‘Good Things Come in Small Packages’ at
Maryland SportsCare & Rehabilitation of Salisbury
Above, Back row: Rehabilitation Assistant Steve Master, owner Tom Yoviene and Physical Therapy Assistant Brian Harris.Front row: Insurance Specialist Camille LaNeve and Director of Physical Therapy Cheryl Stetzer.
The human body is truly an amazing wonder. When you take a moment to reflect upon the number of tasks we ask our “marvelous machine” to perform each and every day — the number of bones we call into service to support our shifting weight as we move about, the multitude of muscles we stretch, contort and contract in a split second — it’s a miracle our bodies can survive all of this wear and tear over the course of a lifetime.
But occasionally, those bumps, bruises and breaks happen when you least expect it. Maryland SportsCare & Rehabilitation has been playing a key role in rehabilitating broken and battered bodies since 2001. They’ve been helping patients get through some of the tougher times in life, when the body cries out for some much needed physical adjustment, a major repair or just a little fine tuning.
“I have something called trigger finger,” explained patient Mark Allen. “The staff here has helped me tremendously, creating customized exercises and unique gadgets to help strengthen my hand muscles. But unlike other facilities I have visited, when you’re here, you’re more than just a number.” According to Physical Therapy Assistant Brian Harris, “our attitude is, whoever walks through our door, we treat like a family member.”
The friendly atmosphere and positive attitude the staff creates — the fact that everybody says hello when you enter the clinic, they ask how you are feeling and what’s new in your life — plays a significant role in the successful and expeditious recovery from your injury.
“It’s part of the healing,” stated Allen. “It’s how your physical therapist works with you on a personal level and how everybody really gets to know you.” That’s why many staffers and patients at the facility located at 732 E. Main St. in Salisbury like to say that “good things come in small packages.”
“We were recently voted runner-up in our category by the readers of Metropolitan Magazine,” touted owner Tom Yoviene. “Although we are not the largest facility in the area, we like to think we are the best. We offer 100 percent personalized care. And that’s not just a catch phrase, it’s really happening here.”
“Our bumps and bruises program has been very successful,” explained Yoviene, a former middle linebacker for the University of Delaware Blue Hens. “If you have a nagging elbow ache from that weekend golf outing, for instance, we invite you to come in at no charge for a complimentary evaluation. It’s our way of giving back to the community.”
With no high pressure or sales pitch, the staff will analyze the problem and suggest a course of action, leading patients in the proper direction. That complimentary offer is also extended to the seniors in the community, which form a large segment of the patient population at Maryland SportsCare & Rehabilitation.
Those that have occasional aches from arthritis or uncomfortable joint problems are also welcome to come in for a free consultation. “You might say that we fix problems,” added the gregarious Yoviene.
“We will even speak at your community group’s meeting and educate the attendees regarding proper lifting, correct posture and how to set-up an ergonomic computer workstation at home,” explained Director of Physical Therapy Cheryl Stetzer, a seasoned 15-year professional and one of only a few physical therapists on the Eastern Shore licensed to perform functional capacity evaluations as occasionally required by the Workers’ Compensation Board. “We also try to educate people regarding their right to choose their provider, regardless of whom their doctor recommends,” added Stetzer.
Another resource at Maryland SportsCare & Rehabilitation is its sports medicine council, a regularly scheduled conference call that includes, among others, Greg Smith, the head athletic trainer for the Washington Capitals NHL team. “Greg is a valuable resource we rely on to further evaluate the best treatment protocol for our patients,” explained Yoviene.
Smith works with some of the best surgeons in the country and his colleagues are leading athletic trainers for other professional sports teams, which allows him to remain cutting-edge with all of the advances in sports medicine and rehabilitation protocols — another huge benefit for the patients that choose Maryland SportsCare & Rehabilitation as their provider.
“We also have no limitations with regard to insurance. We take the gamut,” explained Yoviene. “And to navigate the insurance maze for our patients, we rely on Camille LaNeve.”
“If it wasn’t for Camille, I wouldn’t have therapy sessions,” related patient Eddie Vance. “She will go into battle with the insurance companies for the patients and will usually win. So I am very pleased that I chose Maryland SportsCare & Rehabilitation. This place is awesome.”
“I love seeing a patient’s progress and I love working with people,” added Rehabilitation Assistant Steve Masten. “We never have a bad day here,” echoed Brian Harris. “We have fun while we get the job done. To be in this profession you have to love helping people, and that is what we are all about. It’s very rewarding.”
Maryland SportsCare & Rehabilitation of Salisbury, 723 E. Main St., Ste. A, Salisbury, Md., 443-260-3050, www.ptnetwork.us