A new option is available to treat chronic knee, hip and lower back pain, often caused by osteoarthritis, without drugs, injections or surgery. Dr. David Lipetz provides AposTherapy to his patients at One Physical Therapy in Syosset, granting them lasting pain relief and improvement in mobility and quality of life.
The ‘Apos’ in AposTherapy stands for “all phases of step cycle,” which refers to the movements made during walking. Lipetz, who has a masters in physical therapy, explained that the biomechanical foot-worn device “works by off-loading pressure from the affected area, while strengthening the muscles and retraining the neuromuscular system around it.” The result is pain relief, increased range of motion, better joint stability and long-term function.
“Patients wear the shoe-like device anywhere from 10 minutes up to a few hours per day, depending on their condition,” Lipetz said.
Lipetz trained to become the first physical therapist in the United States to offer AposTherapy in 2014. The device was developed by orthopaedic surgeons in Israel in 2004 and to date has helped more 50,000 patients in the United Kingdom, Israel and Singapore. With its recent expansion into the U.S., that number is growing. The company has plans to begin training more certified providers nationally.
In the past year, hundreds of patients have been treated in the New York metro area, including former New York Giants player Bart Oates, former New York Knick Charles Smith and former NBA player Tom “Satch” Sanders, as well as his wife Virginia.
However, former athletes are not the only ones to benefit from AposTherapy. It can be an ideal treatment for seniors because it can “help people avoid invasive surgery such as a total knee or hip replacement,” said Lipetz.
According to the National Institutes of Health, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis among older people, and it is one of the most frequent causes of physical disability among older adults. Over 12 million Americans over age 65 are affected by the disease, which occurs when the cartilage between joints begins to wear away.
AposTherapy provides a nonsurgical and nonpharmaceutical treatment for pain associated with osteoarthritis, something seniors not only seek out, but sometimes require.
The unique therapeutic effects are achieved with the two convex “pods” on the underside of the device. They come in different sizes in order to introduce the proper amount of controlled instability, which is what the muscles respond to. “The pods can be adjusted in every possible direction,” said Lipetz, “as well as adapting their height, diameter and resilience based on the patient’s specific condition.”
A certified AposTherapy provider will perform a computerized gait analysis at the initial consultation to determine if a patient may benefit from the treatment. Then candidates receive the shoe-like device, custom-calibrated for their condition.
“Many patients report being able to walk with less pain after as little as one hour of consultation,” said Lipetz. They will then take the device home and wear it for the prescribed amount of time each day, essentially “training their brain to walk without pain.”
Patients are scheduled for five follow-up appointments over the course of 12 months for continuous monitoring of their progress and to ensure optimal compliance and the best possible outcomes.
AposTherapy is not yet covered by insurance companies in the U.S. “We hope to bring that payment method to the states soon,” said Lipetz. However, customized payment plans are available for patients.
“Patients are satisfied with AposTherapy,” said Lipetz. “The majority say it exceeded their expectations.”
One Physical Therapy is located at 320 Robbins Ln., Syosset. For more information, visit www.onephysicaltherapy.com or call 516-513-1510.
