BODY PAIN IS A DAILY DRAIN

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There is an old joke that most people who have experienced Physical Therapy have heard―that PT really stands for “Pain and Torture.” That’s not the case at a local female-owned physical therapy clinic. Amanda Helgoe, PT, DPT and her team are showing patients in the Fargo-Moorhead community that the road to feeling better can be a pleasant experience.

In 2010, Helgoe founded Bodyworks Physical Therapy in Fargo, because she wanted to create a tranquil place for healing. Helgoe grew up in Fargo, received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Minnesota and immediately moved to Arizona. While there, she worked at a large outpatient clinic system and felt that patients were being run through the clinic without enough personal attention. She vowed then and there to treat her patients differently.

A year later, Helgoe and her husband, Jeremy, moved back to Fargo. She worked in Fargo for several years, eventually coming up with her vision for the clinic. Bodyworks Physical Therapy is the only solely female-owned PT clinic in Fargo and you can feel the difference when you walk through the doors. That vision and feel was apparent and appreciated by patient Deb Mohagen. “All of a sudden, you realize you can’t bend over and pick up your grandchild who is running towards you with open arms. You try to unload the dishwasher, but can’t stand bent over because of the pain. You try to go shopping with friends, but the pain in your back is too much,” Mohagen said. She continued, “After 30+ years of nursing, my back had given up on me. I had learned to live with it most of the time, but each day it was taking away more and more of the things I loved to do. I went to a doctor appointment and she recommended physical therapy. I had my doubts, as I had tried it before, yet it never seemed to last long. Yes, I became pain free for a short time, but I never felt as though I grew stronger. I still couldn’t add activities back into my life that most people take for granted. I decided to give it one more try. I was given a referral to Amanda Helgoe, PT, DPT at Bodyworks. I was so surprised at the beautiful spa-like and peaceful atmosphere of Bodyworks, as well as the fantastic staff. We set goals and before long I was babysitting for my grandchildren, doing everyday chores around the house without pain, plus doing exercises I never imagined I could do. I can’t imagine where I would be if Bodyworks had not been a part of my life. Thanks Amanda, you changed my life!”

Changing lives is what Bodyworks is about. Patients are treated by one of the three accomplished physical therapists on staff. Claire Grunewald and Drew Zimmerman, both doctors of physical therapy joined Helgoe and carry her same vision. Together they use manual therapy skills, including muscle energy technique, joint mobilization and myofascial release, combined with customized exercise programs designed to treat the source of the problem and return their patients back to their lives as quickly as possible.

Helgoe said the most commonly treated injuries treated at Bodyworks are neck and back pain in both women and men. It is estimated that nearly 60-80% of people experience back pain in their lifetime. Most people are unaware that PT is even a treatment option for them when they are suffering from this condition. She said, “We see people with many different presentations of back pain, from sacroiliac joint and hip pain, to herniated discs and sciatica. Many have mechanical pain like trouble moving from sitting to standing or rolling in bed. Many are also seen with neck, upper back and rib pain, which can be quite limiting for daily function and is very treatable.”

Even as a PT, Helgoe can relate to her patients suffering from lower back pain. After two pregnancies and six weeks of bed rest with one of them, she was left with a lot of pain and instability in her pelvis, lower back, upper back and rib cage. Through PT intervention and a concerted effort at strengthening, she is now pain-free and can definitely empathize with her patients. Helgoe feels this type of postpartum pain is common and effects a largely underserved population.

The team at Bodyworks utilizes their gentle approach and treats patients with the highest quality of care. All treatments are started in a private treatment room and patients are only treated one-on-one by a physical therapist. They also have a full gym for when patients are ready to begin the strengthening phase of their treatment. “Most of our patients begin to feel better after their first treatment and ask themselves why they couldn’t have found us sooner,” noted Helgoe.

In addition to neck and back pain, the PT’s at Bodyworks treat shoulder, knee, elbow, TMJ and ankle pains, strains, and injuries. They see people who choose Bodyworks for rehabilitation after joint surgeries. They have a special table for treatment of pregnant women and treat women of all ages with incontinence and pelvic pain. They help many people with vertigo and balance disorders. Zimmerman has also received certification to utilize dry needling in treatment of trigger points or “knots” in muscles. [AWM]