Newsletter

Nichole Winiger and John Kowalski of Longview Physical & Sports Therapy were among 250 participants who completed the Sand & Misery Challenge in Castle Rock on March 5th. The event was organized by the Cowlitz Valley Runners.

Dr. Nichole Winiger (right) descends the climbing net

Winiger and Kowalski – both of whom are physical therapists – survived the rugged 3.1-mile course that required runners to deal with 16 obstacles, including a climbing wall, sandpits, mudholes, and a frigid creek crossing.

Neither had done an obstacle-course race of this type before.

Winiger, who runs regularly and has completed two half-marathons, said the Sand & Misery Challenge was intense. She was just getting over a cold and hadn’t trained for the hills the S & M had in store.

“I didn’t expect to do so much crawling,” she said. “But the biggest surprise was the chest-deep water crossing. It was so cold it took my breath away.

“After climbing a steep sand mound and jumping over a firepit, I didn’t have much energy left when we got to the tire crawl.”

Dr. John Kowalski at the creek crossing

Kowalski, who admits to not being much of a runner, was happy just to finish. “The obstacles were fun and a good break from running,” he said.

“The best part was jumping into the water because then I couldn’t feel my legs burning.”

Both plan to show up for a similar event – The Sasquatch Run – at the Toutle River RV Park in May.

Kowalski has also signed on for another May adventure, the Growlers Gulch 5K, a grueling mountain bike ride near Castle Rock that covers 26 miles and includes 5,000 feet of climbing.

“It’s even dumber than the S & M,” he said.

Winiger and Kowalski are all smiles at the finish line

Longview Physical & Sports Therapy and Longview Orthopedic Associates have announced plans for the 5th Annual Sports Injury Seminar for high school coaches.

The clinic will be held on Saturday, March 12th at Pacific Surgical Institute in Longview. More than 20 area coaches attended the 2010 event.

The seminar will get underway at 8 a.m. and include the following sessions:

• Brian Hoyt, MD – Prescription drugs in athletics
• Jon Kretzler, MD – Compartment syndromes (Defined by the Mayo Clinic as “an uncommon, exercise-induced neuromuscular condition that causes pain, swelling and sometimes even disability in affected muscles of your legs or arms.”)
• Anthony Lauder, MD – Hand and wrist injuries
• Peter Kung, MD – Shoulder pathologies in sports
• Dan Ruiz, ATC AT/L – Healthy eating and supplements

The LPST staff will also offer a taping lab, a presentation on bracing by ATC Ed Earnest, proprioception/balance drills, and information about hand-wrist and elbow injury evaluation and prevention.

Contact event organizer Dave Knoeppel at 360.578.1188 for details.

Ed Earnest, ATC, of Longview Physical & Sports Therapy demonstrates proper taping technique

Longview Physical & Sports Therapy was a co-sponsor of the 60 @ Sixty Epic, which saw Castle Rock resident Jim LeMonds ride more than 60 miles of trail to celebrate his 60th birthday. The event took place on July 23rd.

Longview Orthopedic Associates, Longview Urology, and Pacific Imaging Center also made contributions.

The ride included 15.5 miles on the Ape Canyon trail on the east side of Mount St. Helens, 8.8 on the Blue Lake trail on the west side, 22.2 on the Lewis River trail, and 17.1 on the Falls Creek trail near Old Man Pass. Final totals included 63.6 miles with 7,000 feet of climbing.

LeMonds raised more than $10,000 dollars for three charities: Friends of the Castle Rock Library, Girls on the Run of Southwest Washington, and CurePC.org.

The five-minute video below contains 60 photos and 20 clips from the ride.

When orthopedic surgeon Peter Kung, MD, of Longview Orthopedic Associates diagnosed Joann McDaniel’s shoulder, he discovered a rotator cuff tear that would require surgery.

Joann McDaniel

McDaniel’s visit to Dr. Kung, as well as her MRI, surgery, and physical therapy were all handled at one convenient location – Pacific Surgical Institute.

And McDaniel is very satisfied with the results.

“The surgery went great,” said McDaniel, who lives in Castle Rock. “Dr. Kung was personable and very knowledgeable. I’ve already recommended a friend and a family member to him.”

McDaniel also praised the attentive care provided by the staff at Pacific Surgical Center and the one-on-one assistance she received from physical therapist Dave Knoeppel and certified athletic trainer Ed Earnest at Longview Physical & Sports Therapy.

“Everyone at PSI was efficient and professional,” McDaniel said, “and I really appreciated the convenience of having all of the services located at one place.”

Two women with PSI connnections completed the Cour d’ Alene Ironman in Cour d’ Alene, Idaho, on June 26th. The event required participants to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run a complete marathon, 26.2 miles.

More than 2,000 participants hit the water for the 2.4 mile swim

Despite having to overcome a leg injury, Becky Berry, wife of PIC Director of Imaging Services Jack Berry, had an outstanding day.

She completed the swimming in 1:15:08, the biking in 6:50:45, and the running in 5:08 for a total time of 13:27:56. She finished 25th overall among 82 women in her classification and had the 14th fastest swim. This was her second Ironman.

Beth Soltero, who previously worked at Longview Physical & Sports Therapy as a certified athletic trainer, completed her first Ironman. Soltero finished the swimming in 1:23:34, the biking in 8:14:08, and the running in 6:56:28 for a total time of 16:47:02.

“It’s been a dream of mine for many years to do an Ironman,” Soltero said. “The feeling is indescribable.”

Beth Soltero on the final leg

Longview Physical & Sports Therapy has agreed to provide game coverage for the Cowlitz Black Bears during the 2010 season.

Dave Knoeppel of Longview Physical & Sports Therapy

LPST co-owner Dave Knoeppel said that his staff will have a certified athletic trainer on site at all times to deal with injuries.

In addition, Knoeppel said, follow-up care for injured players will be provided at LPST’s clinic at Pacific Surgical Institute.

The Cowlitz Black Bears, whose roster is comprised of upper-division college players, compete in the West Coast League.

The team plays its home games at David Story Field on the Lower Columbia College campus in Longview.

Additional information about the Black Bears – including the team roster and schedule and details about promotions tickets – is available at http://www.cowlitzblackbears.com/.

The staff at Longview Physical & Sports Therapy (LPST) has taken an active role in upgrading skills and knowledge by completing advanced coursework in recent months.

Physical therapist assistant Clint Parham attended two seminars that focused on treatment of the foot and knee. “The training improved my understanding of how the knee and foot relate to each other in gait and function, as well as when orthotics can be helpful.”

Dawn Deering, also a physical therapist assistant, took a class on total joint replacements. “We see quite a few shoulder and knee replacement patients, so it was very beneficial to watch an actual surgery and learning more about evidence-based rehabilitation,” Deering said. She and physical therapist Nichole Winiger are also enrolled in a course on running that addresses biomechanics, common injuries, and retraining for injured runners.

Physical therapist George Palmer completed a 22-hour course titled “When the Feet Hit the Ground, Everything Changes.” The focus was on faulty biomechanics of the foot and the related influence on the lower extremities. “Treatment approaches can include stretching, strengthening, taping, and orthotics fabrication,” Palmer said. He said these strategies have application for the entire population, not just runners.

Physical therapist John Kowalski attended a 42-hour seminar titled “Localizing and Evaluating the Site and Source of Pain” presented by the North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Training. The course is one of several that Kowalski will be taking to earn credentials as a Certified Manual Physical Therapist.

LPST co-owner Dave Knoeppel said that in order to provide quality care, staff members must have the best evidence-based knowledge available. “Providing continuing education opportunities for our staff is a priority and is consistent with our philosophy and goals as a practice,” Knoeppel said.

Longview Physical & Sports Therapy (LPST) and Longview Orthopedic Associates (LOA) collaborated to host the Fourth Annual Sports Injury Seminar for high school coaches. The event, which was held at Pacific Surgical Institute on Saturday, March 20th, drew nearly two dozen area coaches.

Longview Orthopedic Associates was represented by Peter Kung, MD; Bruce Blackstone, MD; and Jon Kretzler, MD. Kung discussed traumatic shoulder dislocations, while Blackstone presented information about specialization in youth sports. Kretzler provided information about knee injury prevention.

Athletic trainer Ed Earnest from Longview Physical & Sports Therapy discussed circuit training and also led a taping lab. Other speakers included Dr. Richard Kirkpatrick, who addressed nutrition; athletic trainer Dan Ruiz, who examined nutritional supplements and performance enhancement; and LPST co-owner and physical therapist Dave Knoeppel who discussed concussion management and provided lab instruction in the evaluation of knee and shoulder injuries.

“We had a lot of positive feedback from the coaches who attended,” Knoeppel said.

Kash Van Cleef (Woodland) tapes Keith Clevenger (Woodland) while LaCenter AD Aaron McCoy looks on.

Bruce and Michele Peterson recently completed Cycle Oregon Weekend, a two-day trek for road bikers in mid-July. This marked the fourth consecutive year the Petersons have participated in the event.

Michele and Bruce Peterson

Bruce is the co-owner of Longview Physical & Sports Therapy. Michele is the nurse manager at Pacific Surgical Center. Both are located at Pacific Surgical Institute.

The 2009 Cycle Oregon Weekend was based at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon. Each day, riders had 17-, 42-, and 63-mile options. Food, shower facilities, rooms, entertainment, and a beer garden were all part of the ticket.

“We did the 42-milers each day because we hadn’t trained that much,” Michele said. “The longer ride didn’t look too bad, but the elevation gain was significantly greater.”

Cycle Oregon also offers a week-long event that attracts 2,000 riders and covers 385 to 435 miles.

“We haven’t done that one yet for the simple reason that we haven’t had time to train properly,” Michele said. “But it’s on our list.”

Bruce Peterson, co-owner of Longview Physical & Sports Therapy  (LPST), was recently awarded recertification by the American Physical  Therapy Association (APTA). Peterson is the only physical therapist in the local area recognized by the APTA as a board certified orthopedic specialist.

Bruce Peterson, co-owner of Longview Physical & Sports Therapy

“The process of re-certification reinforces the need to stay current with the latest orthopedic research and treatment approaches,” Peterson said. “I enjoy learning and providing the best possible care to our patients.”

APTA, which represents more  than 66,000 members in the U. S., established its specialist certification program in 1978. According to the organization’s website, the purpose of re-certification is “to verify current competence as an  advanced practitioner in a specialty area and to encourage ongoing  education and professional growth.”

To qualify for re-certification, Peterson submitted a portfolio to an assessment  council. “The portfolio included all sorts of things I’ve been involved  in,” Peterson said. “I took continuing education courses, gave a  presentation about physical therapy to a community group, assisted with a colleague’s research project, and taught classes for physical  therapists who are obtaining Orthopedic Specialist Certification.”

Candidates are also required to document that they have performed a minimum of 200 hours per year of  direct patient care in their specialty area. They must re-certify every 10 years.

Peterson is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the American Academy of  Orthopaedic Manual Therapy. He is among only 37 physical therapists in  the State of Washington who have qualified for Fellowship in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapists.