In April of 2026 I had surgery and part of my recovery was physical therapy. I admit I kind of dreaded PT not because I didn't want to do it. I simply had never had surgery followed by PT before so while I was eager to begin it, part of me was apprehensive about losing almost my entire Spring and Summer to physical therapy. I am happy to report however that my apprehension and concerns were unfounded.
JAG in Cranford is a relatively new location, currently less than two years old. It's not just the location, the actual building itself is very new. This means the wear and tear of age has yet to get its grip on this location. Everything still feels "new" and that includes a lot of the equipment you will use during your PT journey. There is a convenient parking lot and should you need Urgent Care, there is a branch of Union County Health Associates downstairs.
This location features six beds for patients and they offer various types of treatment including electro-stim, heat, cold and of course plenty of exercise equipment to get you fully operational! During my time at JAG they continued to add to their assortment of equipment (one of the last things they added before I left was a deadlift bar and weight plates to go with it). When you get upstairs you come upon the reception desk first and then to your left is the open space (which is a bit different now in configuration than the photos in this listing).
When you first begin PT, you will undergo an initial evaluation. Clinical Director Madeline Holtz did my initial eval and she immediately made me feel at ease. I tend to ask my medical professionals an unending list of questions (both medical and not) and Holtz was *incredibly* patient with me my entire time at JAG. She keeps a constant watch on her patients as they go through those exercises and she allows everyone a wide range of freedom but consistently checks in to make sure everyone is okay. I saw many a patient display fear, concern and even a bit of resistance to PT but Holtz handled them all with aplomb.
Excellence, I believe, needs to be celebrated and Holtz and her staff are absolutely top notch. Each of her assistants has a different strength (I am not naming them out of respect for their privacy) but one can be super friendly and eager to help you while another sets up several exercises for you before you even get to them. The staff is quite simply, excellent at what they do. I will also shout out some of the Clinical Directors who covered whenever Holtz was out of office. While their styles varied, they were all very attentive and answered my numerous questions.
I found JAG via a Google search before my operation, and there are a lot of JAG locations in the area. I picked the Cranford location due to its proximity to the 59 bus (the bus that dropped me off literally stopped right across the street). I believe the 113N also uses the same stops. In retrospect, I'm very happy this is where I wound up for my recovery. I will always be thankful to the team at this location for helping me regain mobility and strength after my surgery. If you need PT, this location is definitely worth your consideration! read more
