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Voyage LA Article – Meet Rick Rafael of SportsFit Physical Therapy in Santa Monica

Today we'd like to introduce you to Rick Rafael.


Thanks for sharing your story with us Rick. So, let's start at the beginning and we can move on from there.

I studied biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California. Upon graduating I started to work at Accenture doing technology and process consultation to fortune 500 companies. However, a few years into my career as a consultant, I realized that my passion was in health and wellness. I therefore, decided to leave the technology field, in order to be able to apply myself in the field of health and wellness. I worked as a trainer and martial arts instructor while completing my doctorate program. After graduating as a physical therapist, I then completed a residency program at Kaiser Permanente and obtained board certification in orthopedics. After a few years of working at various clinics, I established SportsFit in 2010 with the intention of providing the highest quality of service to every patient. It is more than rewarding to hear from patients, colleagues and referring physicians that they consider SportsFit the gold standard for a physical therapy clinic and to have been recognized as a leader in our field.


Has it been a smooth road?

Many of the obstacles that I had considered prior to the inception of SportsFit proved to be less of a challenge than initially imagined. However, we ran into several other challenges and growing pains in the last 6 years. Our business plan had identified and planned for competition, marketing, resources, and equipment needed. However, managing several employees all with different backgrounds and expectations was definitely a learning process for me.


So, as you know, we're impressed with SportsFit Physical Therapy - tell our readers more, for example, what you're most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.

My vision for SportsFit has always been to lead a healthy and happy environment optimized for the offering of excellence in the service we offer to our patients and the positions we create for our employees. We are proud to have been able to offer more than 60,000 treatment sessions as a team. At SportsFit, most of our patients are referred by a friend or family. In many cases we have treated entire family members, whom have referred each other to SportsFit for different reasons. I consider this a huge compliment and one of the most important reasons to our success as a clinic. In an economy where insurance providers continue to raise member premiums and reduce provider reimbursements, what keeps us going is the positive feedback we receive from patients on a daily basis. To have been able to assist the recovery and healing of so many patients and leading them back to a healthy and active life is a priceless reward for all of us at SportsFit.

What sets SportsFit apart as a clinic, is the ability to offer a multidisciplinary approach to therapy by providing physical therapy interventions, including orthopedic and sports rehabilitation, Pilates, Acupuncture, therapeutic yoga, therapeutic massage, and sports performance sessions to our patients. At SportsFit, our patients are always treated by a doctor of physical therapy and receive one-on-one treatments for their entire hour long session, receiving true quality care. Our patients benefit from utilizing a 5,000sq-ft therapy and fitness facility at a state of the art clinic with the highest quality of sports & therapy equipment.


Let's touch on your thoughts about our city - what do you like the most and least?

I honestly believe that Santa Monica is one of the best cities in the world. Almost perfect weather, proximity to the beach, access to a variety of different resources, places, and events make our city a fun and exciting place to live. The main issue with a large city like Los Angeles is traffic. I believe the secret to living in LA is to live close to your work in order to limit your commute. Saving time on the daily commute makes everything else much more effortless.

VoyageLA

Benefits and Application of Foam Rolling in Physical Therapy

Some of the goals of using a foam roller during a patient’s rehabilitation include improving performance and flexibility, reducing post exercise soreness, reduce recovery time and help alleviate muscle pain/tightness.

The term used for Foam rolling in physical therapy is “self-myofascial release”. “Fascia” refers to the connective tissue that binds muscles together. By applying pressure in the form of myofascial release using a foam roller, you help improve and guide blood circulation to the region to assist the healing process and reducing muscle tightness.

A recent study in the Journal of Sports Rehabilitation found that foam rolling coupled with static stretching could increase range of motion more than stretching alone (study was focused on the hip range of motion). Other studies have found benefits such as “less muscle soreness, better vertical leap and greater flexibility”. It has also been found that foam rolling may activate the central nervous system which registers and reacts to pain. The nervous system also regulates functions such as blood flow and heart rate. Therefore foam rolling is thought to improve arterial flexibility and vascular function.

Other benefits of foam rolling as a form of myofascial release are similar to the benefits of massage therapy such as relaxation of the nervous system through the reduction of stress hormones (i.e. cortisol).

It is suggested to use foam rolling before exercise to work on improving mobility and range of motion and to use the foam roller after exercise in order to help prevent muscle soreness.

Patient Spot Light – Get Fit for Soccer

"I came to Sportsfit immediately following my first major sports injury in the beginning of 2016. Very quickly, Dr. Rebecca Pitts, her assistant Olivia, and the rest of the team came up with fun yet challenging ways to bolster my strength and my confidence. I left every session feeling energized, more knowledgeable of my prognosis and treatment plan, well-looked out for, and of course noticing a little of that good “burn” from a workout. Soon, exercises evolved from just tensing my quads to jump squats and barbell deadlifts. I was so happy with my experience that I continued training with personal trainer Olivia outside of SportsFit after my insurance ran out. Nine months out of surgery, I am able to go on hikes and kick the ball around with friends, and see my goal of being back on the soccer field not far ahead."

~Evan Choate