Muay Thai Champion Returns to the Ring

He's Baaaaack!! Elite Sports Physical Therapy (ESPT) is thrilled to see Muay Thai Champion Kevin Ross return to the sport he loves. Kevin recently signed a contract with Lion Fight Promotions and is scheduled to return to the ring on January 25, 2013 for "Lion Fight 8" from inside the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Kevin Ross (aka The Soul Assassin) is an icon for Muay Thai in the U.S. and is recovering from ACL surgery. He is currently ranked 10th in the world by the WBC for Muay Thai in the Super Light Weight Division.

"It gives us great pleasure to we working with individuals of world-class caliber like Kevin," says Jacon C. Chun, MPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS, ESPT's Director, and one of the few Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialists in the Bay Area. "But ESPT is not just reserved for these top-notch athletes. Anybody can come receive our first-class service."

"Kevin's dedication and commitment to rehabilitation was remarkable. He did everything we asked and more," raves Chun. "He's a dream patient to work with because of his dedication to his health and his sport."

Lion Fight 8 will be broadcast on AXS TV on january 25, 2013. For exact time, please check local listings or visit www.lionfightpromotions.com.

Come see for yourself what sets ESPT apart from the competition. Check us out at www.espt-ca.com. We don't just make you feel better, we help you get better!

What is Active Release Technique?

Those not familiar with the sports arena, may have noticed the acronym A.R.T. being thrown around by a lot of practitioners, especially chiropractors and orthopedic/sports physical therapy facilities. But what is it and how can it help you?

In this blog entry (I know I haven't posted in a while), I'll try to shed some light for you on what this is an how you can benefit from it.

What is A.R.T.?

A.R.T. is a patented soft-tissue movement based massage technique with the goal of breaking down scar tissue and restoring mobility. A.R.T. can be used to treat muscle, tendon, fascia, ligament, and nerves. Most conditions successfully treated by A.R.T. have one thing in common: they are overuse injuries.

What are Overuse Injuries?

In short, overuse injuries occur when the body is not able to accommodate the loads placed on tissue over time. As opposed to acute injuries where significant trauma may occur, overuse injuries build over time due to microtrauma. Microtrauma can be the result of athletic activities, or just the repetitive nature of our daily lives (like spending numerous hours at a computer).

What are some Overuse Conditions?

Some examples of Overuse Conditions that could benefit from A.R.T. are:

- Rotator Cuff Tendinitis

- Tennis Elbow

- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

- IT Band Syndrome

- Jumper's Knee (Knee Tendinitis)

- Hamstring Tendinitis

- Achilles Tendinitis

- Plantar Fasciitis

- And much, much more!!

How Do I Get It?

ESPT is one of the few physical therapy facilities in the Tri-City Area (Fremont, Newark, Union City) that offers A.R.T. Another example of our commitment to keeping up with cutting-edge techniques to make sure you get the care you deserve and the results you want.

Our physical therapist Gigi Yee, DPT, ART, CSCS is not only certified in the A.R.T. technique, she's completed an Ironman distance triathlon, where A.R.T. is considered paramount in helping some of these athletes achieve their goals.

For more information about A.R.T. or to schedule your treatment session at Elite Sports Physical Therapy, give us a call at 510-656-3777 or check out our website at www.espt-ca.com.

Congratulations Miriam- WMC World Champ!

In her first fight in over a year, Miriam Nakamoto captured the WMC World Title over Sandra Bastian this past weekend at the Legends Muay Thai Championship in San Francisco. She's a testament to the dedication her sports requires with her work ethic and her drive. 

Congratulations Miriam! Great job!!

You can find out more about Miriam's goals in 2012 by checking out her video interview at Front Row Fights here.

Another MMA Fighter Working With ESPT

Elite Sports Physical Therapy is pleased to announce that we are working with MMA fighter Dominique Robinson, "The Real Fallen Angel."

Dominique is a young up and coming MMA fighter who's origins lie in the deep south of Louisiana. He began his training at American Kickboxing Academy under the tutelage of Bob Cook. He left when Frank Shamrock had a falling out with the gym. After splitting with Frank, he began to offer himself up as a training partner for the Cesar Gracie Fight Team.

Currently Domique works with Felipe Martinez on his boxing and calls this 2-Man Band the "Goon Squad."He is willing to go where he can to seek knowledge and take is MMA fighting the the next level. At the current time, he is the only fighter to have studied under both the Shamrock and Gracie families. Dominique has a career record of 6-4 with 4 TKO's and 2 Decisions. 

We are proud that we can help Dominique continue to pursue his fighting dreams. You too can have access to the elite care that the The Real Fallen Angel receives. For information how, you can check out our website at www.espt-ca.com.

Go Sho!!

Elite Sports Physical Therapy (ESPT) is proud to be able to help people continue their pursuits. Whether you are trying to get back to work without pain, or compete at the very highest level athletically, Elite Sports PT is the place to go to help you get there.

In this blog, we want to give a shout out to Sho Nakamori who will be competing at the Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico this week. You can find the schedule here. We wish him and the rest of the US Men's Gymnastics Team the best. If you want to follow Sho on his journey, not just at the Pan Am Games, but to his ultimate goal, London 2012, you can go to his website at shonakamori.com.

ESPT is not just reserved for elite athletes though. Anyone can come receive the high quality physical therapy care that our clinicians provide. Spending time with patients is how we separate ourselves from our competition. Combining that with the best and newest equipment and first-class customer service, ESPT provides the best physical therapy in the Tri-City and Tri-Valley with offices in Fremont and Dublin. 

To schedule an appointment, visit our website at www.espt-ca.com for details.

World Champion Fighter Chooses ESPT

Another elite athlete has chosen ESPT as their physical therapy provider. World Champion Muay Thai fighter Miriam Nakamoto is coming to Elite Sports Physical Therapy for her rehab needs.

Considered one of the top female strikers in the world, Miriam is versatile in both Muay Thai kickboxing and traditional boxing. She has been involved in the striking arts for over 11 years, and became a professional in 2005. She has a Muay Thai record of 13-0.

Miriam has a host of fighting awards, accolades, and honors to her name. A testament to her skill and her coaching, since she has bested fellow competitors with much more experience. The most recent title she captured was the the coveted WBC World Title on August 21, 2010 in Haikou City, Hainan Island, China. She scored a vicious first round KO over Luxemburg's Claire High. Haigh was ranked 3rd in the world at the time.

Miriam currently trains out of Combat Sports Academy in Dublin, CA under the tutelage of Coach Kirian Fitzgibbons, head coach of the US National Muay Thai team.

"It's a great honor and privilege that athletes of Miriam's caliber choose ESPT," says Director of Physical Therapy, Jacon C. Chun, MPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS. "I think that speaks volumes about the level of service we provide and how we can meet the needs and expectations of these special patients."

With one of the only Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialists in the East Bay leading the team, ESPT has facilities in Dublin and Fremont to serve everybody's physical therapy needs. Whether you're a world-class competitor or a weekend warrior, if you want quality sports and orthopedic physical therapy in the San Francisco East Bay, there's only one choice- Elite Sports Physical Therapy.

For more information, feel free to visit our website at www.espt-ca.com.

ESPT Director Published In National PT Magazine

ESPT's Director, Jacon C. Chun, MPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS, had an article published in the most recent issue of ADVANCE for Physical Therapy and Rehab Medicine. ADVANCE is a national publication for physical therapists highlighting new advances in technology, current trends in rehabilitation, and job openings available for PT's and PT assistants.

"It was a pleasure working with the ADVANCE editorial staff," says Jacon, the only Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist in the East Bay. "They made it so easy to share clinical knowledge in their magazine. I hope other PT's and the public will see how far PT has advanced (no pun intended)."

Physical therapy is no longer just about ultrasound, massage, exercise, and electrical stimulation. A good therapist is not just an "exercise technician" or the extension of an MD. True physical therapists can evaluate and treat any musculoskeletal disorder, using current evidence and theory to support their rationales.

"I get disappointed when I see people come in after receiving 'physical therapy' from other clinics," says Jacon, "What they are getting is so archaic. The profession has come so far it's sad some clinicians are holding us back."

The article in ADVANCE highlights new technology that clinicians are using in rehabilitation, specifically an Anti-Gravity Treadmill that helps progressively load patients to help restore their lower extremity strength and normalize gait mechanics. Jacon hopes to bring the first one to the Fremont area later this year.

"Physical therapy in the 21st century is so much more. I hope that everyone gets the chance to experience what good clinicians with cutting-edge technology can do," states Jacon.

If you want to experience the level of care that professional athletes receive, don't hesitate to call ESPT for your appointment. With offices in Dublin (925.452.4656) and Fremont (510.656.3777), ESPT is looking forward to serving your rehabilitative needs.

You can read the complete article here.

ESPT Supports Olympic Hopefuls!

At Elite Sports Physical Therapy, we pride ourselves in providing the highest level of sports and orthopedic rehabilitation. And we could receive no greater compliment, than to have people recognize us for the quality of our work. So it gives us great pleasure, to be able to sponsor Sho Nakamori in his quest for London 2012. You can check out his website here.

Few physical therapy clinics in the Fremont or Dublin areas could probably claim they serve this caliber of athlete. This a true testament to ESPT's commitment to providing the best physical therapy care possible. Nobody combines clinical excellence, first-class customer service, and cutting-edge technology like ESPT.

"I’m very fortunate to have Jacon on my side as I continue about this journey of mine!," says Sho on his website. And we are very honored to be working with Sho at ESPT.

With one of the few Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialists in the Bay Area available to the public, ESPT should be your #1 choice for sports and orthopedic rehabilitation. "We see patients from as far north as Sacramento and as far south as Carmel. It's thrilling to have people seek you out because they believe you can help them out," says Jacon C. Chun, MPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS, ESPT's Director of Physical Therapy.

For more information about how you too can receive the same level of care that professional athletes and olympians receive, check out our website at www.espt-ca.com. With convenient locations in Dublin and Fremont, ESPT is easily accessible for all your sports and orthopedic rehabilitation needs.

ESPT Celebrating Pilates Day!!

Elite Sports Physical Therapy will be celebrating Pilates Day this Saturday (5/7) at their new Dublin facility.

The first Saturday of May has been set aside by the Pilates Method Alliance (www.pilatesmethodalliance.org) as Pilates Day, to promote awareness of the many benefits that the Pilates method brings to every age group, to a variety of diagnoses, and to maintaining optimum health.

Feel free to come by between 10am-4pm to partake in the food, fun, and festivities. For more information check out our website at www.espt-ca.com and click on the Pilates Day link. Or call us at 925.452.4656 for more details.

Hope to see you there!!

TRX Is Here!!

TR Suspension Training is now available at ESPT Fremont and will be coming to ESPT Dublin. Born in the U.S. Navy Seals, TRX Suspension Training is a revolutionary method of leveraged body weight exercise being used by pro athletes and fitness facilities. Easily set up TRX users can safely perform hundreds of exercises that can build power, strength, flexibility, balance, and mobility. In addition to training, sports physical therapists are now using TRX to rehab patients and athletes.

TRX is a wonderful tool for all levels of patients. Users can easily adjust the resistance to meet their needs, while challenging muscles in multiple planes. Multi-planar movements are much more functional than standard one plane exercises. The result is more specific training, that is more similar to how we actually use muscles.

Even though TRX weighs less than 2-lbs., it delivers greater performance and functionality than large machines that cost thousands of dollars. As a result, it is seeing great adoption in fitness facilities across the nation. It is available at many Bay Area health clubs, and there is even a TRX specific training facility in San Francisco.

Call us in Fremont at 510.656.3777 to set up your appointment to try the TRX. Coming in the future to our facility in Dublin.

Follow Us

Elite Sports Physical Therapy is one of the few physical therapy clinics in both the Tri-City and Tri-Valley areas that you can follow on social media. You can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, of check us out on YouTube.

In our current world text messages, tweets, updates, and emails, this is the wave of the future and ESPT is not afraid to be a leader. Check in with us on a regular basis to get updates on the clinic, including postings for upcoming events and information about how to best care for yourself.

For more information about ESPT, visit our website at www.espt-ca.com or call us in Fremont (510.656.3777) or Dublin (925.452.4656)

Dealing WIth Arthritis, Physical Therapy Can Help

Approximately 27 million Americans with with osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Osteoarthritis is a result of mechanical wear on joints, but studies have also show that not loading cartilage enough could also be a detriment.

"The key for cartilage is health is performing the proper kind of exercise to nourish joint and provide proper stimulation," say Jacon C. Chun, ESPT's Director of Physical Therapy. "What people don't realize is doing nothing could be just as bad, or worse, than doing too much."

In an article on Medical News Today, one of the non-surgical treatment options for osteoarthritis is physical therapy. By getting a custom exercise program from a licensed physical therapist, people suffering from arthritis can get guidance on lifestyle modifications and can modify pain by improving strength, flexibility, posture, and balance.

For more information on how physical therapy can help, please do not hesitate to contact us at Elite Sports Physical Therapy at 510.656.3777 (Fremont) or 925.452.4656 (Dublin). Or check out our website at www.espt-ca.com for more information.

We look forward to serving your physical therapy needs.

ESPT Expanding To Dublin

Elite Sports Physical Therapy is excited to announce that it will be opening doors to a new facility in Dublin in early March. Partnering with Velocity Sports Performance, ESPT will continue it's vision of providing top-notch sports and orthopedic physical therapy to the general public.

By expanding to the Tri-Valley, more of the East Bay will now have access to one of the few physical therapists in the Bay Area board certified as a Sports Clinical Specialist. Board Certification is provided by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities (ABPTS), when a physical therapist passes an exam, showing that they have proficiency in a certain area beyond that of their peers. Jacon C. Chun, MPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS, the Director of ESPT, is one of those Sports Clinical Specialists.

It's natural for most physical therapists to say they treat sports injuries and practice sports medicine. Both are tied very closely, but there can be a big difference between adequate and excellent sports rehabilitation. If a physical therapist hasn't been in a sports setting where you not only have to deal with constraints of healing tissue, but a very strict timeline, they may not be used to more aggressive rehabilitation protocols or programs to try and optimize recovery time.

At our Dublin facility, physical therapist Charissa L. Chaban, MPT, ATC is also an athletic trainer and performing artist. She understands fully the rigors of competition and performance, and will help design a treatment program for all her patients based on their specific needs. The plan will take into account the nature of the injury or operative procedure and the specific sports or functional goals of the patient.

At ESPT, our goal is to make sure that everyone knows what it's like to be treated like a professional athlete, whether or not you are one. For more information about us, feel free to check out our website at www.espt-ca.com or call 925.452.4656 to schedule and appointment.

Shopping Deals Continue Thursday

Don't worry if you didn't get all your shopping done on Black Friday. Come out and join Elite Sports Physical Therapy for a shopping party at Sports Basement in Sunnyvale on 12/2 from 6:30pm-8:30pm.

In appreciation of our partnership, Sports Basement will provide a 20% discount on all purchases for those 2 hours. So come and get discounts on the latest snowboard and ski gear for the upcoming season or pick up some new training gear to start your year off on the right foot.

Don't miss out. Many of our patients and friends have already signed up to join us for this fun event. There will also be food and refreshment if you need some energy to get you through your shopping at the end of a long work day. If you want an idea of what to expect, check out some pics from last year's shopping party here.

For more details or to sign-up for our shopping party, contact us at Elite Sports Physical Therapy at 510.656.3777 of check us out on our website: www.espt-ca.com.

ESPT Welcomes New Staff Member

Elite Sports Physical Therapy welcomed it's newest staff member in July, Smita Radhakrishnan, PT.

Smita received her professional degree in Physical Therapy from SRM University in Chennai, India in 1999. She has attended continuing education classes on various topics including Sports Massage, Pain Management, Management of Athletic Injuries, and most recently completed a year long course in Manual Therapy based on the Maitland concept.

Her philosophy as a therapist focuses on helping individuals improve their level of fitness, wellness, and quality of health, through awareness and understanding of their condition, along with the willingness to be personally responsible for their health and to put the appropriate effort required to maintain it.

Smita is multi-lingual and speaks Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam, in addition to English. Some of her other interests include Yoga, Reflexology, volunteering in the community, traveling, and spending time in Nature.

"We take pride in adding only the very best clinicians to our staff. We want to make sure that patients feel their care at our facility is nothing short of the best," says Jacon Chun, ESPT's Director of Physical Therapy.

We have received nothing but rave reviews thus far of Smita's work with patients. We look forward to people seeing just how good a physical therapist she is. We are thrilled to have her as part of the ESPT team, helping to serve the rehabilitative needs of the Fremont community.

For more information about us, check us out at www.espt-ca.com or call us at 510.656.3777 to set up an appointment.

Prevent Pediatric Sports Injuries With ESPT

As summer ends and we get ready to embark on another school year, that means student-athletes will be starting practice with competitions soon to follow. Depending on off-season conditioning, the coach's awareness of injury prevention, and the athlete's own physical development, some of these students will end up with aches and pains, while others will be able to avoid them altogether.

"What's most disappointing is the majority of these injuries are totally preventable," says Jacon C. Chun, MPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS, Director of Physical Therapy at Elite Sports Physical Therapy (ESPT). "Simple preventative measures such as adequate rest, hydration, flexibility, strength, and support, could mean the difference between sitting on the bench to recover or staying healthy and playing regularly in competitions."

ESPT is better equipped than any other clinic in Fremont to address the issues these young athletes face. With the only Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist in the city leading the clinical team, you can be sure that each treatment program will be individualized for the injured athlete's particular sport and needs.

One key in treating young athletes is to remember that children are not little adults. Things that you can use in designing programs for grown-ups, need to be modified when you are dealing with an immature musculoskeletal system. "The last thing we want to do is cause more harm, when we are trying to do good," say Chun.

Another reason ESPT is more appropriately suited for these young athletes, is the fact that they can offer the most 1-on-1 Physical Therapist time in Fremont. With children, we can't expect them to have the same attention span as adults. So most children cannot be left alone to perform exercises. They need proper supervision and instruction at all times. This will allow for greater adherence to to proper technique and successful completion of each and every treatment session. This practice model is why we will afford the greatest opportunity for success when working with young athletes.

Combine our clinical expertise and first-class service with some of the newest, cutting-edge equipment and it's not hard to see why ESPT should be your first choice for an Outpatient Physical Therapy clinic in Fremont. Not just for young athletes, but for patients of all ages.

For more information about our services and how we can help you get rid of pain and get back in the game, contact us at 510.656.3777 or check us out at www.espt-ca.com.

Change In Physical Therapy On The Horizon?

In it's June 2010 report to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is recommending a policy option to exclude physical therapy from the in-office ancillary services (IOAS) exception. This would be a start in prohibiting physician self-referral for physical therapy services. A step that the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) supports and will help eliminate abusive financial patterns by these physicians and help maintain the quality of physical therapy care for patients.

In chapter 8 of their report, MedPAC highlights the rapid growth of physical therapy services provided in physicians' offices and shows that some of the services ordered by those physicians are not clinically appropriate. Specifically the report states that these ancillary services "experienced rapid volume growth under the physician fee schedule from 2003 to 2008... the volume of outpatient therapy services rose by an average of 11.4% per beneficiary per year."

Until there is legislation enacted to effectively end physician-owned physical therapy practices, our best advice to you as a patient is: Do your due diligence. You have the right to choose which physical therapist you go to, regardless of who your physician refers you to. And if they refer you to a facility they have a financial interest in, they are obligated to disclose that to you.

At Elite Sports Physical Therapy, we are committed to not only providing you with the highest level of care in the Fremont area, but we hope to educate you regarding your rights and privileges as a patient. We want you to feel empowered by having control over the quality of care you receive.

Feel free to compare us at www.espt-ca.com to any other facility in Fremont. We are confident that you won't find better clinical care, customer service, and cutting edge equipment anywhere else. We would be glad to answer any of your questions as well at 510.656.3777.

For more information about physician owned practices, check out our previous blog here.

Pilates Options Grow At ESPT!!

New to Elite Sports Physical Therapy this month is the EXO Chair by Balanced Body. This beautifully crafted piece of pilates equipment delivers a "unique and fun, full-body workout," according to the Balanced Body website.

The pilates chair gives therapists and patients a plethora of new exercises not previously available with other equipment. Challenging cardio and aerobic workouts can be performed with the chair and it is great for individual use by patients of all levels. From elite athletes to pregnant women to seniors, the EXO Chair allows for strengthening, flexibility, endurance, balance, and core work in a fun, new modality.

For more information about the EXO Chair or to sign up for classes with our pilates expert, Charissa Chaban, PT, ATC, please contact ESPT at 510.656.3777. Feel free to check us out at our website: www.espt-ca.com.

Physical Therapy Advice On YouTube

One of the most important things for any business owner, is the ability to communicate with their clients. Addressing their needs, is one very important way to ensure that you are being relevant and current.

In the near future, Elite Sports Physical Therapy (ESPT) will be posting videos on YouTube on numerous physical therapy and health/wellness topics. Be on the lookout at our channel at: www.youtube.com/user/EliteSportsPT. Subscribe and you'll be notified when we post new videos.

For a little taste of what we're about, check out this awesome promo video shot and produced for us by one of the Bay Area's Premier Event Filmmakers, Andrew Hsu, of StudioMSV:

Care Credit Coming April 1st

Beginning April 1st, even more people will be able to access Fremont's Best Physical Therapy facility. By using CareCredit to help cover medical costs, our patients can receive the medical care they need, when they need it.

We understand the difficulties people are facing in this economic time. With rising health care premiums and out-of-pocket costs, people often delay care for themselves because they are not able to afford even the cost of a co-payment (which insurance companies are also raising). With care credit helping to defray some of those costs, patients can now access physical therapy when it is necessary, not when it is convenient.

How Does It Work
CareCredit is basically a credit card that you can use in health care practices nationwide. From dentists to cosmetic surgeons, vision care to even veterinary medicine, CareCredit allows patients to start treatment immediately and pay balances over time with low minimum monthly payments. By using CareCredit, patients can also avoid dipping into their credit cards for health care expenses, saving their available credit for other financial emergencies.


You can apply for CareCredit 3 easy ways: 1) In person in our office, 2) Online at www.carecredit.com, 3) By phone at (800) 365-8295.

CareCredit can be used for co-pays, outstanding balances, and any durable medical goods that we sell. It can also be applied to charges for other family members and can be used at other participating medical providers. For more details, please check out CareCredit's website or call Elite Sports Physical Therapy at 510.656.3777.