(This review was originally posted 2/12/2019. For some reason it was migrated to Wendy Stedeford Acupuncture in Nov 2019. That was a Yelp glitch - I no experience with Wendy Stedeford, who apparently worked at EDPT. I am reposting my review here, as this is where it should remain posted. For the record, 9 months after this review I still struggle daily with the medical condition this caused.)
This is my first negative review ever on any social media platform although I have posted hundreds of positive reviews on TripAdvisor, Amazon, Yelp, etc. I post this as a warning to prospective clients of this business. Had I read a similar post, my life would be very different now.
I began physical therapy with El Dorado Physical Therapy - specifically and solely - for frozen shoulder about a year and a half ago. Aside from that condition, I was in the best shape of my life - a daily runner, high energy athlete with NO other health concerns. Today I am in constant pain, can barely walk and have a severe neurological condition as a direct result of a manipulation done by my physical therapist.
On two occasions during sessions my therapist asked if I had any pain in my hips/legs/back? Both times I replied "no" and added, "I never have any pain at all". Without my consent or knowledge, my PT did a quick manipulation on my right thigh. (While she referred to this as a "muscle enhanced therapy" what she did did not jive with Wikipedia's explanation of this procedure.) My ankle and piraformis hurt immediately (and have daily since) and about six weeks later my right foot became extremely painful. Doctors have since told me she likely hit my sciatic nerve. Unfortunately, this action triggered an extremely rare, extraordinarily painful, chronic and progressive inflammatory nerve condition. The joyous healthy life I had known is gone and I am now in constant pain and struggle to walk each day. I know this sounds extreme, but unfortunately it is true. The condition is regarded as incurable.
Four things you will want to be aware of regarding El Dorado Physical Therapy:
First, as mentioned above, my therapist performed a procedure without my knowledge or consent on a body part I was not referred for. I had never been to physical therapy before, but manipulating someone's body without their knowledge or understanding seems outside the scope of the physical therapist. Even worse, I clearly told her I have NO pain. While she could not have foreseen what her actions would trigger, she should not have performed this manipulation.
Secondly, a few months later I requested my records from El Dorado Physical Therapy to help my doctors diagnose me. I was literally shocked to find there was absolutely no record of this procedure anywhere on my charts. I do not know if this was an intended omission or an oversight, but it has now been confirmed by two other physical therapists who reviewed the copious notes.
Thirdly, I met with the director several weeks after my injury to discuss what had happened and find proper treatment. At this point, I had no idea at all of a diagnosis or the gravity of my condition. The director took me as his client, which I very much appreciated. However, my concerns about my feet turning colors and increasing pain were often questioned and met with flippant comments by him and his assistant. These symptoms should have been red flags to see a specialist and find if there was a more serious issue going on. I was told I was fixating on this and that "I should not waste my money on seeing a podiatrist because I've been told my feet are fine".
Finally, I could not be more disillusioned and shocked by the way El Dorado Physical Therapy responded after I was diagnosed. I contacted the director twice after my diagnosis and they offered to do what they could to help, which seemed appropriate. However in late November I sent a letter to my therapist and in December two separate emails to the director appraising them of the severity of my condition. I also asked to use their warm therapy pool in the future if I am unable to walk. The statute of limitations for litigation had run out and I made it crystal clear legal action had never been my intent anyway. Any decent therapist would have apologized profusely and any reputable business would have offered to help. Neither my physical therapist, nor the director, nor anyone at El Dorado Physical Therapy did any of these. I never heard a word back from anyone.
I had held off on posting a Yelp review through this process. Like litigation, it was not what I wanted and I simply don't like writing a negative review. However, I now believe in addition to poor business practices there was also malfeasance - and find it unconscionable they did not in any way respond to me. I want to let potential clients know "beware". While it's unlikely that anyone else will have my experience and my level of disability and pain, you should still know the factors that allowed it to happen. read more