation between masks and neck pain. In Marisa Dellatto’s article for The New York Post, “Wearing your mask wrong can cause neck pain,” she interviewed our very own Ninia Agustin, PT, DPT and Clinical Director of our Times Square – Center for the Performing Arts clinic, to get her clinical insight.

According to Marisa’s research, “The American Chiropractic Association has observed a connection between people spending long periods of the day in masks, and increases in jaw pain, neck stiffness, eye tension, upper back pain and headaches.” The correlation comes from masks, specifically ones that don’t fit well, causing people to shift their bodies and hold onto stiff positions in order to be able to see—some masks have been reported to get in the way of one’s field of vision, hence the irregular body contortions and sudden need to hold muscles in an uncomfortable manner.

Ninia agrees that though masks may not be a direct cause, they can definitely be a contributing factor: “Impediment of the peripheral vision is a real thing…I can’t just look down with my eyes; I have to look down with my head and neck.” Doing this often, say, when reading text messages with your neck out of alignment for a good period of time, will cause pain in that area.

Seeing as masks are still required by law in most places, there needs to be a resolution found while wearing them. A good first step is to find a mask that fits you well. “The CDC advises that good-fitting masks will not have gaps on the sides of the face or the nose, and will have ear loops that allow the mask to sit comfortably close to the face. The ACA said that it shouldn’t drastically impede your field of vision, either,” writes Marisa. Her recommendation? “Test out a few different masks and look side to side and around to make sure you can see, noting if you’re changing your body position to compensate.”

Ninia recommends moving around as much as possible to combat the pain: “The more you move your neck, the better off you’re going to be. Posture isn’t static, it’s dynamic. Whenever you’re working or on the phone, be mindful of moving every hour, minimum.” Quick neck stretches, shoulder rolls, and a side neck stretch will also help alleviate discomfort.  “Put your arm behind you. Take your other arm, wrap it around your head and gently pull toward one side,” Ninia advises.

Another coronavirus-related issue that could be causing neck pain? An improper desk set up. Sitting at a desk for long periods of time could cause stain. Setting up your desk is optimal for prolonged sessions. (Psst: we got you covered—check out our Ergonomics webinar for information on how to get your work station properly set up!)

If all else fails and your discomfort/pain persists, you’re experiencing numbness or tingling, or severe headaches, Ninia recommends visiting a doctor or a physical therapist ASAP.

Thanks to Ninia for providing such insightful information! You can read Marisa’s entire article on the NY Post website!

The coronavirus pandemic has been a difficult hurdle for so many people across the world. New York in particular was hit hard—considered the epicenter of the disease when it first emerged, we’ve managed to flatten the curve and get back to a more normal state of being. Although the city is seeing improvement, many people are still feeling the effects of the virus, particularly those who contracted it: there has been a resurgence of side effects and ailments in patients, even months after recovering from the virus.

Michael Reagan is one example.

Michael is a patient of ours, seeking treatment with Aimee Bitzel, PT, DPT, MS at our Union Square clinic. Michael is usually a very active person: he participates in many sports, including running. He enjoys rock climbing with friends. He loves to travel and explore new places. Last March, however, he contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized for nearly two months. Fast forward to the present day: a full year later and he is still feeling negative effects from the virus. Michael was featured in a piece that recently aired on CNN—filmed at our Union Square physical therapy clinic. Michael was interviewed about his struggles since contracting the virus and how it’s affecting his everyday life. Constant chest pain, seizures, tremors, and loss of vision in one eye are just some of the side effects Michael has been unfortunately experiencing.

Despite the uphill battle Michael is facing, he is a trooper through and through! He works diligently with his Physical Therapist, Aimee, during his sessions, and stays on course with his Covid Rehab treatment plan to ensure he’s helping his body work at its optimal level. Though we know Michael is dealing with some unprecedented ailments, we will be here to help him continue on his journey back to life!

You can watch Michael’s full story on the CNN website!