Page Text: Combining physical therapy and community.
Mark and some of his team members at Lake Washington Physical Therapy. Mark warns to not try pose at home!
This month we’re featuring Lake Washington Physical Therapy (LWPT) which opened a facility at 1309 Harbor Ave SW Suite A here in West Seattle, in 2021. We spoke with Mark Bouma , who with his wife, Laura , are owners of LWPT, and head up the West Seattle team.
ACC: LWPT is currently showcasing artwork by Seattle artists through the month of April. It's great that local artists have a unique venue in which they can display their artwork. What was the inspiration behind doing this?
LWPT: Laura is a big fan of art. We displayed some prints when we opened up, but always thought it would be awesome to showcase original local art. Out of pure luck, we had an artist come in who thought the space would be a perfect "gallery" setting due to the natural light and wall space. She was kind enough to curate the artwork. This is the second installation (the first was "landscapes", and the next in the lineup may be "flowers" in time for spring. Stay tuned!). We love combining an artistic and creative aspect in our clinic with the science part of PT. Plus, we get to showcase some of the amazing talent that we have in our community!
ACC: We understand that you and your family live in West Seattle. What do you like best about living in this community?
LWPT: The best thing for us, and of course you have heard this before, is that there is such a strong sense of community. We see people we know all around town–at the grocery store, park, the junction, and we stop to chat. It feels a bit like a small town in that way. Everyone is willing to help each other out and wants the best for their neighbors–that's the kind of community we're proud to be a part of and we hope to contribute to.
ACC: These days, what are the most common types of injuries or post-surgeries for which LWPT provides physical therapy for?
LWPT: The most common problem we see is usually related to low back pain. We also treat many patients with different shoulder and knee conditions, both non-surgical and post-surgical. In the era of COVID, we have seen a fair share of issues brought on by changes in activity levels, poor ergonomics, stress, and altered routines. One example is how computer work has moved to the kitchen table rather than in an ergonomic office.
We also see a lot of problems with dramatic changes in activity–starting a new exercise program, stopping workouts/activity, returning to heavy activity after a long hiatus. All of these types of injuries are an interesting side effect of the pandemic. A large part of what we do revolves around education and prevention to reduce the risk of injury and optimize movement patterns.
One thing many people do not know is that patients have direct access to be seen by a physical therapist. Most insurance plans do not require a physician prescription prior to starting physical therapy. After the evaluation, we communicate our findings to your physician. If our evaluation warrants further medical workup, we refer you to the appropriate provider and will resume physical therapy when you are ready.
ACC: What else would you like people to know about LWPT?
LWPT: We are big on education and collaboration here. If there is a patient who is not improving as we expect, we set aside time in our schedules for mentorship to discuss the case, and share techniques.
NOTE TO READERS: Mark told ACC that as one of just a few physical therapists in the area who is a Certified Fellowship Instructor, he has the good fortune to be able to consult with other PTs in the region working toward their own orthopedic Fellowship (which is a post-graduate pathway toward advanced training) to watch them treat patients, discuss techniques, and learn from his feedback.
LWPT: Another main pillar of who we are is giving back—both to our employees and the community. Our physical therapy aides and front office team are motivated to pursue a career in physical therapy, so we provide training and education to help them reach their goals. We are very proud to support the development of our team as they start their journey into physical therapy and allied health graduate programs.
For our own community, we sponsor events such as the Loop the ‘Lupe , and the Orca Half , as well as provide free monthly community talks at West Seattle Runner . In April, we are hosting a Community Running Workshop presented by an internationally recognized physical therapist. We will be donating 100% of the $10 registration fee to West Side Baby . For our broader community, our charity this month is the Red Cross to help Ukraine. (You can read more and donate online at lakewashingtonpt.com .) Also, we are active members of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce .
Mark Bouma, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT, CFI
Laura Bouma, PT, DPT, COMT, FAAOMPT, CFI, TPIc
Justin Applegate, PT, DPT, CSCS
Alison Read, PT, DPT, CEEAA
April Johnson, PT, DPT
Aaron Jeong, SPT, DPT Intern
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