Chelsea is fantastic. Every time we see her she listens and responds in a thoughtful and thorough way. I highly recommend her to everyone.
Primal PT has literally changed my life. I have over a decade of chronic pain management from an accident and within a few months of weekly sessions with Eric, I had more mobility and considerably less pain with no meds for the first time in years. They genuinely want to help you feel better no matter how tricky of a case you might be. It is such a different experience than going to a chain pt with one person and five patients all doing their own exercises at the same time, it's hard to compare.
My son referred me to Eric and the first session was productive and I am pleased with the result. Eric inspires confidence.
I’ve met with Dr. Eric Abramowitz a handful of times for help with some acute and some lingering injuries. Eric’s personal attention, knowledge, and genuine interest in fixing my issues is unrivaled compared to any other physical therapy experience I’ve had (and with my knees - I’ve had plenty of experiences!). Extremely friendly team, very modern facility, and flexible scheduling. Totally worth it. Highly recommend.
Dry needling is not a part of PA's PT practice laws, so desperation is what led me to this private practice 1 hour away from my home.They charge by 15 minute increments that vary based on the practitioner. You pay more for the more experienced, more popular clinicians. I worked with Eric, largely because he had availability and some good reviews online.Eric performed a whole body assessment and prescribed exercises that targeted whole body strength and stabilization that were helpful and I still value them to this day. The dry needling was more to help with my limited range of motion as stretching alone was not effective.If you have never had dry needling, honestly, it can be quite painful. Acupuncture is significantly less painful but usually less effective. Dry needling I've found is best for releasing trigger points in the muscles but not as great at helping release myofasical adhesions. The more dysfunction in the area, the more painful the needling is unfortunately. Lidocaine shots, I've found, to be a little less painful but also very effective at releasing trigger points. For your reference, lidocaine shots can be done by a physician once every 4-6 weeks and may be covered by your insurance.I've found that for dry needling (or any trigger point release) to be most effective, the clinician should feel the muscle belly to identify the trouble spots then insert the needle directly there. Eric could of done a better job of this, as at times it just seemed like he was searching with the needle along the muscle and then adjusting based off the response. However I understand how this can be awkward especially when the clinician and the patient are of the opposite sex. Also Eric avoided my hip adductors until my last session despite my frequent complaints and tightness, but likely also for the same reason.I attended for around 5 sessions, coming approximately once every 2 weeks which we both agreed seemed reasonable. I made some progress but not a ton. Eric attributed this to me not performing the exercises enough. He spent 15 minutes lecturing me on this my last session and charged me for those extra 15 minutes that I did not book or allot for, which again is expensive. Also this turned out being bad advice as no amount of these exercises solved my problem. However I do appreciate him pushing me out of the clinic, as it was clear that he could no longer help and it wasn't worth the investment of my time and money. I do wish he wouldn't have thrown the blame onto me though.I had significantly more success finding a PT who specialized in myofasical release and could also perform trigger point release by hand. She was also able to give me more individualized care as she kept notes on my progress and had the bonus of being much cheaper.Overall I think this facility is good and Eric did the best he could. I wish him the best and think this facility will only improve in the future. If you haven't tried dry needling or other forms of trigger point release yet, it could be exactly what you need. I think they will help you 9 out of 10 times, especially if your problem isn't chronic and doesn't involve nerve pain. I do think it's incredibly valuable that they take a whole body approach, I just personally didn't have a great experience. I hope this review helps someone who might be as desperate as I was. You can get better, you just need to find the clinican who is right for you.
Visiting Primal Physical Therapy has changed my life.My experience with Dr. Jessica Calderon has been particularly remarkable. Her dedication to healing is not only evident but also infectious. Jessica's blend of energy and expertise instilled in me a renewed hope for recovery, a belief I had started to lose. Her commitment to understanding and addressing my specific needs has been a key factor in my positive progress.Thanks to their collective expertise, my chronic back pain no longer affects my quality of life.For anyone struggling with persistent pain and feeling helpless, I urge you to give this place a try.And the cherry on top, is the ambiance. Gorgeous interior that feels open, fresh and intimate all at once.10 out of 10!!!I will provide another update/review in a few months!
Update 4/6: I had my second in person session today. He’s still the best.It’s so nice to finally work with someone that knows what they’re doing. Eric is smart, confident, competent and knowledgeable. He takes a great functional approach to rehab that is so hard to find. First he put me on a 6 week exercise program after just a FaceTime call and exchange of messages. After that program I had already felt significant progress. I was then able to see him in person for an assessment and dry needling. I left feeling better immediately. I’m so excited to continue working with him and finally correct the issues from a 2+ year old injury. Highly recommend seeing Eric and his team for treatment.
