I went to Berkeley Physical Therapy because I was having leg pain that my family doc could not seem to diagnose. The pain was deep in my thighs on both sides but whenever I would rub my leg, I could never feel /reach where it was originating from. I saw Alan and after a very comprehensive eval, he immediately requested that I have my hips looked at. Well, he was right. An MRI showed degeneration in both hips. Thanks Alan for your expert advice. read more

This place rocks. The staff is so helpful and Janet was the best PT!!! (I had to move so do not go there any more) The staff has helped me 2x with cross country medical record issue. Janet was very thorough and compassionate. I always felt 'seen' by her. read more

I forgot the name of the man I saw but he was committed to assisting my lower back pain. The facility has a nice exercise facility. I didn't need it for my issue. I was shown reparative exercises to perform. read more

This is my first Yelp review. Despite using the site frequently, nothing has ever really inspired me to write a review... Until today! After an epic skiing accident on the weekend I was left with some nasty tendon/ muscle damage when my skis didn't release... so much so I can barely walk or use my leg at all. I called almost every PT on this website (well, those with a decent review anyway), and tried the ones my doctors referred me to... but it was impossible to get an appointment until early next week unless I paid something like $200 upfront. Berkeley PT not only shuffled some things around to fit me in, they were so friendly and helpful in doing so. The prices are actually affordable too, which makes it possible to actually have regular follow ups (a fundamental part of PT). But the part I want to rave about the most was the service; the attentiveness and the thoroughness. My PT Scott explained everything to me in understandable terms and whilst he was gentle he still knew how to push me. He was fantastic. The reception staff were also super helpful and friendly (and talkative! hehe). This is only my first day, so I can't give you any guarantees on outcomes yet, but I definitely feel I found the right place for my recovery journey ahead! Thanks Berkeley PT for saving the day! Oh - and I'm actually feeling better and can see the light at the end of the tunnel (something I thought was near impossible earlier this afternoon). read more

I have seen great results and am very happy with the progress in working with Negeene as my physical therapist at BPT. She has been using new techniques she's learned through her ongoing education and they have been very effective. My knee was crushed in a motorcycle accident 20 years ago. Multiple surgeries left my leg full of scar tissue, misshaped and with a great loss of flexibility. After working with Negeene my leg has taken on a much more normal shape and greatly improved flexibility. Just got back from a grueling bike ride. I never expected to see such a great change, so happy to be back doing my favorite things again. I would give 5 stars except for one thing. BPT is not well managed. The front desk seems to be too over loaded with work to be fully effective. read more

Alan Horwitz resolved an excruciating shoulder problem. He has advanced experience and has been a teacher of other physical therapists especially for shoulder problems. read more

Allan Horwitz was my physical therapist and he did a great job! He took the time to understand my short-term and long-term, and adjusted my PT plan as needed. He explained and addressed some of the root causes for my foot and lower back injuries (e.g. stretching muscles I didn't even know I had, strengthening reciprocal muscles, improving proprioception etc.) . We worked through a program over a few months and now I feel great! read more

I am so incredibly grateful to have found Negeene and to be working with her as my PT. I was in a car accident almost four years ago and, throughout that time, I had been referred to physical therapy, chiropractic, Orthopaedics, pain management, have had repeated scans, XRAYS, MRI's etc and had as many different diagnosis regarding what was wrong. My doctors either didn't seem to believe I was experiencing pain or couldn't agree WHY I was experiencing pain and I was treated like a "drug seeker" when I expressed the fact that I was in CONSTANT pain, had been for years, and that I needed some real solutions because whatever we were doing was not working. I had worked with another PT for years and had experienced little to no relief or improvement from my symptoms. My pain level became completely unbearable and I asked to be referred to a new PT as I wasn't feeling any relief after YEARS with another place. After a wait time for a first appointment, I walked into Negeene's office where she did a series of tests and within minutes she had identified the exact spot on my SPINE that was causing what had previously been thought to be a hip issue. I can not even begin to express the level of relief just KNOWING WHERE THE PAIN WAS STEMMING FROM gave me! Once the source of the pain was identified, Negeene went straight to work on creating solutions. She understands the mind body connection and treats the patient as a whole using a myriad of techniques to address all the issues at play. I leave each session moving away from pain and with new tools and techniques for healing. And, I understand now exactly why there is a wait for an initial appointment as her services ACTUALLY WORK! I assume that others, like I, will not settle for less once they've experienced this level of care, knowledge, insight, and empathy in a therapist. I can't properly express my tremendous gratitude at having found a physical therapist who not only truly understands how the body mechanically works but who also understands how the mind impacts our physical health and well-being. What I used to regard as an unpleasant chore (PT) has become a coveted time of self care and healing under Negeene's treatment. I hope others who are suffering, like I did for so long, can find their way to her and that she will share her wealth of knowledge with other therapists as we need a million more like her to offer the masses some true relief! I give Negeene and BPT 5 stars PLUS! read more

I'm four years late writing this review, but this place, and Negeene in particular, changed my life. I had serious problems with my neck and knees and two previous physical therapists hadn't helped, probably because they both focused on symptoms. Negeene instead focused on solving the problems. She taught me the stretches and exercises I needed to do and gave me diagrams and written instructions so I could keep it all straight. Each time we met she added more to the routine. A month after we started my neck was fixed. Two months and my knees were dramatically improved. I still do the exercises I learned here every day. Highly recommended. read more

I would not send my worst enemy to BPT. unless you are able to get an appointment with Allan. He is the only therapist whose patients rave about him. 4 years ago, my doctor referred me to BPT for cervical spine problems that were affecting my arms, as well as my spine, making it impossible for me to even hold a gallon of milk in my right hand. I also had ribs popping out of place and wrapping around my spine and neck, leaning on nerves and causing me unbelievable pain. I saw Scott Smith for 4 yrs, weekly and worked so hard to overcome my pain. 3 months' ago, he commended me for doing such a good job, adding that he didn't think I could do it when he first met me. Scott's way of "popping a rib back into place" is by using a chiropractic move -- that applied a lot of pressure to my rib cage. I always protested this treatment; it rarely worked cuz I would be so scared that it often caused me more pain rather than alleviating it. When he was able to pop a rib back into place, it usually popped back out again in the car on my way home. Scott went on vacation this summer for 5 weeks. He suggested I see a woman named Nageene (sp?) while he was gone. I arrived for my first appt w/her, only to notice her definite attitude about having to treat one of "Scott's patients." 10 mins after my appt time, she brought me into a treatment room, telling me that my chart was too long for her to read (my MRI report might have taken 2 minutes). Apparently she didn't respect her colleague enough to follow his lead, even tho he had been treating me for 4 years and I told her I benefitted from his treatment. Rather, she forced me to do exercises that caused me EXCRUCIATING pain. After 18 minutes of inflicting pain on me, I could hardly stand up. I called BPT 3 times, leaving messages for her to call me so I could ask her about the pain & advice for making it feel better. She never returned one phone call. Then I wrote her a note, explaining what I hoped to tell her on the telephone, and again asked her to call me. Still, no returned phone call. Instead of talking to "Scott's patient", she went to her boss and obtained permission to cancel my remaining appts with her!! I bumped into her once at BPT & she said that my problem was that I was talking to the "girls" at the front desk. Since she doesn't answer phones or return calls, I had no choice of who to talk to. I don't believe the overworked women at the front desk had anything to do w/it. Before Scott left, I was doing things I never dreamed I would ever be able to do again - water aerobics, hikes, the elliptical. When he returned, I told him I was in pain after 5 weeks of no PT. Again, he insisted that his terrifying painful chiropractic move was the only way to get relief from the rib which was leaning on a nerve. Since he does this in such a way that I can't see what he is doing, all I can say is that it felt like he jumped on me, or sat down hard on me --he is over a foot taller than me. For the 500th time, I told him I did not want him jumping on me or popping ribs so violently; I figured out too late that he was using me as a guinea pig so he could practice learning to be a chiropractor and the fact that I said NO only made him angry. He applied so much pressure to my back that something deep inside of me cracked, knocking the wind out of me. It made a horrible noise and I went into shock. I was shaking uncontrollably & tears were shooting out of my eyes. He looked me in the eyes and asked: "Are you okay?" He insisted I return 2 days later for a check up. My last image of Scott Smith is of him insisting I needed to be "cracked" again, despite the fact that I was crying and yelling "NO." I knew I would never go back there after that. Of course no one from BPT ever called to check up on me after that. This "treatment" left me with a very serious rib cage injury. Ruined my upcoming trip to NY since I couldn't even breath without a lot of pain, let alone walk. 2 months later I am going 2x a week to Lafayette Physical Therapy to recover from the injuries I sustained at BPT. Stupidly, I took Scott's advice to wear ill-fitting shoes w/ill-fitting insoles full time for 2 wks (to help arch support supposedly), until they adjust to my feet. I kept telling him how painful it was to keep walking in the shoes but insisted it had to be that way. He encouraged me to use the sauna and "cupped" my knee when he finally saw the injury caused by that walking, and he apologized for causing me such pain. The sauna only made my knee swell up more; his response: "That shouldn't happen." My knee got more swollen and painful every time I went into the sauna. My massage therapist became concerned that my knee was getting worse and suggested I go to my doctor, who diagnosed me with knee bursitis, which is consistent with the way I had to walk on those shoes. This is a bad place. read more

I had two experiences at Berkeley PT. The first one was in 2010 for a knee injury. I saw a woman a few times until during one session she did something to my knee that made it hurt worse than the original injury. She blew me off when I said something about it. I promptly went to another PT place (SOL which is great) and swore I'd never go back to Berkeley PT. (Whatever she did not stop hurting until I had surgery.) Unfortunately after another recent knee injury, I found out my new insurance no longer covered SOL so I was back at Berkeley PT. I had a different therapist which I thought would be better than the previous one (who I was surprised to find still working there). There were a few visits when the therapist did not even look at or touch my knee. He just handed me an ultrasound wand and made me use it on myself while he sat at the computer. Sometimes he'd look at/touch my knee for a minute and then hand me the wand. Then he'd give me a few exercises and send me on my way. This was shocking after going to SOL where they massaged me knee and then had me go through all my exercises with the therapist's help. My visits at Berkeley PT were about 15 minutes and at SOL they were 1-1.5 hrs. My aunt also saw this same therapist and she had such a bad experience with him that she stopped going to PT even though she had more visits left. The front desk people are no better. It is super hard to get an appointment (booked weeks in advance) so I wanted to make sure my re-authorization was done before my visits ran out. I asked every week for a month and was told not to worry, that they would make sure it went through before my last visit. Last visit came and went and still no re-authorization. I kept calling and even came in a few times. FINALLY 6 weeks after my last visit, I went to my Dr, got a new perscription, and physically handed it to them. It took another week for my insurance to approve me. (That's 7 weeks after major surgery with no PT.) By that time I was so over this place that I decided to go to another PT no matter how far I had to go. Luckily Montclair PT had just moved into my hood. They rock. read more

I was immediately impressed when I called to make my first appointment at Berkeley PT and a very friendly woman answered the phone. Impressed because every time my doctor has sent me for PT in the past at other therapy centers, it had been a nightmare trying to get through to the scheduling department of any of the previous therapists to make an appointment. Once I was able to finally see someone at those places I felt like I was on an assembly line. That was not the case at Berkeley PT. They do a great job of making you feel that you matter. The two women at the front are AWESOME. I wanted to hang out after my appointment just to enjoy their vibe. I am so tired of surly, disenchanted receptionists and medical assistants.. My experience here was delightful. Sorry I forgot their names. They know what they are doing and seem to enjoy their jobs. After completing my new patient stuff my therapist, Negeene came into the waiting area with a warm introduction before taking me into the exam room. Negeene spent a lot of time asking important questions and gave me an exam before we got started on the actual PT. I am so excited about the goals we set for improving my physical and mental well being. She gets the whole picture. Gotta mention the ladies at the front again. My great experience began on the phone when I made my appointment and continued when I walked through the door. Keep up the good work. read more

Great professional people doing their best to fix my problems. I can only say good things about them: very competent highly professional Therapists right in the center of Berkeley . read more

I also want to rave about Allan Horowitz - I have had chronic and acute back pain for years and have tried several acupuncturists, 2 chiropractors (who were able to help in the past), massage, osteopathy, anti-inflammatory meds, 2 other physical therapists and he is the first one to really "get" what sets off my pain and with a few very simple exercises my back is significantly improved after just 3 visits. I am finally hopeful about my back getting better. read more

Amazing physical therapist, Justin, my therapist was very nice and attentive to what I had to say about my pain and he had some very good insight and useful exercise read more

Hands down, the best PT I have ever been to. Janet, is very through and genuinely cares about her patients. She is very knowledgeable in what she does. Her front seat staff rocks in that they great you by name when you enter and they can answer all your questions. Great place and I would strongly recommend. read more

I had a great experience here with Justin Fischer. I had patello-femoral pain (kneecap) and he very quickly diagnosed the problem. His explanation was clear and useful, and he provided three simple exercises to address the problem. In follow-up visits he showed a good recollection of my history, assessed my progress, and answered any additional questions I had. After six weeks, my pain was gone! It's hard to imagine a better physical therapy experience than this. Five stars! read more

Let me start by saying that Alan Horwitz is an excellent physical therapist. While I would recommend him, I would caution people about the office, particularly those on Medicare. I had similar phone issues as other reviewers when I first tried to book appointments (I called 3 times over 2 weeks and no one ever returned my call). But even more infuriating is that Berkeley PT won't continue to bill Medicare on my behalf. In a phone call, Medicare assured me that they would continue coverage, if there was a documented medical need for continued services. My doctor said I need to have additional PT and that Medicare has never declined one of his patients when they have requested more than the maximum number of visits that Medicare routinely covers (about 22 per year). I did offer (and would do so in writing) to pay if Medicare is billed and doesn't cover additional sessions, but Berkeley PT won't allow it. I have no choice but to go elsewhere. read more

The physical therapy I received from Berkeley Physical Therapy was time very well spent. After my hip surgery, I needed to challenge myself, get strong, & reduce surgical wound pain. Allan Horwitz at Berkeley Physical Therapy showed me the necessary movements and exercises, explained them in a way I could comprehend and master, and helped me regain my mobility. The office is pleasant, spacious, and has requisite equipment necessary for any PT program. read more

4.5 stars - I've been receiving physical therapy from Scott for a broken right humerus since mid June. When I first arrived, I could barely lift my arm, but now, just three months later, I have basically full use of my arm back. All of the exercises Scott has prescribed have been incredibly helpful in increasing both strength and range of motion, and he has also helped me with some back pain issues that past physical therapists at SOL were not able to adequately address. Also, I've found the desk staff to be extremely courteous and helpful - Lorelei was able to help me quickly resolve several insurance and scheduling issues. All in all, my experience with Berkeley Physical Therapy has been extremely helpful and professional, and as I lead an active lifestyle and will probably need PT again in the future, I certainly plan to return as needed. read more

I wish I had gotten physical therapy YEARS ago. I am nearly pain-free after my sessions with Felicia. I really had no hope of taking a hike or standing up comfortably or sleeping well. But with Felicia's careful plan of exercises and stretches, I felt pain decrease and hope increase! Felicia investigated all the different ways pain was manifesting itself, took into consideration the work I do, and started me slowly. She took careful note of what worked and what didn't and modified her strategy as needed. She found the exact exercises and stretches that have reduced my pain to almost nothing. I am so very grateful. So very, very grateful to have a solution to my problem. read more

They are professional, personable, and the gym has many different types of devices to help you regain your strength. I am working with Scott Smith on a rotator cuff repair, and he has helped me progress significantly. I can't recommend him enough! He works with you throughout your appointment, and they don't use interns. It's just you, and the therapist. read more

Unfortunately this is only a review of the office staff and not the hands-on work. When I told the receptionist that my son had both an HMO and Medi-Cal (due to disability), she stated that's something she "doesn't understand...he can't possibly have two insurances...and doesn't know how they'd get paid." I won't bore you with the line of questioning and information I supplied her with as I AM very familiar with it. She simply refused - saying it was too complicated. read more

I went to physical therapy at Berkeley PT about a year and a half ago, from January to April 2011. I had a great physical therapist and he helped get me off my crutches and back to work. My problems with Berkeley PT is to do with the their billing systems. I overpaid my deductible and have been owed a reimbursement from them. I have been calling and leaving messages for the past year and I am yet to receive my money. The billing company that they use are extremely friendly and helpful, but I have to collect my money from the clinic and not the billing company. I would just recommend that if you are a patient of this clinic, be sure to keep track of how many visits your insurance allows and keep track of all of your co-pays! It is very frustrating to leave message after message and not receive return phone calls to resolve this issue. It seems as if all the physical therapists there are all friendly and knowledgeable. My complaint has nothing to do with them and I would have rated the clinic higher if I hadn't had this issue. read more

Allan Horowitz. That's all you need to know about BPT :)) Upon the recommendation of my husband who was one of Allan's grateful patients, I decided to try him too. I just finished my 4th appointment and it was like the other weeks: informative and healing. I've seen about 5 physical therapists in my life-- because of sports injuries & because I like to do manual labor, Allan is the best I've had the privilege of working with. Apart from his PT expertise & depth of knowledge regarding the human anatomy, he's a talented photographer (as well as a world traveler & film buff ). From the looks of previous yelps it seems that Berkeley PT has several fine therapists. (Yes, I had to wait 3 weeks to see Allan--probably could've seen another BPT person sooner--but he's worth the wait IF your pain will allow.) The front desk women are friendly, funny and efficient. BTW: Please hold up your end of the bargain by showing up on time, doing your at-home exercises, cancelling per guidelines, etc. (BPT is an easy walk from 'downtown Berkeley' BART station, though parking on Bancroft has been a breeze) read more

They must be out of business. No one answers the phone and I have left messages at the number on their website, trying to schedule an appointment but none of my calls have been returned. read more

I had a shoulder problem. I tried a PT, a sports medicine doctor, and even consulted a shoulder surgeon without luck. Allan Horwitz, a PT at Berkeley Physical Therapy, alone fixed my problem, such that my shoulder is no longer a problem. Allan is dedicated and super-knowledgeable (he holds an advanced PT degree) - and in fact is also a teacher in a fellowship program. Thanks Allan! read more

Have gone to Berkeley PT for several injuries over the last 3 years, great experience and solid recovery every time. Always worked with Scott Smith, and keep coming back to this clinic for him. He pushes when necessary, keeps you accountable for your exercises and recovery, plus has a great dry sense of humor. read more

My pt, Negeene, was great. We got off to a bumpy start, but after a heart-to-heart where I explained my life circumstances, she was totally receptive to what I shared and we got along terrifically from that point on. She was very encouraging and patient, and 100% supportive. My original problem was shoulder soreness, which improved dramatically after a few sessions, so she focused on developing my core strength for my remaining sessions.(more on my "sessions" later) The front desk staff was very friendly and efficient, but the only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars was because I wasn't told at the time of scheduling that my insurance-approved 8 sessions had a time deadline attached to them. In fairness, they did offer to request an extension for me but I was then informed that I had used up all my sessions. I was pretty sure I hadn't because I remembered canceling one session and never rescheduling it because approval had not yet come from the insurance.Since I didn't keep records of all my sessions, I had no proof. So even though I highly recommend them for their pt, I agree with one of the earlier reviewers regarding their bookkeeping accuracy. My suggestion is to definitely go there and trust their healing expertise, but keep good records. I don't think that's too much t ask for the quality of care they provide, which is definitley FIVE STARS!!! read more

I am rating this business low for three reasons: (1) long waits --4-6 weeks--to get the initial appointment, and equally long wait to get ongoing appointment, (2) I was supposed, according to my orthopoedist, to get 2 appointments a week for 3 weeks, which they didn't do (instead there were the long waits, then one a week for 3 weeks, then another long wait), and (3) the therapist was totally incompetent, didn't want to work on the complaint she was supposed to, and her "work" on me left me with severe abdominal pain, then nausea and vomiting for 5 days after. I am never going back to her. Most of the reviews here say there are other therapists who may be competent, so I am going to try to change therapists. I've already filed a complaint with my HMO about this place and they are looking into it. I really wouldn't suggest going to them unless you've got a lot of time to sit around and wait, and want to chance this incompetent person (Neena I think was her name.) read more