Meet Your Therapist...

Anissa R. Valerio, PT

"I saw the impact physical therapy made in the life of my great-grandmother after she experienced a stroke and decided I wanted to make a difference in someone's life."

One-on-one with patients
Physical therapy is unique because it gives you the opportunity to spend quality one-on-one time with each patient to address their needs and make progress toward their goals. I most enjoy working to individualize each patient's treatment plan and aim the overall goals of treatment at specific patient goals, which the patient was involved in setting. This commitment to listening and involving each patient in their plan of care resonates with each patient I treat. My patients have described me as a patient advocate who is approachable, professional and compassionate.

Licensed in Physical Therapy: Texas State board of Physical Therapy Examiners

DPT: Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX

Patients get what they need
As a physical therapist, I feel it is my duty to educate my patients about their anatomy and physiology, their current pathology and how they can best overcome their functional deficits and limitations. I also teach them to take responsibility for their own recovery by actively participating in physical therapy and following their home exercise prescriptions. Without the patient's cooperation, it is more difficult to achieve their own desired results. Experience has taught me that patients who take responsibility also recover more fully and quickly as they improve their overall physical and emotional health.

Dealing with pain
Some of our most challenging and intriguing patients are usually those who have been simply diagnosed with some sort of pain, such as leg pain, knee pain, back pain or neck pain. They are more challenging and intriguing because, as a physical therapist, it is my job to find out the exact source of their pain and the next step would be to figure out what caused the pain. Once I have identified the source of pain and the cause of pain, I work with each patient to get them out of pain, then remedy what initially caused the problem, which could be something as simple as poor posture. I listen to each patient's needs and concerns. This allows me to develop a plan of care that will help the patient progress toward their individual goals, which are as unique and diversified as the patients themselves. Two patients with exactly the same diagnosis often respond differently to different kinds of treatment. That's why it is so important for me to personalize each patient's plan of care so it fits that patient's unique needs and circumstances.