Rehabilitation exercise
Treatment relieves the immediate problem; rehabilitation exercise is what stops it returning. Programmes are graded to what the examination shows, covering strengthening, mobility and posture, with workstation advice where the problem is work-related.
Understanding the problem
Why the problem keeps coming back
Pain that resolves and then returns a few months later usually means the cause was not addressed, only the symptom. If the underlying pattern — weak deep stabilisers, restricted mobility somewhere else, a workstation that forces a poor position for eight hours a day — is unchanged, the tissue goes back under the same load and fails in the same way.
Rehabilitation is the part that changes that. It is less dramatic than treatment and it depends on the patient doing it, which is why programmes here are kept short and specific rather than long and generic.
What a first visit involves
How we work through it
We do not begin treatment on first meeting you. The assessment comes first.
- History — we listen firstWhere the pain is, when it started, what makes it worse, previous injuries, and your work and sleep posture. For accident or work injury cases, how the incident happened.
- Physical examinationPalpation, range of motion testing, and a neurological check of reflexes, strength and sensation — to work out whether the problem is structural, neurological or soft tissue.
- Digital X-ray if indicatedTaken on site. Whether it is needed is a clinical judgement, not a default for every patient.
- Findings and plan explainedIn the same visit you are told what was found, the likely cause, what is proposed and roughly how many visits it may take — before anything begins.
At the clinic
Treatment rooms and equipment
What may be used
Combined according to the assessment
Not every patient needs every item. What is used follows from what the examination shows.
- Assessment of movement pattern and functional limitation
- Graded strengthening for the affected region
- Mobility and stretching work
- Core and deep stabiliser activation
- Postural correction
- Workstation and ergonomic advice
- Lifting technique
- Return-to-work conditioning where relevant
Fees and insurance
Who usually pays for this
How treatment is funded changes what paperwork you need. Pick the closest to your situation:
Auto accident
The at-fault driver's liability cover, MedPay on your own policy, or on a lien where you are represented.
What you need →Work injury
California workers' compensation — approved treatment is paid by the employer's insurer.
How it works →Private insurance
What PPO plans typically cover, and deductibles.
How to check →Self-pay
Self-pay rates, including initial examination with digital X-ray.
See rates →Why here
A few objective points
1988 — 38 years
Same practitioner, same Oakland Chinatown block since 1988.
Cantonese · Mandarin · Taiwanese · English
From history-taking to explaining the plan, in the language you are most comfortable in.
Digital X-ray, same visit
Where imaging is clinically indicated it is taken here, not at a separate centre.
5 min from Lake Merritt BART
Madison professional building, downtown Oakland. Building and street parking.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long do I need to keep doing the exercises?
Through the acute phase at minimum, and for recurring problems, as maintenance. We would rather give you three exercises you will actually do than twelve you will not.
Do I need equipment?
Mostly no. Programmes are built around what you can do at home or at your desk. Where a resistance band or similar would help, we say so and it is inexpensive.
What if the exercises hurt?
Tell us. Mild discomfort during rehabilitation is normal; sharp or increasing pain is not. The programme should be adjusted rather than pushed through.
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