FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Center of South Oak Park

Bios

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  Dr. Ryan Todd

  Doctor of Physical Therapy

  Dr Todd is the owner of FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Center. He earned his bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Iowa in May of 2000 with an intense focus on biomechanics of human movement. While still an undergraduate at the University of Iowa, Dr. Todd took graduate-level courses in Advanced Biomechanics, Kinesiology and Pathomechanics. Dr. Todd earned his doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Puget Sound in May of 2003. He then earned health coaching degrees from both The Institute for Integrative Nutrition in June of 2006, and The Human Potential Institute in 2015. Dr. Todd is board-certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and holds a current physical therapy license in the state of Illinois. Dr. Todd holds advanced certification in Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (SASTM), a form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that is effective in treating myofascial, tendinous, and ligamentous dysfunctions in sports and post-surgical patients. Dr. Todd underwent training for dry needling through Integrative Dry Needling Institute. Dr. Todd finds that both SASTM and Dry Needling are very effective modalities in treating musculoskeletal issues. Dr. Todd has been involved in sports for most of his life. He competed at the state level in high school cross-country, basketball, and track and was a division I decathlete at the University of Iowa. Dr. Todd resides in Woodridge with his wife, Dana, and their daughters Lilah, Evie, and Avery.

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  Link: Dr. Ryan Todd

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  Elisabeth Schaffrath

  Office Manager

  Elisabeth is our Office Manager and has been a proud and valuable team member of FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Center since 2010! At the front desk, Elisabeth greets our patients and clients in a friendly, compassionate and professional manner that all of our patients love. Elisabeth has more than 25 years of experience in the medical industry including hospital, clinic, physician and professional offices. She is an expert in quality assurance, business management, marketing, worker’s compensation, personal injury and motor vehicle accident insurance. Elisabeth works closely with health insurance companies, law firms and medical offices to ensure proper documentation and communication for smooth billing procedures. As a claim specialist, she works diligently to provide maximum insurance coverage to our physical therapy and telehealth patients. In this time of ever changing health insurance plan coverage and constant new global Pandemic challenges and circumstances, it is Elisabeth’s goal to provide patients with information related to their health insurance plan, coverage and also related COVID safety policy and procedures in our clinic. Her priority is to continue to offer fair payment options for patients without insurance or high deductibles especially since our one on one physical therapy treatment is so highly desired. Elisabeth also enjoys working as a Physical Therapy Aid with clients in our Strength Training Program on the high tech ARX Adaptive Resistance Exercise Machine and CAROL FIT Bike. Elisabeth cherishes spending her free time with her boyfriend, two daughters, her parents and 100lb American Bulldog Moon (aka BabyShark) and Alaskan Huskie/Lab Bella. Elisabeth loves her swimming pool, gardening and beach in summer, cooking homemade Italian dishes and watching NFL and scary movies in winter!

  Link: Elisabeth Schaffrath

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  Dr. Eileen Huffman, DPT

  Dr. Eileen Huffman, DPT has earned a Master’s of Science in Exercise Physiology from Benedictine University as well as a Masters and Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Northwestern University. Eileen has been involved in research publications in addition to presentation of several professional lectures. Her extensive education and years of experience have helped her to develop expertise in orthopedics, analytical skills in physical therapy examination and differential diagnosis. To assist patients return to function, her manual and therapeutic exercise skills are supported by her use of dry needling. In addition, Eileen has been involved in physical therapy for weight loss and wellness programs and looks forward to working with clients to discover what best fits their own personal goals.Eileen and her husband Shawn live in Oak Park with their 2 children and dogs. She enjoys camping, biking, hiking and skiing.

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  Link: Dr. Eileen Huffman, DPT

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  Dr. Aleksandra McNinch, DPT

  Doctor of Physical Therapy

  Dr. Alex McNinch, DPT attended Hope College in Holland, MI where she earned a Bachelors in Chemistry and Spanish, and later went on to earn her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northwestern University. Alex is passionate about research and was named to the National PT Student Honors Society during her time at Northwestern. Alex has experience treating neurologic, orthopedic, and lymphedema conditions as a physical therapist. She believes in treating the whole body, addressing postural and balance impairments alongside treatment of pain and muscle weakness. Alex has pursued continuing education in the area of Vestibular Therapy in order to effectively treat patients with dizziness and vertigo. As a bilingual therapist, Alex can work with patients who speak both English and Spanish. Alex was treated in physical therapy herself from a young age after multiple knee injuries sustained while playing soccer. She has continued to stay active including competing in a triathlon and running a 10K in recent years. When not at work, Alex spends time at her apartment in Chicago’s north side with her husband Adam and their two cats. She enjoys cooking, reading, and being outside. Alex also likes to travel and has visited over 10 different countries.

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  Link: Dr. Aleksandra McNinch, DPT

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  Dr. Joe Adams, DPT

  Doctor of Physical Therapy

  Joe earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Findlay University in Ohio. He also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Exercise Science from Concordia University Chicago. He has nearly 10 years of physical therapy experience and has been a part of the FYZICAL South Oak Park team since 2018. He enjoys serving a wide and diverse range of patients, but thrives particularly in orthopedic and neuromuscular conditions. His treatment style takes on a holistic approach with an appreciation for the connectedness of the human body. He considers the entire body and not only specific joints or regions, as he understands the most successful treatments rely on restoring proper bodily function as a whole. His initial approach is typically "hands-on," utilizing dynamic functional mobility (FM) with an emphasis on biomechanics and postural awareness. He couples this with neuromuscular re-education exercises to enhance manual techniques performed. Joe is a lifelong learner and continues to take a vast variety of comprehensive courses, and he is thrilled to incorporate them to enhance his treatment approach and further develop your plan of care. Joe is no stranger to physical activity himself. In high school he competed in football, basketball, and track and field. He was particularly successful in track and field and was a state qualified athlete. He continued to pursue track and field collegiately, qualifying for nationals in the discus throw and decathlon events. He currently stays active by utilizing the C.A.R.O.L bike and ARX unit, which are available for use by FYZICAL clients for a nominal fee. When Joe is not in the clinic he enjoys trying new food experiences and traveling stateside and abroad. He has traveled to Thailand three times and also traveled to the Philippines, Cambodia and China. He is an avid movie enthusiast, watching classic action movies and new releases. He loves baking, especially chocolate chip cookies and brownies.

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  Link: Dr. Joe Adams, DPT