Janice -

Originally from Washington State, Janice earned her BS in Biology while also playing collegiate volleyball at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. Tired of the rain, she moved to sunny San Diego after graduating for some surf and sand. But her heart was always in healthcare and she decided returned to school. She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and her Manual Therapy Certification from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in Florida with high honors in 2002. Since graduating, Janice has worked in a variety of physical therapy settings including acute care, skilled nursing, women’s health and neuro rehab, but her passion is still for orthopaedic sports medicine. She had the opportunity to teach for several years at the University of St. Augustine’s physical therapy graduate school in San Marcos, CA and completed a year-long Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy in 2011. She has now returned to the clinic full-time and plans to pursue some research in different aspects of physical therapy. When she is not in the clinic, Janice and her husband, Jared and two kids, Kelle and Naya can be found surfing, playing volleyball, soccer or biking around town.

Your Mother Told You To Stand Up Straight!

Written by Janice on March 13, 2013 | comments closed

People are always talking about posture – stand up straight, don’t slouch, watch your back! However, good posture is easier said than done. Good posture is really a very general term because so many factors go into achieving this goal. You must strengthen some of the smaller muscles of your body – namely some of the core muscles discussed in the last few weeks – and these muscles must be toned for endurance to last through an 8 hour workday or any other activity. Yet even focusing on increasing strength of these muscles is insufficient without first achieving proper alignment of the body.

The Powerhouse of the Spine

Written by Janice on February 27, 2013 | comments closed

Our last article discussed the “core” and its importance on stability of the spine. Without strong muscles to stabilize the spine during movements, exercise or to support when just sitting still, a person may find himself cracking his back, fidgeting when sitting or standing for long periods or develop pain. These are all signs of spinal instability.

Core, Core Everywhere!

Written by Janice on February 20, 2013 | comments closed

It seems that everywhere you go, you hear people talking about strengthening your “core”. But what IS your core? Essentially, your core consists of your lumbar spine, pelvis, abdominal muscles and back muscles. When we talk about strengthening your core, we are referring to your abdominal and back muscles which help stabilize your spine so when you perform your activities – getting out of a car, bending down to lift a box or play basketball – your spine is protected and does not shift. If your core muscles are not strong enough to keep your spine stable, you will often get pain with activities.

Kinesio Taping® – What is it and what does it do?

Written by Janice on February 6, 2013 | comments closed

If you have seen any sporting event in the last few years, you’ve undoubtedly seen Kinesio Taping^®. Although it has been around for many years, Kinesio Taping^® really gained its popularity following the 2008 Summer Olympic Games especially when many of the athletes wore Kinesio Tape^®. Since then, Kinesio Taping^® can be seen nearly everywhere, from professional athletes to patients with a variety of injuries here at ProActive Physical Therapy.

A Case Report: Effects of A Multifaceted Treatment Approach

Written by Janice on October 3, 2012 | comments closed

This patient was treated at our 4S Ranch/Rancho Bernardo clinic. The poster was presented this past weekend at the California Physical Therapy Association’s Annual Conference in Santa Clara and will be presented at the Combined Physical Therapy Sections Meeting in January 2013 in San Diego.