“I’ve always been fascinated with anatomy. When I was a child, I thought we were made of golden light. Then I found out there were all these other amazing things inside of us,” smiles Dr. Aisha Walls. Many people know Walls from her years teaching dance at SPACE. Now, her other passion and vocation as a physical therapist is coming to fruition, with the upcoming opening of her mobile practice- Loving Life Physical Therapy and Wellness.
“Even as a dancer, I was always connected to the athleticism of bodies moving in space. Dance was always very physical for me. Along with that, I’ve always wanted to do something good in the world and contribute to my community. And,” she smiles, “I’m a human and I get hurt. So the combination of my interest in biomechanics, anatomy, my love of movement and wanting to fix myself and others led me into the world of physical therapy.”
Walls received her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology/Exercise Science from Cal State University Northridge,and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy through San Francisco State’s partnership with UCSF’s prestigious joint program. “I went to a lot of schools, including Mendocino College, where I currently teach dance,” she smiles.
Walls credits her appreciation of the practice of physical therapy from the mentorship she received from the late Bill Bracewell of Mendocino Physical Therapy. “I had observation hours to complete prior to becoming a PT. Bill let me be a fly on the wall. He accepted me as an informal observer.” By doing so, Walls was able to determine what area of physical therapy she would focus upon. “You can go so many directions- burns, oncology, pediatrics. I knew I wanted to get involved with outpatient orthopedics. In its own way, it’s a really challenging discipline involving a lot of puzzles and problem solving. Following school, I came back and worked with Mendocino Physical Therapy off and on, which I’m still doing. The new owner, Dr. Binns, DPT, is wonderful, and I feel very fortunate to have had such wonderful training with Bill.”
During her time as an in-office physical therapist, Walls observed how challenging it was for many patients simply to walk through the door.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say that there are patients who were in so much discomfort they would crawl into the office. People arrive following surgery in so much pain. Or their back goes out, and they’re struggling just to get into their car. At a certain point, I realized that I should be going to them. And that’s how this mobile physical therapy model was born.”
Walls did a substantial amount of research and discovered that home-based outpatient care was not available in this area- or for that matter, in any locations. “The more I researched, the more I believed in this model. But I was definitely inventing the wheel, because there just isn’t anything quite like it.” She will be seeing patients in the Ukiah area with no additional travel fee. Patients living beyond the greater Ukiah region will be assessed a travel fee based on their distance from Ukiah. Her plan is to begin treating patients from Ukiah to Hopland and Potter Valley, Redwood Valley/Tomki Road and Boonville Road.
Walls is beginning to book appointments, with her primary idea of removing as many of the current barriers to receiving physical therapy as she can. “We’re removing transportation challenges, crowded clinics and months-long wait times.” She is trained to treat patients with a variety of conditions- chronic pain and joint conditions such as arthritis, sciatica and degenerative joint disease, balance and fall prevention, orthopedic and sports injuries, post-surgery rehab, therapy for postural conditions such as scoliosis, women’s issues including pelvic floor dysfunction, incontinence and postpartum recovery and ergonomic injuries including carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain injuries and more.
“I’m especially excited to be offering services like injury prevention, ergonomic consulting and movement analysis for dancers and athletes,” she continues. “My focus is on rehab, wellness and performance.”
There are several unique features to the business. “We are a cash-pay practice, and patients may submit a superbill to their insurance for possible reimbursement. We are currently in the process of being credentialed with Medicare as a non-participating provider.” In California, patients can begin physical therapy without a physician’s referral thanks to the state’s direct access law, which allows up to 12 visits or 45 calendar days before a signed plan of care is required. “With the cash-pay model, if time is of the essence, we can get started immediately with no referral or prior authorization needed. From there, patients can provide a superbill to their insurance company for possible reimbursement.” With this flexible model, Walls can welcome clients right away, even those who just need a few focused sessions without the typical delays of insurance referrals or packed clinic schedules. “I post all of my fees on the website, so there will never be surprises or a mystery.” Those who prefer to receive a prior authorization or referral from their physician may do so.
Her first patient visit begins with an extensive interview.
“The things I need to know are if patients are coming in with a chronic condition that interferes with daily life, or maybe we’re looking at a wellness and maintenance plan following surgery. Once people have submitted intake forms, I show up at their homes and bring all the equipment we’ll need for a session. The only thing we need is need is a safe space to work. We’ll have conversations on how many visits will be needed. I respect people’s time and money, and our collective goal is getting people feeling better.” She is well trained in looking for differential diagnoses and will refer out anyone who she feels needs the support of other specialists or physicians.
Walls feels strongly that working in patient homes will provide her clients with a layer of comfort, privacy and security not currently available to physical therapy patients. “Sometimes a therapist will give you instructions to do an exercise at home, and then the patient gets home and realizes they’re not sure which chair to use, or whether their sleeping position is beneficial, or how to set up an exercise routine. Other people might be immunocompromised, or maybe a postpartum mom isn’t ready to leave her newborn at daycare, but she is motivated to begin getting her body in shape. Some people just like being private, in their own space.”
“What I’ve learned from my own injuries is that there is ideal physical health and what our bodies need versus ongoing care and maintenance, and that’s ok. That’s reality. By working in someone’s home environment, we can have conversations about making sure their therapy matches their life. We can take a look at things like ergonomics at their kitchen area or computer station, and set up little tricks to maximize wellness. I can look for fall risks, or the squishiness of their mattress, and if someone needs more support under their hips when sleeping. If you’re sleeping on the wrong mattress for 10 years, 8 hours a night, that adds up.”
Another area of expertise she brings to the community is her certification in treating people with scoliosis. “My certification focuses on exercise programs for adolescents and young adults- mostly who are diagnosed with idiopathic juvenile scoliosis, who are trying to avoid surgery using braces, breathing, muscle techniques and exercises. We’re trying to get them to ‘neutral,’ using conservative treatments while they are still flexible.”
Walls plans to be a phone or text away from her patients. “Normally, I see a patient in the office and then I don’t hear from them until their next appointment. I want people to feel free to call me if they have questions about their PT program.” She will also be available to suggest what types of home equipment would be suitable for purchase, and down the road, hopes that with the proper permission structure she will be able to see patients at a gym or even do ergonomics training at workplaces.
As her practice grows, Walls hopes to provide scoliosis screening, and public classes for healthy backs or postpartum tune-ups.
“For me, this launch represents the merging of all my professional experiences—as a licensed physical therapist, dance educator, a mother of Jaden and Tayo Kurzfeld, and advocate for functional, empowering movement at every stage of life. I’m calling my business “Loving Life” to emphasize the joys of being functional and pain free- to do all the things we want to do- hike, move, play, travel and have fun.”
Walls will be holding a ribbon cutting event on Tuesday, June 25, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Greater Ukiah Chamber of Commerce, 200 S. School Street. For information phone (707) 222-8383 or visit ukiahphysicaltherapy.com
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