EDS | Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Specialized Physical Therapy for EDS & Hypermobility Conditions

Personally Tailored Physical Therapy Programs for People Who Suffer from EDS & Other Complex Conditions | Increase Your Strength and Stability with Our Specialized Therapists in Austin & Houston

EDS and Hypermobility conditions are commonly undiagnosed by most clinicians. Most individuals with EDS are put into categories unrelated to the presentation of EDS symptoms. This results in compromised progress and high risk of injury.

Have you been told that you can’t exercise because of your condition? Whether your situation is home bound or not working, physical therapy services is necessary for recovery. It begins with regulating your internal system so that your external systems works properly.

At PARR PT, you’ll work with kind and patient therapists who are EDS experts and fully understand this condition including secondary diagnosis’. Using our “3-Systems” approach, this allows for a safer and more effective recovery with longer lasting results. Some include: mast cell activation disorder, Chiari malformation, chronic fatigue syndrome, and POTS. Each person is a “Zebra” (one of a kind) so each program is uniquely designed and individualized. At PARR PT, we do not believe in a “one size fits all” or “protocol” approach.

Experienced EDS Specialists in Austin & Houston, Texas

Our experience of over 10 years of medical graded exercise programs allow for safe and effective exercise routines that consider heart conditions, autonomic dysfunction, and autoimmune conditions. We understand the most EDS clients are fearful of doing exercises due to easy bruising, fatigue, previous dislocations, or other medical related issues. You’ll need one of our more thorough assessments that includes:

  • “3-Systems” assessment:
    • Autonomic regulation assessment
    • Vestibular system assessment
    • GI Assessment
  • Myokinesthetics Postural Assessment
  • Functional Movement Screening

Our specialized therapy includes a series of autonomic physical therapy methods that begin to normalize the body’s response to activity and day to day tasks. Specific gut physical therapy that includes hands on techniques, nerve balancing, and spinal alignment to improve and normalize pain and function.

In the following section, you’ll learn about our innovative physical therapy recovery program.  The PARR PT Method or the 3-systems approach, provides optimal performance, ideal movement patterns, and recovery.

PARR PT Method for EDS, Dysautonomia & POTS using a distinct 5-phase approach:

  1. Autonomic Regulation: Regulating the body’s vital system by improving posture, reducing stress, and improving appropriate responses of vital functioning
  2. Body Awareness: Providing the right stimulus to allow eyes, head, and body to adapt to normal and variable environment. Focus is providing the right environmental awareness and reactions with less pain, strain, or compensation.
  3. Stability: Beginning to focus on the small muscles responsible for big movements. These muscles are the missing link in performance and recovery. Effectively targeting the right stabilizers reduce hypermobility and other faulty movement patterns.
  4. Strength: Once that the body is stable, time to transition to functional and progressive strengthening for higher level activities and performance. This phase continues the process of stabilizing joints and building strength specific to your functional needs.
  5. Endurance: As soon as the body is both strong and stable,  the body requires further training to tolerate longer bouts of activities. This training begins to improve extended activity  tolerance while minimizing risk for compensation, strain, or pain.
Advanced body awareness training also reduces the risk of recurrent injuries, stress on joints, and strain on muscles. We also address the mental stress component related to not being able work, go to school or do the things you love. We want to provide you with all the tools necessary for a more active and healthy lifestyle. This method allows for safer, more efficient, and more effective progress with longer-lasting results. Contact us today to schedule a phone consultation or an in-person evaluation in Austin or Houston.

EDS Testimonial

Katelyn C | Houston, Texas

As someone with EDS, it can be difficult to find doctors and specialists who know how to deal with the pains and side effects of the disorder, and finding people who not only know how to help us but actively teach you how to strengthen your body was an unexpected blessing. I went in with complaints about knee pain, and they have fixed everything else, too: shoulder pain, neck pain, back pain, and more. 

Their specialized at home program is tailored to your specific needs, is quick and easy to understand, and helps correct problems you didn’t even know you had. I feel confident going into college knowing that I won’t be fighting pain from dislocated joints and other problems because of my time spent with Renee in physical therapy. And I haven’t even started on talking about how compassionate and understanding they are. I cannot tell you how many times Renee has made me laugh while I was being adjusted or how many times he has helped cultivate my interest in medical sciences. They not only care about your health needs but how you are doing as a person. You’ll never meet a better group of physical therapists that genuinely care about you. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has helped me (especially Renee), and I highly recommend this place to anyone who wants the best care available anywhere.

Dysautonomia

Specialized EDS Physical Therapy for Effectively Treating DysautonomiaDysautonomia, known as a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, causes many problems related to our vital functioning. Many people do not know how to approach this condition due to it’s complexity. Whether its extreme dizziness, severe constipation, or exercises intolerance, physical therapy is key. Specialized physical therapy treatments and programs can provide a stronger foundation required for optimal healing and recovery.  

Our progressive or “slower” approach allows to body to get used to new stimulus without sending it into over drive.  Using this method, multiple systems begin to regulate resulting in significant improvement with pain, fatigue, and awareness. This reconnection allows the body to begin accepting new information required for nerve activation related to muscle activation.

As the these responses improve,  the body will respond with more stability and strength for functional movements minimizing the “flight or fight” response.

Dysautonomia Testimonial

Jeniffer H | Houston, Texas

PARR PT has been a great decision for my daughter. She was offered basic therapy with minimal knowledge of POTS/Dysautonomia at another therapy hospital. Jonathan spent time asking questions and assessing a personal program to address her autonomic challenges. He addressed lingering concussion effects that doctors dismissed. Within the first session, she felt immediate relief from an ongoing symptom and learned tools and techniques to self heal. Jonathan & Renee have a clear understanding of how the brain communicates throughout the body in a long term non-invasive way. They have both shown upstanding professionalism. I cannot wait to have my own evaluation done after seeing my daughter’s improvements.

POTS | Postural-Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

Effective Physical Therapy Treatments for EDS | Breathing Exercises for POTS & Dysautonomia

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome, also known as “POTS”, is a condition that is becoming more prevalent throughout the US. POTS  affects the blood flow throughout the body primarily when transitioning to upright or standing positions. This can be tricky for someone trying to exercise because if done incorrectly, it can result in dizziness, rapid heart rate and even fainting.

At PARR PT  we have over 10 years of experience in exercise physiology creating safe and effective exercise programs for various conditions. We specialize in how to appropriately moderate exercise intensity and position a person based on the severity of symptoms. This has lead to improvements in endurance with day to day activities, standing and exercise tolerance.

Not only is physical therapy is necessary to improve heart function through exercise, but specific manual therapy treatments required for regulation of the “Fight or Flight” response for longer lasting results.

POTS Testimonial

Kendall S | Houston, Texas

You are working with the best of the best. I have been to around 20 different doctors for help with my POTS/EDS and this is the only place that has been able to make me feel better. I don’t know what I would do without them.