Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Andrew Merget. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Dr. Andrew Merget grew up on Long Island, NY, and completed his schooling in Scranton, PA attaining a Bachelors in Exercise Science in 2008 and then earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2011 from the University of Scranton, PA, and since graduation has focused exclusively on effective diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries.
He moved to Jacksonville FL in 2020 after 10 years in practice and immediately fell in the love with the community and culture. He believes in promoting self-treatment at every stage of injury management and listens to each patient to effectively educate and create an individualized plan to meet their goals.
Andrew attributes his success with clients due to his unique set of certifications and prides himself as the only Diplomate for the Mckenzie Institute International located in Jacksonville, FL. He is one of less than 500 therapists worldwide who hold the highest level of training to assess and treat using this method.
Andrew is in the 95th percentile of physical therapists in the United States who have attained Board Certification in Orthopedics from the American Physical Therapy Association. In 2013, Andrew became one of the first 50 therapists certified in the Schroth Method for conservative management of scoliosis and is currently one of the only Schroth Certified therapists in Jacksonville, FL.
The Schroth Method is an evidence-based, specialized type of conservative physical therapy that can be used to treat patients from adolescents to adults.
Andrew enjoys treating all patient types, from those that have had an injury interfering in their daily routine, to weekend warriors and athletes at the professional level. His clients have also consisted of professional skiers and rock climbers up to the Olympic level. Andrew is licensed to treat clients both in person and through virtual visits in Florida, Utah, New Jersey, South Carolina, and neighboring Georgia.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
What made me open my own practice was the struggle I had working as a physical therapist for clinics and companies that limited the amount of time I was able to spend one on one with patients and on the amount of time I could spend educating patients. This process is why I moved from being a clinic manager and staff physical therapist to opening my own business where the focus is on listening to my patients and meeting them where they are.
Another struggle early on is that often clients already have a preconception of physical therapy and it can sometimes be negative. Fortunately, because of the structure of my services and certifications as a specialist to Jacksonville, I am able to present my approach to making it make sense how it is unique and different from standard physical therapy care.
I learned early on that patient that have injuries are the experts themselves on their conditions and how they behave, and it is the responsibility of the person in front of them to listen reliably and accurately to then understand the problem to treat it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Take Control Physical Therapy Centers?
Your readers need to know we are the only certified Mckenzie and Schroth Scoliosis specialized clinic in the Jacksonville Florida region, and our certifications and experience result in highly accurate assessment and treatment as a result of any orthopedic condition. Why that matters we specialize in individual assessments to understand the pain and how to accurately treat it.
Why Patients Choose Us? Your care is always 1:1 with the same therapist each session, we provide accelerated recovery requiring fewer visits to resolution, and we provide you with practices and methods tailored to you, for lasting prevention and self-treatment after you leave our clinic. We are the only certified McKenzie clinic and Schroth Method/Scoliosis specialized clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.
The vast experience, background, and training of our therapists result in exceptional care for our clients for all orthopedic conditions of all ages and activity levels. In addition, we have a unique understanding and experience treating those in the athletic community; especially rock climbing up to the professional level and surfing-specific physical therapy.
Additionally, the clinic was founded on accurately collecting outcome data from our patients to improve effectiveness, and a client who sees us on average is finding resolution of their problem and prevention of recurrences of the issue with independence from us in 5-7 visits. Compare that to the standard 2-3 times/week for 6-8 weeks of most programs and you get faster outcomes in less time for more convenience and effectiveness.
The reasoning for this is that the Mckenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy ( MDT) has been proven in peer-reviewed research to reduce surgery rates, healthcare cost, and MRI utilization by 55%, especially in those with low back and neck pain when applied by a trained therapist like the ones at Take Control Physical Therapy in Jacksonville, FL. Reference to the study is here https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31104572/.
The Mckenzie Method has the ability to identify who can and can not benefit from care rapidly within the first two treatment sessions for neck, back, shoulder, hip, knee, headaches, ankle, hand, and foot pain. This is so important so that clients can be informed if the treatment they are receiving will be of long-term benefit to them. How do we do this by focusing on understanding the problem first before treating it? Clients are independent with this approach and an active part of the process so that they can develop cause and effect.
Convenience is also the hallmark of what we do. and sets us apart. We prescribe only one exercise at a time for ease and convenience, and most importantly to make your treatment plan specific, and your results well understood. A pitfall in therapy is often due to a client being given too many exercises and treatments in one session. This creates many variables and confusion about which interventions are doing what, resulting in impeded progress. We offer telehealth for those who cannot visit the clinic in person in FL, SC, and neighboring GA.
For more information on the Mckenzie Method and our Certified Mckenzie clinic and who would benefit from it is here
https://www.takecontrolphysicaltherapy.com/mckenzie-method.
We are also known as a leader for care for those that have scoliosis in Jacksonville Florida. The Schroth Method is an evidence-based, specialized type of conservative physical therapy that can be used to treat patients from adolescents to adults. Take Control Physical Therapy acknowledges how important it is to find the right therapist for Scoliosis to ensure you receive the highest quality treatment. Dr. Merget was certified by the German Klinic in 2013 and has been practicing as a certified Schroth scoliosis therapist for more than 8 years during which he has consistently treated 30-50 scoliosis patients annually.
As one of the first 50 fifty therapists certified in the Schroth Method in the United States, Dr. Merget is one of the most experienced Scoliosis treatment specialists in Florida and has worked with patients nationally since certification. His experience working in different regions, cultures, and with other certified Schroth therapists, means he understands that the most important part of treatment is the client, and he is dedicated to helping you find a team that you can trust to guide your care.
We know the diagnosis of scoliosis can be scary, or feel like a whirlwind of different information and different treatment options from which to choose, so we’ve provided resources below to help you educate you. We encourage your readers to find more information about the Schroth Method and our clinic here: https://www.takecontrolphysicaltherapy.com/schroth-method.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The Lumbar spine- Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy Volumes 1 and 2 By Robin Mckenzie https://www.mckenzieinstituteusa.org
Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy, Journal of Sports and Orthopedics.
PT Pro Talk podcast and Mechanical Forum podcast. Treat your own Back, Treat your own Neck, Treat your Own Knee, Treat Your Own Hip, Treat Your Own Shoulder by Robin Mckenzie are great resources for clients to help them treat on their own without assistance.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.TakecontrolPT.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/take_control_physical_therapy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TakeControlPhysicalTherapy/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-HGqv_dapRsJX6VCREc9IQ
- Other: https://www.healthgrades.com/group-directory/fl-florida/jacksonville/take-control-physical-therapy-centers-md0000fc2a
Image Credits
Jay Dash and Louis Arevalo
