At Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers, the focus is on preventing those with balance and vestibular issues from falling, which could ultimately save their life

By Patricia Nugent

The spelling of Fyzical Therapy and Balance Center may strike you as a little unorthodox, but it’s metaphorical to how different this place is from anything you think you know about physical therapy.

Opening this month in the Williamsburg Square Shopping Center in Westlake, Fyzical specializes in treating pain and improving balance through leading-edge therapies and rehabilitation.

“While Fyzical Therapy and Balance Centers may be new to the westside of Cleveland, it is part of a nationwide network of franchises with 480 other Fyzical’s across the country. This is the first of several that we plan to open in Northeast Ohio,” says owner Eric Stacks.

With 22 years of experience in the medical equipment distribution sales space, Eric spent much of his career interacting with physical therapists.

“I got to know lots of people who worked for Fyzical and they were fanatical about how much they loved the company’s culture in providing proactive, patient-centered care,” he says. “I was thinking about going to work for the company’s headquarters in Florida, when the chance to own a franchise in Westlake fell into my lap at the last minute. I felt there was a strong need on the West Side that was not being met.”

Specialties at the Center include:

• Vestibular Rehabilitation
• Balance Therapy
• Neurological Rehabilitation
• Post-Concussion Care
• TMJ
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• BodyQ (functional movement assessment)
• Orthopedic Rehab

Whatever the approach to treatment, patients review their experience at Fyzical with five-star testimonials.

Take Margaret S., who suffered from shoulder pain: “From the first phone call to the first encounter at the front desk, the therapists and workers, the service, the smiles and especially the knowledge that enabled the therapist to provide me with the therapy I needed most, all worked together to create an amazing and positive experience.”

Advanced Tools
One of the many tools Fyzical therapists tap into is called SOS, or a Safety Overhead Support system. Utilizing a harness and trolley attached to a track on the ceiling allows patients to put aside their walkers if they use them and walk safely supported on their own during therapy.

“The system allows patients to get stronger without fear of falling,” says Eric. “Another amazing tool are IVOG (infrared video-oculography) blackout goggles. They allow us to evaluate and better treat patients struggling with vestibular issues. IVOG lets us see movement of the eye to identify vestibular impairment that may not be visible to the naked eye. This is often directly related to vertigo and dizziness. They take our vestibular program to the next level. I’d say we are one of a handful of practices in Ohio to offer these advanced diagnostic and therapeutic tools.”

No Physician Referral
Oftentimes in healthcare, people feel as if they are shuffled from one doctor to another. Their primary care doctor may refer them to a neurologist, who may refer them to another specialist. But with Fyzical, it doesn’t have to be that way.

“The good news for anyone suffering from orthopedic pain , or for those in need of treatment for balance or neurological issues, is that Ohio is a Direct Access state, meaning that you don’t need a doctor’s referral in order to come in for an initial evaluation. Our team will then work directly with your primary care physician on a plan of care,” says Eric.

“Just give us a call or make an appointment online. I feel people on the west side will appreciate the ease and convenience of getting their therapy in a quiet location that’s here in the neighborhood.”

Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers of Westlake is located within the Williamsburg Square Shopping Center, at 25955 Detroit Road. Call 440-385-7278 or visit Fyzical.com/westlake-oh/ for more information.