The goal was to put my body back together after a year of cancer treatment that left me ravaged with surgical scar tissue, muscle and fascia damage from surgery, and months of twice a day radiation treatment. Two weeks following a month and a half of traditional physical therapy, I still suffered pain, stiffness and minimal range of motion in my shoulder and crushing band-like feelings in my chest. I could not lift my arm to wash my hair, reach behind me in the car for my purse, put on clothes over my head….and forget zipping up a shirt or fastening a button at the back of my neck! Yoga classes helped, but I often found myself in pain, lacking range of motion for poses, and exhausted from effort. I felt frustrated. I needed help.
I spotted a Fluid Physio flyer in my local coffee shop. What did I have to lose? I called. I went. I healed. Dr. Gianna Bigliani Cetkowski gently guided my shoulder – and me – completely back to health.
This is not traditional physical therapy! Dr. Bigliani’s natural ability to feel the muscle spasms, scars, tight fascia, and her unique process that released them, was such a gentle method it sometimes felt like magic. Dr. Bigliani flips traditional physical therapy on its head and offers one on one, completely private, full hour therapy sessions. Her hands-on tissue release for 50 minutes followed with 10 minutes of exercises, to be continued at home, calms, soothes and trains the muscles, tendons, and fascia to relax and repair. Only then can exercises add strength.
Dr. Bigliani focused on me 100% of the time in a private room. There was no fancy exercise equipment. She did not fly from patient to patient only to check in on my exercise form. By flipping physical therapy in this manner, therapy was accomplished – and successful!!! – in a very short time. Soon I was washing, zipping and buttoning with full range of motion and remaining pain free! I was able to strike strong yoga poses with minimal effort once again. I felt balanced and stronger.
And unlike traditional physical therapists, Dr. Bigliani treats the body holistically. As the shoulder released, other parts of my body that had been compensating suddenly needed attention too. She addressed these as they came up. Most physical therapists would have ignored “byproduct” pain because the goal was to focus on one body part. Not at Fluid Physio. Dr. Bigliani believes that addressing the body as a whole offers the most complete healing.
And more! Dr. Bigliani drew my attention to developing lymphedema in the trunk of my body and urged me to follow up with a lymphedema specialist. She even reached out to this hospital specialist and they developed a plan to work in tandem to address the lymphedema. Dr. Bigliani manually reduces chest scar tissue the day before the certified lymphedema massage at the hospital. This allows for more effective fluid drainage.
Dr. Bigliani offers a completely patient focused experience. She listens, responds, and honestly works to help your entire body heal, starting with the acute pain. She is caring and gentle….and has that quality those in pain are seeking: a healing touch!
I am so thankful to her.
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