I came to see Ted Ellquist in 2009 with severe pain in my upper back and lower neck. I had not heard of the Mckenzie Method, but found it to be a great help with my specific problem. I was suffering also from TMJ and sleeping badly. Between a new TMJ appliance, vitamin D and Ted's help, I have transitioned into a much happier chapter of my life. I am sleeping better and able to avoid or address the cause of my neck pain, which was poor head/body alignment.

Ted helped move me into a whole new area of awareness about how my sleeping position, with my head pulled far forward, was causing me to wake up each and every morning, for years, with bad neck pain. I am walking with greater neck awareness, and I am easily able to do the activities I love, including recycling, trash pick up and invasive plant removal. Also, I was impressed with Ted's availability and willingness to check in with me by phone. I wholeheartedly recommend him to any with postural issues or physical pain. He really helped me a lot with his knowledge and support.

     Carol S.

"Dear Ted,
I am happy to tell anyone who wants to listen that I consider my course of physical therapy at Back In Action to have been absolutely critical to my physical and emotional recovery from surgery.

My neurosurgeon is a rock star. As far as I'm concerned, he worked a miracle when he surgically stabilized my three lumbar vertebrae. The surgery is invasive. Eight weeks afterward, I was cleared to begin physical therapy. At that point, I still had a lot of healing to do.

I had worked with Ted at Back in Action before my surgery, and I was confident that he was the one I should entrust with my recovery. It was the right choice. The strengthening and stretching exercises that Ted taught me were crucial to my healing. He broke them down to the simplest components so that I could achieve them and gain that important sense of progress without causing too much discomfort or any damage. He taught me how much discomfort was acceptable and how to know when I was pushing too hard.

Massage was critical in the healing process. In the first eight weeks after surgery, the wound on my back seemed to have an identity of its own. It wasn't really me, but just a source of pain and a point of invasion. There were titanium rods and screws under my skin, for Pete's sake! The first time that Ted gently massaged the scar tissue, I was brought to tears. I could feel something in that spot other than pain. My back really was a part of me after all. As my healing progressed, those weekly massages took on a different sort of importance. I came to know that I could push my exercises a little harder or be less reluctant to try some new activity because I could depend that Ted could ease the pain for me with the ultrasound and massage.

What I appreciate most about the six months of weekly appointments with Ted was that he genuinely cared about my progress. He was pleased when I announced, "I could tie my shoes today!" or "I walked my big dog this week!" or "I'm off all my pain meds!" or "Yesterday I ran uphill, and it didn't hurt much at all!". For me, these were not small victories, and he understood their importance. He applauded any progress I made, however small.

Thank you so much, Ted. I am certainly far better off now than I would have been without your help, guidance and encouragement."

     Rosemary McGrath

"I am feeling so much better overall since I first met with you and started the exercises you recommended. My posture has improved. My headaches have decreased in frequency and severity."

     Marjorie

"After more than 20 years of running, I started experiencing pain in my knee. Rather than learning that I should stop running or blaming age, Back In Action Physical Therapy gave me a sense of empowerment and a strength based approach to self care. Via exercises and education while I continued running :-) I now understand how I can continue to run painfree. Aging does not have to be synonymous with decline or physical trouble. Thank you!"

"I've seen Ted for nearly two years now for everything from elbow, ankle, shoulder, lower back and neck pain. His diagnosis and therapy plans have always resulted in me getting back to the activities I love. He gives detailed home activities to speed up recovery and always follows up with me to see how I'm doing. I highly recommend him."

     Jonathon

"Back In Action Physical Therapy got me back in action! After regular treatment I was able to return to golf and go on two golf vacations just 5 weeks after starting treatment."

     Marvin

"One day while getting off my bicycle on the way to work I developed debilitating back pain. When I went to physical therapy at Back In Action Physical Therapy, Ted thoroughly evaluated my condition, educated me on the findings and gave me simple to perform direction specific exercises which started to reduce my pain within the first day of starting the exercises. Since then I have been able to return to cycling and have started to jog short distances without developing back pain.

What I appreciate about the McKenzie Method is the detailed information that I received during treatment that allows me to understand and control my pain during the acute episode and the ability to prevent the return of my painful condition.

I highly recommend Ted for treatment if you want to eliminate pain through simple exercises or posture changes."

     Lori, RN age 52.

"Ted is knowledgeable, compassionate, and comprehensive. When my shoulder was weak from non-use as a result of a broken bone, Ted was able to survey my range of motion and observe the problem of weakness in the context of the sports I enjoy. In his office I learned a set of exercises which are suited to my challenges and to have all of my questions about the physical therapy process answered."

     James

"I went to see Ted for some chronic shoulder and arm pain. I had been referred by my doctor and was interested to see what "non traditional therapy" in my experience might do for this.

Ted and I worked together for several sessions. At first it was more exploratory but even on the first visit, he gave me some stretches and exercises to try out. What was challenging was that the symptoms I had did not seem to clearly mark out if it was tendon, muscle, or nerve that was having problems.

I kept coming back and found that within a very short amount of time I was seeing improvement in my discomfort. Moreover Ted was able to sort of hone in the area that was really the source of things. I am impressed to have had such a quick turnaround with my shoulder and am pleased to say with some continued exercise of that area I have had no further problems.

Thank you Ted."

     William Kaufman

"I respect Ted's work both for his careful methodology and for his calm, healing presence. I appreciate the way he listens, and also fully explains what's happening with an injury and its treatment. I send my clients to him when they need physical therapy, with full confidence that they'll receive excellent care."

     Sonia Connolly, LMT

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