ATI Physical Therapy celebrates one year in Five Points

Nearly a year has passed since physical therapist Joe Skyopec relocated to the Cape Region from northern Delaware to open a new ATI clinic. Since then, he says, the expansion has allowed the company to provide a full range of therapies statewide.

"We treat a variety of conditions, from orthopedic to neurologic and pediatric conditions," Skyopec said from his clinic in the Villages at Five Points.

ATI offers doctor-prescribed rehabilitation for chronic and lower back pain, lower extremity and shoulder dysfunction, joint pain, manual and exercise therapies and personalized treatment plans to reduce pain, improve mobility and reduce the risk of subsequent injuries.

The Lewes location has easy access to a therapy pool in Rehoboth and locations in Millsboro, Georgetown and Milford also share resources to provide better access to cutting-edge therapeutic modalities for many clients.

Aquatic therapy in Rehoboth is useful for low-impact joint rehabilitation. Other therapies include vestibular rehabilitation for balance and certified hand therapy to restore function after a surgery or injury.

Functional capacity evaluations are available at most locations, and a work conditioning rehabilitation program, called Functional Integration Rehabilitation Strength Training, efficiently gets workers back on the job

"We also do a lot of work for patients who may be injured at work or may have a physically demanding job like a firefighter," Skyopec said.

Reconditioning and physical therapy for these clients presents its own set of challenges, he said.

"We see the injured worker basically as an industrial athlete," Skyopec said. "Going from four to six hours of therapy a week to a 40-hour workweek is difficult, so we increase their workload here in a supervised environment to try to transition them back safely."

In Lewes, the physical therapist also offers dry needling, a therapeutic technique that requires the use of a small, monofilament needle to penetrate the skin and activate a local twitch response for spontaneous contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers.

Although the needles may look the same, Skyopec carefully differentiated dry needling from acupuncture.

"We use the same needle, but everything else is different," he said. "It's based in Western neuroanatomy, and we use it to treat the musculoskeletal tissue. Basically, we are trying to normalize the mechanical, electrical and biochemical components of muscle."

To mark the one-year anniversary, Skyopec said the company is offering complimentary screenings at all of its locations. Assessments are completed by a licensed provider and include range of motion, muscle strength, joint, stability and soft-tissue restriction screenings.

These screenings can help identify problems early and make recommendations to address the source of pain, expedite healing and prevent future injuries.

Since his arrival in the Cape Region last fall, Skyopec said he is already enjoying a better quality of life in lower Delaware, which is the same gift he hopes to help his clients achieve.

"I always wanted to treat in the community where I live," he said. "It's great down here, and it's nice to be part of the community."

ATI Physical Therapy offers flexible scheduling and transportation. For information, contact ATI clinic at the Villages at Five Points, Lewes, by calling 302-827-5123 or go to ATIpt.com.