With six area locations and specialized services at each, Ferrell-Whited Physical Therapy is helping patients beat the pain and stay well

By Laura Briedis

It’s been said that nothing is so healing as the human touch. At Ferrell-Whited Physical Therapy Services, the expertly trained hands of the therapists elevate healing to another level.

More than just restorative, physical therapy can be life changing. Whether recovering from surgery, suffering from chronic back pain, dealing with urinary incontinence or balance issues, or healing from a sports injury, you don’t have to live with pain.

“If there is one thing we learned in 2020 it is that we need to take care of ourselves, and make wellness a top priority,” says Dana Graf, LPT, co-owner of Ferrell-Whited. “So now in 2021, get back to doing what you do well—with help from a physical therapist.”

One of the few therapist-owned clinics in the area, Ferrell-Whited provides a patient-centered, small-town perspective that focuses on one-on-one, hands-on care. It is this small private practice atmosphere that Ferrell-Whited has built over 30 years that has catapulted it to a leading medical provider with six locations throughout Northeast Ohio.

“Compared to large hospital systems, we can provide more personalized care at a more affordable price,” says Dana. “Because we have lower overhead, our fee schedules are one-third the cost of what hospitals charge.”

“As a patient, you have a choice to go to whichever provider you choose for physical therapy,” she adds. “Right now, everyone’s deductibles start over, which makes it a good time to seek out care.”

The physical therapists at Ferrell-Whited treat everything from arthritis and headaches to vertigo and imbalance to back pain, knee pain, fibromyalgia, overuse injuries, tendonitis, sprains, strains and fractures, as well as offer rehab therapy following surgery.

“We also treat many high school athletes from Highland, Medina, Wadsworth and other surrounding cities to help them rehab from injuries,” says Dana.

Very personable and caring, Dana has both a psychology and a physical therapy degree. She primarily works in the Sharon Crossings/Montrose Clinic, which opened in 2017, but also sees patients in the other locations.

Within the private practice network, there are warm-water therapy pools in the Medina and Rootstown offices, dedicated pediatric equipment in the main clinic in Medina, and a women’s health focus at the Russell Park office in Medina.

“We offer adjunct services at all our locations, including dry needling, cupping and kinesio taping,” says Dana, noting that insurance covers these services. “We were one of the first in the area to bring in dry needling, and now these services are becoming more prevalent.”

“In addition to the therapies we offer in our office, our goal is to teach patients how to self-manage their health,” she adds. “We offer hands-on care in a friendly, family-like atmosphere.”

Covid Fallouts
Some of us who have kept the virus at bay might still be suffering from the effects of the pandemic.

“During this stay-at-home period, people have been spending so much time inside their homes that it has led to other problems,” says Dana. “We have been treating patients and helping them resolve these Covid fallouts.”

Here, Dana shares three health issues to look out for and how she can help.

• Foot ailments. When we wear shoes all day, like we did when going to the office or school, they provide foot support. However, now with more people working and studying at home, we have seen more plantar fasciitis and other foot issues—often caused by walking barefoot in the house.

Physical therapists can teach patients stretches they can do at home that will strengthen the muscles to help support the arches, as well as recommend better shoe choices to wear in the house.

• Bad posture. Many people are working in home offices, which usually are not set up ergonomically like in a corporate setting. When you work on a laptop, you bring your eyes and hands to a forward position, which can cause neck and shoulder strain.

Instead of working on the couch or kitchen table, try moving your computer to a higher table—even on top of a dresser—so you create a standing desk option for part of the day. There are many postural exercises the team at Ferrel-Whited teaches its patients that will help improve posture and lessen neck and shoulder pain.

• Pain when exercising. People have been walking more this past year to take breaks from being stuck in the house. However, those who have pain while exercising can become easily discouraged from engaging in beneficial physical activity.

Physical therapy can help you get past the pain and get you back on track so you can keep exercising—and reap all the health benefits of physical activity.

Ferrell-Whited Physical Therapy’s Sharon Crossings/Montrose Clinic is at 784 Medina Road, Suite 103. There are five additional offices in Medina, Kent, Rootstown and Berea. For an appointment, call 234-248-4017. Ferrell-Whited accommodates patients who need early morning and evenings appointments. For more information, visit FerrellWhited.com.