Brookline Physical Therapy — Quality Injury Care & More!

By John McGurl

A welcoming new physical therapy clinic is offering more than just injury care in Wesley Chapel, just off of S.R. 56 in the Cypress Glen Professional Park. But Brookline also has added affordable personal training and Zumba, Yoga, and Pilates fitness classes to its top-quality therapy services.

Founded by John Esguerra, MSPT, and his wife Lea Esguerra, PT, Brookline was created to put the needs of injured patients first. Esguerra received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1990, and his Master of Science in Physical Therapy in 1999, both from Boston University. He says everything about the clinic was built with the patient in mind, from a unique floor that is easy on the joints, to the state-of-the-art fitness and rehab equipment.

Physical therapy can help with problems that make it difficult to move around or complete everyday tasks.

“People often try to work through the pain, but this can actually make problems worse,” says Esguerra, adding that while every injury is different and requires a different plan, “Our treatments are based on individual evaluations where we identify the problem and figure out the best treatment.”

He says physical therapists are trained to give people the tools to reduce pain.

“I am so thankful that my doctor sent me to Brookline Physical Therapy for my shoulder condition,” says patient John Caffarelli. “My therapist was extremely personable and professional. He took the time to explain all the different exercises I would be doing and taught me the correct use of all of his machines. If I ever need physical therapy again, I will be sure to come back to Brookline.”

Esguerra says that one common misconception today is that people have little choice in where to receive healthcare such as physical therapy.

“But, nothing can be further from the truth,” says Esguerra. “In most cases, you do have a choice. Many times your physician will make a recommendation for where to go for services such as physical therapy because they believe it may be a more convenient location for you, but are often reluctant to discuss with you the quality of the care you may receive. Since we opened our doors a common complaint we have heard from local physicians is that it is difficult to find quality physical therapy services at some rehabilitation companies as they appear to be more concerned with maximizing revenues than providing the possible best care for their patients.”

He adds that one prominent local physician referred to these other therapy centers as “shake and bake operations,” but Esguerra says, “I often find that the problem is not with therapists, as I’ve rarely met a therapist who didn’t mean well nor who didn’t want the best for their patients. The problems occur when physical and occupational therapists are overworked, understaffed, or do not have the proper facility to provide quality care for their patients. But, Brookline Physical Therapy is a therapist-owned private practice that makes quality care our primary goal and we utilize innovative technology to keep our overhead costs low in order to provide first class, cost-effective treatments for all of our patients. Healthcare consumers need to understand that they have a right to demand quality and that they have a choice.”

 

Quality PT Services…

Among its many services, Brookline offers spinal decompression traction, which Esguerra says can be recommended by your doctor or therapist as an effective alternative to surgery, along with core stabilization exercises.

Spinal decompression therapy is a more comfortable traction therapy used to relieve back, neck, leg, and arm pain and to treat problems like herniated discs, sciatica, compression fractures and joint pain.

While most insurance plans cover spinal decompression, if your insurance doesn’t cover mechanical traction, the cost of the treatment is $50 per session.

For patients with arthritis or fibromyalgia, the clinic also has cold laser treatments. “Cold” lasers do a number of things for your body, from reducing localized inflammation to stimulating the immune system. It also can be used to relieve acute and chronic pain, and stimulate nerve function. Much like the abacus evolved into the computer, cold lasers have been referred to as “modern day acupuncture” by relevant web sites. Unfortunately, this type of treatment is still considered investigational and insurance does not cover it. However, if Esguerra believes it will be effective in your treatment, he will not charge additional fees for cold laser treatment. Stand-alone cold laser treatments will cost $35 per session when requested by a patient or by his or her doctor.

Brookline provides a full spectrum of physical therapy for all age groups, having seen patients from as young as age 5 to the age of 92. Esguerra says he pulls from past experiences to make his operation in Wesley Chapel run smoothly. “We (Brookline Physical Therapy) are all under one roof, we are all state of the art,” he says.

 

More Than Just PT!

A variety of fitness programs, including Zumba, Yoga and Pilates classes, are available at Brookline.

“We intended to offer these services from when we started planning the office,” says Esguerra. “The facility was designed for them.” The premium dance floor is designed with a high- quality vinyl that is easy on the joints when moving rapidly in high-impact classes like Zumba.

Zumba is one of the fastest-growing aerobic workouts, with classes in almost every gym, and even a video game released for all three major game systems and their motion technologies. At Brookline, certified Zumba instructors make sure you’re doing the intense workouts correctly to get the full benefit. The small class sizes allow for more individualized instruction to ensure that every one maintains the proper form.

The studio also is expertly designed for yoga and Pilates classes, too. The facility boasts a premium sound system and a peaceful environment for yoga.

“I was excited when John came to our office to introduce himself and to announce that Brookline offers exercise classes such as Yoga, Pilates, and Zumba,” says Summar Robinson. “For me personally, Zumba was the one that sparked my interest. I enjoy being out on the dance floor when I go out, so what better way to exercise than to dance to good music! I exercise in other ways throughout the week, but my Zumba class by far is the most enjoyable and I look forward to going every week. I know I’m burning calories and getting a good, full-body workout. Georgette is a great instructor with explosive energy that is contagious, but she is also patient with the beginners.”

Among the huge benefits of taking classes at Brookline over a local gym are the flexibility and options. Instead of paying a monthly membership fee, classes cost just $7.50 per class, or $50 for a package of eight classes. Feel like an exhilarating Zumba workout one day, and want to slow it down with some relaxing yoga the next? With the eight-class option, you can mix and match, so you never have to worry about your workout becoming routine.

For those transitioning from rehabilitation towards a self-managed fitness program, the clinic has 30-day memberships for unlimited use of the gym during business hours. The memberships cost $50 per month and give you the ability to plan your own workout, although John, Lea and their certified instructors are also available to help.

“We looked all over the country— West Virginia (and his home of) New York, but ultimately decided on Wesley Chapel,” says Esguerra, adding that all the news outlets he researched, such as CNN and Money magazine, ranked Wesley Chapel very high as a place for families to settle down. “When I asked how to get our name out there, everyone said to advertise in the Neighborhood News,” says Esguerra.

In his spare time, Esguerra is both an avid fisherman and a music enthusiast; he enjoys flats fishing for snook and redfish, as well as playing classical and jazz piano. After earning his degree, Esguerra studied music at conservatories in both Boston and New York.

For all your physical therapy and fitness needs, don’t forget to schedule your appointment with Lisa Pennington, Brookline’s dedicated office manager, by calling 527-6913.

You also may visit Brookline at 26837 Tanic Dr., Suite 101, in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, or at BrooklinePhysicalTherapy.com.