Page 88 - Southern Oregon Magazine Winter 2018

feature | caring for body & soul

THERAPEUTIC Associates

After an injury or an event that puts
your body out of kilter and in pain,
people often seek physical therapy.
Along with the pain, they are frus-
trated with their new limitations.
David Standifer, Physical Therapist
and clinic director of Therapeutic
Associates Central Point, says, “My
purpose is to give my patients activi-
ties that will get them back to their
regular lives. It’s important to me that
people don’t simply live with the pain,
but understand that they can do all the
activities they love without that nag-
ging discomfort in the background.”
It takes hard work on the part of both
therapist and patient, but is well worth
the effort.

Sometimes the process produces dra-
matic results. Patients who participate
in competitive sports have been able
to compete once more, sometimes
with greater proficiency than before.
Standifer recommends people come
in for a yearly checkup. Imbalances in
muscles or joints could lead to future
injuries that are identifiable and pre-
ventable, potentially avoiding long-
term injuries and invasive surgeries.
(You don’t always need a doctor’s
referral to see a physical therapist.)

Because people come in two or three
times a week, Standifer gets to know
them personally—their background,
recreational choices, their families. He
works one-on-one with patients, and
feels that along with the bodywork, his
job is encouragement, helping people
get better step-by-step.

The office utilizes an open space for-
mat, allowing patients to encourage
each other and offer tips and sugges-
tions. Therapeutic Associates works
toward functional activities rather
than just exercises—walking, squat-
ting, stepping—things people do in
their daily lives.

86 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | winter 2018