Physical Therapy

The Best Care:

The Physical Therapy staff at Palm Beach Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center is focused on providing you with the most recent evidence-based treatment interventions and personalized care you need to maximize your recovery. For the physical therapy department you will be evaluated by a Board Certified Doctor of Physical Therapy to determine the best approach for your care. Whether returning to a sport or just getting back to your everyday activities we are here to get you better. We will also get you on your own home exercise program upon discharge.

Orthopaedic Physical Therapy (561) 841-0666

Eric Wanner, PT, DPT, OCS, Cert DN Director of Physical Therapy

Eric Wanner, DPT received his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from The University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. He currently has fifteen publications. Dr. Wanner has presented at Florida Atlantic University College of Education and at the 2013 & 2014 Learn Green Conference & Expo at Dreyfoos School of Arts about “Take Initiative and Manage Stress.”

He is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy through the American Board of Physical Therapy. He is also a Certified Clinical Instructor through the APTA, and wrote for the NPTE PTA exam. Dr. Wanner also wrestled at The Ohio State University before having to stop after his fourth knee surgery leading him to turn to Physical Therapy for his profession. He is currently the Director of the Physical Therapy Department at Palm Beach Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center.

Emily Penberthy PT, DPT

Emily Penberthy, PT, DPT, received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology at Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL, prior to earning her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at The University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. Having an athletic background competing as a Division I athlete in Cross Country and Indoor/Outdoor Track and Field at The University of Alabama and Florida State University, Emily has a passion for working with the competitive population, but also welcomes the opportunity to work with all types of patients. Emily is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and is currently involved in the publication of a new edition therapeutic exercise textbook to further her professional knowledge. Born and raised in Fort Myers, FL, Emily thoroughly enjoys being outdoors, running, paddle-boarding, and fishing

Javier Gonzalez PT, DPT

Javier Gonzalez, PT, DPT, received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL prior to earning his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at The University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. Born and raised in Miami, FL, Javier is a huge Miami Dolphins and Miami Heat fan! Having p

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What should I wear to my Physical Therapy treatments?

When coming to Palm Beach Sports Medicine for physical therapy, please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing like jogging pants with an elastic waist and an over-sized t-shirt or sweatshirt. You therapist needs to be able to easy access your area of injury, and you want to be comfortable during any therapy that involves range of motion. This goes for your footwear, too, especially if you have a lower limb or foot injury.

How many physical therapy treatments should I expect to receive?

The type and number of physical therapy treatments you receive will depend upon your unique circumstances. This will greatly depend on your condition and/or type of surgery. The physical therapist that evaluates you will help determine this for you..

How long do the physical therapy treatments last each day?

Physical therapy sessions last approximately 30 minutes to one hour each depending upon the condition.

What should I expect when I come in for my treatment?

That depends on your rehabilitation and recovery goals. Every treatment plan is customized for each patient. Even patients who have similar goals may find their individual treatment plans varying based on each patient’s medical history, the extent of injury, and the current and anticipated levels of function. At Palm Beach Sports Medicine we will use various techniques to help each of our patients reach the greatest extent of recovery possible.

What should I do if I need to cancel my appointment for the day?

If you are unable to keep your scheduled physical therapy appointment at Palm Beach Sports Medicine, please give us a call at (561) 841-0666, even if it’s a last-minute cancellation. We will be happy to reschedule for another day or time.

Testimonials:

DRY NEEDLING

WE NOW OFFER DRY NEEDLING!

What is dry needling?

Dry needling is a form of therapy in which fine needles are inserted into myofascial trigger points (painful knots in muscles), tendons, ligaments, or near nerves in order to stimulate a healing response in painful musculoskeletal conditions. Dry needling is not acupuncture or Oriental Medicine; that is, it does not have the purpose of altering the flow of energy (“Qi”) along traditional Chinese meridians for the treatment of disease. In fact, dry needling is a modern, science-based intervention for the treatment of pain and dysfunction in muscle and bone conditions such as neck pain, shoulder impingement, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, knee pain, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and back pain.

Is dry needling safe?

Drowsiness, tiredness or dizziness occurs after treatment in a small number of patients (1-3%) and if affected, you are advised not to drive. Minor bleeding or bruising occurs after dry needling in 15-20% of treatments and is considered normal. Temporary pain during dry needling occurs in 60-70% of treatments. Existing symptoms can get worse after treatment (less than 3%of patients); however, this is not necessarily a “bad” sign. Fainting can occur in certain patients (0.3%), particularly at the first treatment session when needling the head or neck region. Dry needling is very safe; however, serious side effects can occur in less than 1 per 10,000 (less than 0.1%) treatments. The most common serious side effect from dry needling is pneumothorax (lung collapse due to air inside the chest wall). The symptoms of dry needling-induced pneumothorax commonly do not occur until after the treatment sessions, sometimes taking several hours to develop. The signs and symptoms of a pneumothorax may include shortness of breath on exertion, increased breathing rate, chest pain, a dry cough, bluish discoloration of the skin, or excessive sweating. If such signs and/or symptoms occur, you should immediately contact your physical therapist or physician. Nerves or blood vessels may be damaged from dry needling which can result in pain, numbness or tingling; however, this is a very rare event and is usually temporary. Damage to internal organs has been reported in the medical literature following needling; however, these are extremely rare events (1 in 200,000).

What types of needles are used?

Single-use, disposable needles are used in this clinic.

Call our office to learn more: (561) 841-0666