Get To Know New Local Business: SoPo Physical Therapy

Email: info@sopopt.com

I first met Melinda Hurt and Laura Peaslee while I was working at a local Physical Therapy clinic years ago. They were two of my faves there, and I stayed in touch over the years after I left. They just opened a brand new Physical Therapy practice in South Portland! Read on to learn all about how Melinda and Laura are determined to make physical therapy an incredibly valuable experience.

Melinda Hurt and Laura Peaslee, both Doctors of Physical Therapy, have a passion for helping people regain control of their health. Both of their journeys, which led them to physical therapy looked different from one another. Melinda always knew she wanted to be in healthcare and help people in some capacity. “I got my degree in Psychology, but over time I realized this wasn’t the path I wanted to take. I’m pretty black and white, and the psychology field was too gray for me. One day I was out for a run, and it hit me, why don’t I help people heal physically?”

Laura, on the other hand, was a high school athlete, and remembers being in physical therapy a lot through high school due to overuse, not properly being cross trained, and lack of engaging in strength training. Through that process, at an early age, she decided she wanted to help athletes be proactive, so they can spend their time achieving their goals.

Both Hurt and Peaslee have been Doctors of Physical Therapy for about 10 years. They met 10 years ago while they were working at Back in Motion in Gorham. They then both went onto working at Intermed Physical Therapy in South Portland for many years. While at that clinic, they had similar strategies in the care they wanted to provide to their patients. Both had a large following of a mix of clients that would specifically request them for care.

This month, Hurt and Peaslee opened a brand new physical therapy practice in South Portland, “SoPo Physical Therapy.” This practice will be sharing space with Jacked and Jilled Gym at 184 Main Street. These business partners are ecstatic about going out on their own and being able to run their practice the way they have always envisioned physical therapy care to be.

“We want to redefine what people think physical therapy is, making the process more valuable.” Hurt and Peaslee will not be accepting insurance, resulting in multiple benefits for the patients. Patients will be able to avoid the added step of getting a referral from their primary care provider. They can make the decision on their own that they want to start physical therapy, and simply contact and schedule an appointment right away.

When providers are working with insurance companies, the providers have to constantly justify the plan of care, and often it is dictated by the insurance companies. Hurt explains, “We are going to be able to work with our patients and get them the care they need, both the patient and us as providers, will be in the driver’s seat, ensuring the best care.” Some of the benefits for the patient are uninterrupted one-on-one care, no surprise bills, and in many cases, it is more cost effective than traditional PT.

Each appointment at SoPo Physical Therapy will be an hour long. This hour can be whatever the patient and provider think is most beneficial. Each patient will have access to the gym during the time of their appointment, or they can opt for a private room for manual or hands-on therapy. All patients will have access to cardio equipment, weights, and turf.

Hurt and Peaslee want to stress that a patient doesn’t need to wait until they are injured to come see them. They want their patients to be proactive, perhaps it’s a visit once or twice a month for preventative care so that each patient can maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

A large part of their focus is going to be ensuring that when a patient is done with a session, they have the tools they need to continue working on progress at home. Each patient has an option for signing up for the gym, which also offers personal training. Hurt and Peaslee want to bridge the gap between the skills and progress that are gained in physical therapy, and what you do afterwards. Your progress doesn’t need to stop when you discontinue PT.

Hurt and Peaslee both bring a lot of knowledge about athletics, and how to take care of your body to stay healthy and active. Hurt is a powerlifter and has competed in the Arnold Schwarzenegger competition. She is known as, “the strongest woman in Maine,” and will be conducting strength and lifting assessments.

Peaslee is an avid runner and biker. She is a certified Professional Bike Fitter through the Serotta International Cycling Institute. She is eager to educate more cyclists on the importance of proper bike fit to enhance performance, improve comfort, and decrease risk of injury. Peaslee explains, “Having a proper fit is essential, cycling is extremely repetitive, and requires a lot of symmetry and balance, so having a proper bike fit is key.”

She also is a runner and will be conducting running gait assessments. Peaslee has competed in the Tri for the Cure twice, and won the bike event both years, and came in 4^th place overall one year. She also enjoys running the Beach to Beacon. Although Hurt and Peaslee have strong athletic backgrounds, they want to help all people, no matter what their level of physical activity is.

They are looking forward to being able to fully utilize their expertise and help the community become healthier and more active. Their business model allows them to impact patients in a valuable and unique way that they haven’t had the freedom to do prior.

Both have a strong sense of satisfaction from helping others. “I love seeing patients get back to doing what it is they love to do,” Peaslee explains what the most rewarding piece of her work is.

“It’s the same for me, it’s also nice to see people recognize that their mental state improves as they physically heal and get healthier,” explains Hurt.

Both Melinda and Laura are thrilled to become your local Physical Therapist to help you achieve the life you want.

For pricing and other information visit:

Sopopt.com