We have a great team of Physical Therapists here on staff at Tensegrity. They each bring something unique to our team and are a huge part of what makes Tensegrity, Tensegrity. We would like to introduce you to our very own, Sean Roach (PhD, DPT).
When did you first decide to become a PT and why?
“In 1987 while I was finishing up my Bachelor Of Science Degree in Sports Medicine, I was injured, and I underwent physical therapy at Central Michigan University. There, the University’s physical therapist talked me into going to graduate school for Physical Therapy.”
Where did you go to school?
“University of Michigan”
How long has Tensegrity been around?
“Tensegrity Physical Therapy started in the year 2004. It initially began in Bend, Oregon for approximately 1 year, and then my wife and I relocated to Eugene, Oregon. We started off in a 700sq. foot facility, and now we are in a roughly 14,000sq. facility and we have gone from 2 employees to 24 employees.
I was inspired to start Tensegrity when I was working on my Ph.D. in Orthopedic and Sports Science, and we moved to Eugene because the University of Oregon had two of my doctoral committee members located. I figured this would be a good place to start a clinical research facility as well.”
What do you think makes Tensegrity stand apart from other clinics?
“We put a tremendous focus here on patient education. We also have heavily invested in significant continuing education both outside the clinic and inside the clinic.
In the clinic, there is a significant investment in our engineering equipment here, such as the force plate, video motion analysis, and our state of the art workout facility. We actually have more room devoted to our exercise facility than many of the other facilities across the state of Oregon.”
What do you like most about being a PT?
“The shared experience between myself and my patients, and that every single individual brings a certain personality, cultural background, and historical background. It is a great opportunity for me to learn about people, and then to use that experience to improve my skills working with others, and sharing experiences that others have with all of my patients.”
What is one of the biggest lessons you have learned since starting Tensegrity?
“The fact that you are never really certain why a patient is coming to the clinic. You may assume that they are here for one thing, such as strengthening, or for pain. But it may simply be that they need someone to listen to them and to provide them with new insights. That includes dealing with their physical and emotional situation that is impairing their ability to function in life.”