Chaeli Greco’s journey into physical therapy can be traced back to infancy. Her dad took a sabbatical from work for the first year of her life and wasted no time introducing her to America’s Pastime. She attended the College World Series before her first birthday, and throughout her childhood, the ball field was her second home.
By the time she was eight, Chaeli was chalking the fields in preparation for the fall league baseball games, a league started by her mother and father. Chaeli wasn’t just a field attendant or spectator in the stands. She grew up playing ball herself and suffered a significant knee injury that required three surgeries in her middle school years. In high school, she went through three additional surgeries.
Throughout her entire recovery process, it was the physical therapists who got her through. Because she spent so much time with them, the therapists got to know her well. At every appointment, they asked how she was doing and could tell immediately when she was having a tough day or was really struggling with pain. She never forgot the care and compassion they showed.
No career could be more befitting for Chaeli. Becoming a physical therapist enabled her to meld her love of sports and the athletes who play them with the meaningful work of helping them heal, strengthen, and persevere.
Today, at Greco PT and Arm Care, the family is not exactly ON the (ball) field as they once were, but they are certainly IN the (physical therapy) field together. Chaeli’s father is doing what he loves, coaching and training athletes, and Chaeli’s brother is passionate about helping baseball players perfect their throw to stay in the game longer. Chaeli continues to grow as a DPT (doctor of physical therapy) and serves the needs not only of young athletes but also of those recovering from a wide variety of pain and injuries across the lifespan.
Extending Athletes’ Eligibility
It’s no secret that youth sports have grown increasingly competitive and demanding in recent years. Children are starting younger and playing their sport more intensely than ever before, and that has led to a significant increase in injuries requiring physical therapy.
For the good of the young athletes, those in organized sports shouldn’t be practicing/performing more hours a week than the number of years they’ve been alive. For instance, a 10-year-old shouldn’t exceed 10 hours in his chosen sport per week. Additionally, it is better for kids to play different sports throughout the year instead of focusing on one sport too early, as each sport develops different muscles and skills. Of course, encouraging children to engage in physically active play: playgrounds, tree-climbing, biking, hiking, swimming, etc. all allow them to naturally develop their athleticism and strength in total, factors that will make them better athletes and more resistant to injury.
Prevention and education are important, as the number of athletes requiring injury-related surgeries and physical therapy during the high school years is at an all-time high. Part of this is due to the intensity of sports culture, and some comes from the difficulty of precision performance in a young body that is rapidly and dramatically changing. Bones grow faster than muscles and ligaments, leaving the body (temporarily) less flexible, more susceptible to pain, and feeling a bit clumsy. Learning to execute the maneuvers of the game correctly and with the whole body can go a long way toward mitigating the vulnerability of the growth spurt years.
Utilizing Technology to Make PT More Accessible
Physical therapy, while still available in outpatient orthopedic clinics, is shifting to a more entrepreneurial model. This allows therapists maximum flexibility to tailor their businesses to their target clientele. Greco PT has established itself as an outstanding choice for athletes, particularly those with arm pain and injuries. Independent PTs can also customize clients’ therapy plans to fit their busy lifestyles and unique needs. Whether multiple sessions or a home visit is needed, Chaeli and her team work hard to create optimized plans for every client.
With the expansion of technology in the physical therapy world, they are able to do even more. Greco PT uses Loom to record the throwing patterns of athletes. Then Joey, Chaeli’s brother and a coach, will add voiceover commentary and instructions so the athlete can review what is right about his approach and what is needed. They also use TrueCoach, a downloadable app to which clients can subscribe. Chaeli and her team can add goals and exercises specifically tailored to the client and update it weekly. The client is then able to have access to physical therapy, and a means to communicate with his therapist through direct messaging, anytime and anywhere.
Attentive, personalized care from a team that knows sports and sports-related injuries firsthand has enabled the Greco PT and Arm Care to provide expert and compassionate care that will get their patients back in the game faster, whether they are looking to win in baseball or the game of life.
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