Spine & Sport Physical Therapy - Oceanside (Vista Way)

I just finished my Physical Therapy here about a week ago (They are located inside LA Fitness). I have had PT at several other places and these guys really know what their doing. Their workout programs are personalized for each patient, all of the therapists are professional and friendly and you feel great after every session. They also give you a personal exercise program for home. Lots of room for parking and easy to locate.

I have a great experience with the therapists. Great service and knowledge. Not so with the front desk. To make appointments while there is close to impossible very often. If already on the phone, they ignore you cometely as if invisible...they keep on talking to customers on the phone. Filling forms, which takes a lot of time, and not even bothering to take 3 seconds for the already enrolled customer right in front of them, even just to ask if something urgent is needed...or at least give the respect and consideration. Calling in is another frustrating challenge. I have to make several attempts before I can talk to someone. This part is very unprofessional and annoying to say the least.

Generally short staffed. I have a knee injury. I had an “assistant” approach to work my knee at an appointment. I asked if she was a licensed therapist and she said no. I said, I would prefer you not work on me if you’re not licensed. Another therapist had a no show so she took care of me. My next appointment I walked in and the same assistant walks up to me with a huge smile and says: we don’t have a therapist for you today. Then Brian Fonseca, the therapist who did my initial evaluation walks up and says: I knew Friday we wouldn’t have a therapist for you but I didn’t call you. He gets his business card out of the rack , drops it on the counter and says : you can call to reschedule. There wasn’t anyone at the front desk for a week and no one there Monday who could reschedule. I feel this was retaliation because I did want an unlicensed person handling my therapy.At those prices, I would like the licensed therapist I am paying for. Today I spoke to the “Manager” Brandon and he listened. I dont feel he cared at all. Just listened so I would leave. I’ve called their main number and have a supervisory persons email. No one could talk to me. I am 65 and have been to PT for various shoulder injuries and I have never had an assistant do anything but heat or ice or the tens machine. I no longer trust this organization to handle my therapy. It was convenient because they are located inside the gym I go to daily. So much for convenience. I gave two stars instead of one because two of the clinicians were professional and polite.

I have a minor injury due to a fall and overuse of a joint. Doctor recommended PT as mostly preventative care to prevent it from becoming a major problem. It requires carefully positioned exercises to strengthen nearby muscles to the joint - going off position is ineffective. Went into first two sessions optimistic. I liked their intern. The therapist helping rotates each session, minimal consistency. Third session and the guy I got assigned gave me difficult balancing exercises and did not watch me at all. I had no spotter. I lost good form without help. No breaks between sets, and they do repeats of same set instead of circuits to rotate active muscle. Within 30mins I'd gone from fully mobile (could do multiple pistol squats) with very minor occasional aches to the worst pain that joint had ever had and could barely sit on a toilet - and the opposite side joint also had pain when it did not prior. Pure neglect and incompetence by PT to make me exhaust muscles like that and tell me that's how the exercises should be. I asked for a different person in following sessions. Was not improving. Next one was okay but not helpful. Session 5 I got assigned exercises that made my glutes not just exercise sore, but tensed up hard for three days straight... and my physical therapist was an antivaxxer. Clearly doesn't understand good information sources. Ugh. Asked for different person. Fine.... but get a team that either doesn't even know what muscle is supposed to work in a specific position, or is entirely dismissive of me. Do not go here. They are literally painfully negligent. PT should not *cause* injury progression. Their fitness regimes cause problems, and their physical therapists do not care or pay attention to patients and/or are thoroughly untrustworthy. Their guidance and lack thereof made my problem 10x worse than if I'd never gone to PT at all. The only good one was their intern who isn't there anymore.

You guys have to change front desk if you want continue working cos she’s so rude and the reason why I change clinic