Return to Hiking After COVID
I would recommend INSPIRE Physical Therapy to everyone! Social distancing has affected my strength and balance. After a near fall walking on the grass, I knew I needed to get moving again. We are working to improve my overall strength and balance so I can confidently return to hiking with my husband on our favorite Rhode Island trails once the weather is warmer. Dr. Adams is passionate about what she does and creative with our sessions and my home-exercises.
Carol (77)
The Impossible is Very Possible.
After my stroke in 2021, my mindset was very negative at the beginning of my recovery, and I believed I would never get dressed by myself, bake cookies like a used to, or shower. Melissa instilled confidence in me that I didn’t know I could have; my confidence was built by increasing my knowledge. Occupational therapy taught me what I needed to function safely and independently. I now believe the impossible is possible; sometimes, you might just need a little help from a teacher! Thank you, Melissa, for your support and encouragement.
Juliana (74)
Making Progress Every Day.
A shoulder replacement gave me a repaired body but did not immediately return me to a pain-free life. Persistent shoulder pain caused sleepless nights and prohibited many activities I loved - playing guitar, gardening, and pickleball. I knew I needed to do something, but in the middle of the pandemic, I did not feel comfortable going to a clinic for Occupational Therapy, and that is when I found Melissa and INSPIRE! Occupation therapy with Melissa has been twice a week AT MY HOUSE, in my environment, and can problem solve with meaningful results. I am so impressed with my progress after four weeks - I can hold my guitar a play one of my grandsons’ favorite songs. I highly recommend Melissa - knowledgeable, compassionate, a problem-solver, and knows her stuff!
Sylvia (72)
I Have My Mother Back.
I am so grateful for INSPIRE - they have given me my mother back! Since breaking her hip a few years ago from a fall, she has been living in fear of falling again. This has affected her desire to participate in family activities, especially playing with her two grandsons. After having therapy in the nursing home, she worked with a home physical therapist from a reputable company but was only seen a few times before her insurance stopped paying for services. She was still using a walker and unable to independently go up the stairs to her bedroom. I took her to a local outpatient physical therapist but she was told to home three times a week and I had to take time off of work; it was stressful. Having Dr. Adams come to her home has been pure magic. My mom is smiling, planning her garden for the spring, and has more confidence in her independence. Thank you again.
-Rosalia and Marisol (82)
I Am Back On The Court!
I have had chronic knee pain for quite a few years and have endured injections, surgery to repair a torn meniscus, and stopping activities I enjoy because of the pain. Nothing helped. My knee, which once allowed me to hike, play tennis, walk without a limp and get up and down from the ground with ease, was truly affecting my independence. In March 2020, I had a partial knee replacement but feared going to physical therapy because of COVID-19. I followed the exercises my husband did after his hip replacement but walked with a slight limp for almost a year. I started working with Dr. Shayla two months ago, and I am now limp-free! I love that INSPIRE is mobile because I had physical therapy on the tennis court, as it is my goal to play doubles in the annual Beach Club tournament in July.
Linda (75)
LSVT BIG Changed My Life
When I started working with INSPIRE, I was unable to walk more than a couple of steps, and my wife was pushing me in a wheelchair. Within a few sessions, I was using my walker instead of the wheelchair, and one of my main concerns was these episodes of freezing where I was unable to move. Dr. Adams addressed my goals immediately and together we’ve added many tools to use to help with the freezing. Today, I am able to walk quite a distance without stopping. Working with a Doctor of Physical Therapy who specializes in Parkinson’s disease is life-changing. I am now able to easily go to baseball games, play with my grandkids, go out to dinner with confidence, and travel with my wife thanks to INSPIRE and the LSVT BIG program!
- Robert; graduate of LSVT BIG program (74)
INSPIRE helped me return to hiking…
I fell and rolled my ankle during a hike with my friends. The swelling was not getting better, and I was limping, so I went to see a physical therapist. After three weeks and a total of seven sessions, my insurance decided I had “plateaued.” I was discharged without meeting my goal of hiking. I was hesitant to start physical therapy again because of my last experience - a ten-minute wait, ten minutes with heat for my ankle, 10 minutes warm-up on a bike, 10 minutes with my physical therapist, and 10 minutes ice. Working with INSPIRE has been so different! One-on-one for a full hour with Dr. Adams once a week, and she comes to my home! After three weeks (and three sessions + home exercises), I have scheduled a hike with my best friend - and Dr. Adams is going to join us!
- Jean (68) - hiking trip in Switzerland
Our mom is thriving!
“Thank you for being so patient and loving with all your clients and our mom!” Shayla provided excellent, caring physical therapy and guidance for our mother after returning home from the hospital. My husband and I work and were anxious about our ability to drive her to physical therapy. It was a lifesaver to have her physical therapist come to her. Our mom is thriving! Shayla has truly found her passion in life, and we recommend her to everyone. We are incredibly grateful for her and INSPIRE.
- Pat (70) - from a card mailed by her family
I am a Difference Person!
When I began physical therapy with Shayla I could barely walk, and the discomfort in my left hip and groin was literally defining me. My time with my grandchildren was marked by increasing pain with every trip up or down stairs in my home, and I was unable to play with them on the floor.
Both of my hips have been replaced, with the left one done four years ago in 2017, and for four years I have had a burning tightness in my hip, groin and quad. Shayla created a team approach, making referrals to a neurologist to rule out nerve damage and to a new Orthopedic doctor for a new set of eyes to evaluate my hip. All doctors were recommended based upon her experience, which I trusted immediately. Both of those appointments proved that there was no permanent damage and no reason for another hip operation, which was immediate mental relief!
Together we created a plan of care including stretching, massage, trigger point work, muscle energy techniques, and strength training (which came after reduced the pain and gained new range of motion). At every appointment Shayla listened to how I was feeling and adjusted our work to provide me with immediate relief. Have I mentioned that at first she even met me outside on my daughter’s porch due to my anxiety about Covid transmission? Talk about accommodating the client!
Currently, I complete a daily home exercise program, including stretching, and floor exercises with weights, balls, and bands. Thank you to Shayla and extensive work on creating a mind-muscle-body connection, I am able to maintain an almost pain free lifestyle. I am now able to walk a mile with my dog! I am a different person from the one that met Shayla on my daughter’s porch!
- Barbara (71)
Five Years of Success
Shayla always inspires me to push a little bit harder than I think I can. She has taught me to believe in myself. Five years ago I decided enough was enough and I needed to start putting myself first, and her support has been invaluable!
(Marcela, 38)
Stepped Outside My Comfort Zone
Thank you Dr. Shayla for helping me start and stick to a fitness routine for over a year! I’ve been working out three to four times a week since last January and I am feeling amazing. Usually, I pick dance-style workouts, but Dr. Shayla encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone based on many conversations and a few goal-setting sessions. Now I have added weight training and found a new love for feeling strong! My husband and I were struggling in the mornings with time (kids, work, etc) and we often forgot to eat breakfast. Our goal for 2021 is to make healthier choices as a couple and family, so we added a superfoods shake to our nutrition routine at the end of 2020 - best decision ever! Thank you again for motivating me and keeping me accountable. My bathing suit body will also be thanking you come April!
(Melissa, 42)
Mom of Three on a Mission
NEVER in a million years did I think I'd be on this path... NEVER did I think I'd be able to overcome my addiction to food and the vicious cycle and control it had over my life. NEVER did I think I would be able to work out from home and see results, and in 20-30 minutes nonetheless. NEVER did I think I'd be sitting here after 3 kiddos feeling stronger than ever and in the best shape of my life physically, mentally, and spiritually! But here's the thing, sometimes it takes something bigger than you to make you realize you were made for more and can do it. Most importantly, remember your goals and your vision for your life, and don't ever lose sight of it. The hardest part is starting - thank you Shayla and INSPIRE Wellness for your support, coaching, community, and health.
(Monica, 40)
Sixty-six Pounds Lost in One Year!
One year ago, I decided to make a lifestyle change. I have “dieted” and done just about every weight loss “fad“ out there, but thanks to Shayla, who introduced me to Beachbody - it has changed my life!
365 days of hard work, tears, sweat, frustration, excitement, learning, perseverance, confidence, disappointment, pride, mindset, expectance, plateaus, joy, and all the adjectives you can imagine used to describe the ups and downs.
I’ve proudly lost 66 pounds and 31.75 inches in 365 days, and am down 4 pants sizes and down 3 shirt sizes! I’ve also lost negative self-talk, self-sabotage, several excuses, and self-doubt, and have learned to love myself truly. To be gentle and kind to myself. To appreciate and celebrate the non-scale victories because those are gains and goals too! To celebrate life and realize that eating a piece of birthday cake at a family party or an extra cookie after dinner doesn’t mean I ruined everything. This is my life and I have learned how to create (and live) a healthier lifestyle.
Shayla, thank you for being my coach. The accountability groups, virtual gym space, wellness community, and introduction to the best fitness/nutrition platform have changed my life. You have inspired, encouraged, and supported me beyond words. I can now say I look forward to what lies ahead in life; conquering my next goal and helping others see they can do it too!