How Ivy Rehab PT Helped Teen Athlete Alyson Nemec Get Her Groove Back

Sixteen-year-old Alyson Nemec had just recovered from a wrist injury and was back out on the Lacrosse field. During a game, her left foot got stuck behind her and she fell on her right foot. She heard her knee pop and felt excruciating pain.

She discovered that she had torn her patella ligament and had surgery in mid-May at the Rothman Institute.

Alyson knew she was going to need six months of physical therapy and started going for regular visits at a center that Central Bucks South High School recommended. It was the same physical therapy clinic that her brother, Mikey, went to for rehab after suffering the same injury as a high school freshman.

Alyson, a high school junior, participated in five PT sessions but felt like the therapists were “going through the motions,” just giving her exercises and not watching if she was doing them correctly.

Then her mom, Rachel, told her about teammate Grace Gannon’s experience with Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy in Warminster and Clinic Director Mike St. George PT, DPT, and his team, and it was an instant game changer. The center, located at 652 York Road in Warminster, opened this fall and offers state-of-the-art equipment, skilled therapists, and highly customized rehab programs.

“I obviously wanted the best possible PT after my surgery,” Alyson explains. “So, after watching Mike St. George with several of his other clients, I saw there was no better option for my rehab. Now that I am nearly ready to play Lacrosse again, I know that I was right about putting my faith and health in his capable hands.”

Alyson’s teammate Grace says what she saw in St. George and Ivy Rehab PT was consistency, an unmatched work ethic, and a passion for helping others. “Mike is always so invested in every athlete and every client. It was so clear he not only cares about their actual athletic performance but also them as people.”

Alyson Nemec and Mike St. George, Ivy Rehab PT Clinic Director, and Physical Therapist

How Ivy Rehab is a Leader in PT

“Ivy Rehab is an extremely positive place. After talking to Mike, I could understand what he was doing and the timeline for doing it,” Alyson explained.

“It has been six months and I am pretty close to being discharged. If you are confused, there is always someone there to help you and explain every exercise and why you are doing it,” she adds. “I never feel uncomfortable telling my therapists that an exercise is too easy or too hard.”

St. George, the clinical director of Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy in Warminster, has spent 13 years of experience working with injured teen and adult athletes, including Alyson and Grace; as well as non-athletes, and has helped them get their groove back. His techniques have helped numerous patients get back to school, sports teams, and work, and also resume their favorite activities at home and in their communities.

Physical Therapist Mike St. George is Changing Rehab

St. George combines his extensive training, positive outlook, motivational techniques, upbeat personality, and continuing education to help his patients wherever they are in the process.

The thrust is providing exceptional care and personalized treatment to get each patient on the path to a speedier and more complete recovery. “The amateur and semi-pro athletes that put their money towards investing in their health and self-care have longevity in their careers,” says St. George.

“I believe in hands-on components, such as soft tissue work and hands-on cueing,” he explains. “You can’t just tell someone to activate their core or use this muscle; you have to re-teach them to reuse those muscle patterns.”

St. George says that typical physical therapy offered at clinics, therapy centers, and medical practices can often be outdated and primarily based on home exercises, basic equipment, or stretches. Instead, St. George believes in a “more challenging and functional approach, that leads to our patients getting better faster and maintaining their health and wellness.”

Having this level of appreciation for the hard work and dedication of St. George and his Ivy Rehab staff is what makes him so excited about working each day. “I am so proud of my hard-working patients and to know we have made a big difference in their lives fills me with pride.”

He says that watching a patient come in shortly after an injury and seeing someone “when they can be mentally rock bottom and defeated to returning to living their life better than they were before because of what they learned in their physical therapy experience is very special to us” says St. George.

He adds that knowing that he and his staff were part of that process is extremely rewarding. In general, he explains, “It is very challenging to get someone to listen to you, especially a complete stranger. Our society is stubborn and we want quick fixes. When you can get someone to instill trust in you and stick with the process of what you tell them to do, that is a powerful effect to have that influence on someone. You naturally become a huge component in their life.”

Teen athlete Alyson Nemec at Ivy Rehab PT

Advice from a PT Patient on the Mend

For anybody needing PT, after an accident, injury, or other mishap, Alyson advises that they go to a therapy clinic, observe what is going on around them, and ask A LOT of questions.

“The key is to see if the therapist is watching you, encouraging you, and how many clients they are working with at the same time,” she says. “Figure out how much time they spend with each person and what is the specific plan – what am I going to do each week,” she said. “If it doesn’t feel right, I would say to keep looking for a better fit. This is too important to not be getting everything that you need.”

Alyson, who appreciates being part of her high school sports team and has great affection for playing Lacrosse, says it has been difficult being on the sidelines. But she hopes to be back on the field again soon, thanks to support from her parents, brother, Lacrosse teammates, and Ivy Rehab PT.

“At first, following my surgery, I thought I wouldn’t be able to play again,” Alyson explains. “But now I enjoy going to PT for the strength training and challenges and then doing more at home. I have faith that I am going to get there, and I feel that every session gets better. When you have a support system of family and friends and Ivy Rehab PT, you know that things are going to keep getting brighter.”