Category: MSPT Blog

Another Mountain State success story! Gavyn Owens is a sophomore football & baseball player at North Marion HS. Gavyn experienced an athlete’s worst nightmare last September when he suffered a torn ACL while playing football. Gavyn underwent ACL reconstruction by Dr. Chad Micucci in late September. He started physical therapy soon after at our Mannington office with Board-Certified Sports Specialist Chris Moore.

Gavyn worked extremely hard in PT for more than 6 months to strengthen his knee and to regain agility & speed. Gavyn finally returned to baseball late last week. In his 2nd at-bat of the season, he drove in 2 runs to give North Marion the lead and the win against Lincoln. On Thursday, Gavyn was again instrumental in leading the Huskies to an 11-5-win vs rival Fairmont Senior scoring 2 runs. Congrats Gavyn on a successful return to baseball!

Another Mountain State success story! Ryan Hawkins arrived at our Fairmont office with complaints of debilitating back pain and balance issues. Prior to starting physical therapy he was having a fear of falling with most activities on his feet and he was having difficulty with stairs. Ryan also had terrible back pain with bending & lifting tasks.
Ryan was treated by Gabe Wilson DPT, OCS and Tim Elliott PTA. PT treatment consisted of hands-on lumbar mobilizations and LE stretching. Ryan also completed core stability exercises (bridges, table planks, rows on PB), functional lifts like RDL, sled pushing, and dynamic balance activities on unstable surfaces to address strength and balance.
Ryan’s pain and function improved dramatically with PT. Recently he was able to compete in the State Special Olympics and earned a silver medal! Congratulations Ryan!

Mountain State Physical Therapy would like to welcome Noah Woods DPT to our staff! Noah will serve as a staff physical therapist at our Mannington location. 

Noah graduated from West Liberty University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology and went on to graduate from West Virginia University with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree in May of 2022. Noah is now pursuing his interests in orthopedics and sports-related injuries.

We want to celebrate those that have graduated from WVU in the physical therapy program! This program reached its 50th year and is continuing to flourish with many more going through the program. We have seven alumni that work with us here at Mountain State Physical Therapy!

Another Mountain State Success Story! Jeremiah Carpenter is a senior basketball player at Lincoln High School who fractured his ankle during pre season. After surgical intervention Jeremiah started rehab with Paige Hacker, PT to regain his mobility, strength, and balance. After working with the Shinnston staff at MSPT, Jeremiah was able to return to basketball to finish out his senior season. MSPT would like to wish Jeremiah and the Lincoln Cougars good luck as they approach the post season.
If you are experiencing pain or have an injury that is preventing you from competing or performing at your highest level and want to return to your prior level of function as quickly as possible, call and schedule an appointment at one of our MSPT locations today!

The American Physical Therapy Association established the specialist certification program to formally recognize physical therapists with advanced clinical knowledge, experience, and skills in a special area of practice and to help consumers/patients and the health care community identify these physical therapists. These physical therapists have become part of an elite community of health care professionals dedicated to exceptional patient care through specialized training and education.

Clinical specialization in physical therapy responds to a specific area of patient need and requires knowledge, skill, and experience exceeding that of the physical therapist at entry level into the profession.

A few stated purposes of the APTA Specialist Certification Program are:

• Promote the highest possible level of care for individuals seeking physical therapist services
• Provide a reliable and valid method for certification of individuals who have attained an advanced level of knowledge and skill in each specialty area.
• Assist consumers, the health care community, and others in identifying certified clinical specialists in each specialty area.

Mountain State Physical Therapy is dedicated to providing our patients and their communities with exceptional quality of care and outcomes. We have strongly encouraged our physical therapists to pursue specialist certification and they have responded. We currently boast :

• 6 Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialists (OCS)
• 1 Board-Certified Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS)
• 1 Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT)

**Quick Facts:

< 5% of all PT’s are Board-Certified Specialists in any area

< 3% of PT’s are OCS and < 1% of PT’s are SCS or AAOMPT                      

Clinical Specialists and Office locations are:

Andrew Barrish, PT, OCS and AAOMPT– Harrisville and Fairmont Clinics, MSPT President and CEO

Chris Moore, PT, OCS and SCS – Mannington Clinic, MSPT Vice President of Marketing/Development

Adam West, PT, OCS – Shinnston Clinic, MSPT Vice President of Operations

Gabe Wilson, PT, OCS – Fairmont Clinic

Paige Hacker, PT, OCS – Shinnston Clinic

Ben Ray, PT, OCS – Weston Clinic

Mountain State PT would like to recognize some of our former patients who were named to All-State football teams last week. All of these young men overcame injuries & returned to top form on the football field! Congratulations!
1st Team:
Jeremiah King RB, Robert C Byrd
2nd Team:
Tyler Curry LB, North Marion
Evan Dennison DB, Fairmont Senior
Levi Moore Util., Lincoln
Honorable Mention:
Brody Hall QB, North Marion

How to Choose a Physical Therapist

1. Know your rights! If your physician refers you to a certain facility or clinic you ARE NOT OBLIGATED to schedule/attend PT at that facility. By law, you have the right to choose where you receive physical therapy treatment.
2. Choose a physical therapist and a physical therapy location/company who have a great deal of experience.
3. Choose a PT who is a Board-Certified Specialist through the American Physical Therapy Association. These physical therapists have been recognized as having advanced clinical knowledge, experience, and advanced skills in their specialty area of practice. Most common in outpatient physical therapy are specialists in Orthopedics(OCS) and Sports(SCS). You can find specialists in your area at abpts.org or at choosept.com.
4. Choose a location that is convenient for you and have appointments that fit your schedule. This will increase your chances of attending your appointments and thus increase your chances for a positive outcome.
5. Ask if the physical therapy clinic accepts your insurance company. Receiving treatment from a participating physical therapist/clinic will minimize your financial burden.

*At Mountain State Physical Therapy we offer 6 convenient locations in North Central West Virginia: Fairmont, Mannington, Shinnston, Clarksburg, Weston, and Harrisville.

*We also proudly offer SEVEN Board-Certified Clinical Specialists, which is unmatched by any physical therapy facility in the area.

*We also offer Dry Needling at 4 locations including Kristen Maraney who is a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Specialist (CMTPT) and Chris Moore is the only PT in the area certified in Post-Concussion Management(AIB-CON)

*We offer appointments as late as 6 pm and as early as 7:30 and we accept ALL insurance plans including workers compensation.

Remember, choosing a PT is your choice! Choose the Board-Certified Specialists at Mountain State PT!

Here at MSPT we are celebrating National Physical Therapy Month! We love serving and treating the residents of North Central West Virginia!