I've had two experiences at OSI over 13 years. Mine was from a spinal cord surgery and the other was recently with my high school daughters rehab. Neither experience left me impressed. In fact, in both instances I found that OSI did not push me or my daughter to be the best we could be as soon as we could safely get there.
For me, after a number of weeks of visits, I stopped as they still had me doing very rudimentary exercises, as if they were afraid I may break or something. I left and joined a boxing gym. Within 1 week at said gym (which was $35/mo. by the way vs $150 per visit), I had gained substantial stability and strength. Mind you, this was all non-contact and purely mobility training. In short, OSI did absolutely nothing for my rehab but only served to hold me back from achieving what I was able to do.
My daughter needed rehab, so despite me better judgment, I figured I'd let her go to OSI. 7 months post op and they STILL hadn't told her she could participate in sports (which is the only reason for having the procedure done). It wasn't until I went in and talked with the PT face to face that she said she wouldn't have a problem with her non-contact practicing. She went on to ask me what she was doing right now at practice.....seems like an EPIC swing and miss for a PT not to communicate with her patient on what she could do to promote strength, endurance and stability beyond office hour visits.
To top it off, my daughter had to pass a test in order to be cleared for full contact practice. Coincidence or otherwise (and given my history I'm going with otherwise here....), I trained my daughter over the weekend (30-45 minutes each session) on how to work the stabilizer muscle groups so that she could pass the test. Know what I used? An old unmounted tire, 3lb and 5lb weights, and duct tape on the floor. I had her do these exercises 2x daily for a total of 5 days. I went to her next appointment and she crushed the test. Destroyed it, and was immediately cleared for full contact practice.
I don't see this as a fluke, but rather a pattern. An expensive (to the patient) pattern. A concerning pattern that makes the cynic in me question whether helping a patient accomplish their goals is truly their priority, or if adding revenue is. There's no shame in making money as they are a for profit entity. I don't have a problem with that. I take exception when they milk the financial resources and a country hick like me can accomplish faster, cheaper results without sacrificing safety.
I may be dead off wrong, and they could be the greatest ever. And if that's the case, then I'm truly thankful that I'm wrong. Truly. But in my 2 experiences, they have not indicated a shared mission of getting the patient quickly and safely out the door because they've recovered quickly and have re-engaged in life. They are nice people, but patients shouldn't be going to make friends....they should be going to work hard and move forward. OSI just doesn't make you work hard and explain what a patient could do to achieve the absolute best results possible. And that's what patients deserve.
Just one man's opinion. read more