Testimonials
We encourage anyone who wants to help their body get the function, balance, and support it deserves to read some of our patient reviews and then come in for a visit. Let’s start getting your body in its best state.
“Change your story. Cute slogan, right? But Tangelo has lived up to it in the biggest way possible.
My story, as far back as I can remember, has been that I’m the clumsy one, the wimpy one, the tired one, the one on crutches or wearing a brace, the one who’s joints dislocated with the slightest of movements.
I always bounced back and tried again as a kid, but after a few years of severe chronic illness and nearly losing my life to cancer, it was a lot harder to get back up. The year in bed took its toll on my body, and led to new diagnoses: chronic fatigue and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder. I finally understood WHY I felt so awful, but with treatment limited to symptom management, I felt hopeless. My rheumatologist waffled on whether physical therapy would help or hurt. She finally agreed that I might try to strengthen my shoulders, but to avoid any stretching or exercises that might increase range of motion (my soft tissue is like an over-stretched rubber band), following up instead with massage therapy for the inevitable aches that would result. I’m a mom with young kids, and fitting regular PT and massage sessions into my schedule never happened.
A year later, I sprained my neck. Suddenly, finding a physical therapist couldn’t wait.
I live near Greenlake and had passed Tangelo quite a few times. Their sandwich board always caught my eye, but after hurting my neck, every word jumped out at me and I found myself inside talking to Mckenzie, asking if they could help someone with such complex joint issues. They were just about to close, but one of the doctors took a few minutes to talk with me. I left, encouraged that they might actually be able to help, with an appointment scheduled.
Two days later, I met Dr Bart. One of the first things he told me put me at complete ease: even though he’s a chiropractor, he was trained to never do spinal adjustments on anyone with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Instead, he gave me a soft tissue ART treatment that relaxed my spasming neck muscles, then started me off with some simple exercises for my neck and shoulders out on the rehab floor. Each visit includes a treatment with Dr Bart, but Tyler and Geneva took over my rehab starting on my second appointment. I feel like I have my own personal team of cheerleaders.
At each of my first few appointments, I came in with a new complaint. EDS is a head to toe condition, so this didn’t surprise me, but the team didn’t even flinch. A dislocated wrist at my third visit just meant we had to get a little creative. Hurting my toe walking on sand at the beach meant adding some new exercises. Every acute issue was dealt with at that appointment, and led to the fastest recoveries I have ever experienced. As my neck improved, we kept adding new exercises to deal with my other problem areas, and after just a few weeks, my injuries slowed to a trickle.
At about 8 weeks into my treatment, there was a sudden shift. My joints were stable enough that I wasn’t experiencing unprovoked dislocations. My overall pain levels were lower than they had been in years. My rehab changed from gentle to brutal (but in a good way). Tyler and Geneva still watch me like hawks– poor proprioception is common with EDS, and it’s easy for me to hurt myself when I lose track of what my body is doing. I’ve gotten used to Tyler’s mischievous grin when I tell him I finished my reps or I hold up a timer after it beeps– “Oh, you thought you were done? Do some more.” I’m in pain again, but it’s a very different type– a healthy muscle burn.
It’s been weeks since I’ve dislocated a shoulder, I can’t remember the last time my hips popped, and my knees are far more stable. I feel like a different person, and I’m acting like one too! Almost every day, after I drop my kids at school, I walk or jog around Greenlake. I purposefully walk on errands rather than driving. I ran a 5k this weekend, and instead of sleeping the rest of the day, I kept moving, even running my dog a few miles in the moonlight. I have more energy, and end up taking far fewer unanticipated naps. I’m happier, and I yell at my kids less. If this isn’t a changed story, I don’t know what is! I walked into Tangelo hoping they could help my neck and reduce my joint pain, and I’ve come out a different person.
I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m already farther than I ever thought I could get. I had accepted chronic pain, frequent injuries, and limited mobility as a given for my life, but now I have such hope for my future. I can’t recommend Tangelo strongly enough. It doesn’t matter how big or small your issue is– if you’re willing to put in the work, the Tangelo team really can help you change your story.” – Vanessa B.
“These guys are seriously magicians. Better than that really, because they use science, education, and a tremendous amount of skill in everything they do.
I’ve been living with shoulder pain for probably about 10 years, going from tolerable to annoying to waking me up multiple times in the middle of the night. Within two weeks of regular visits to Tangelo, I slept through the night pain free for the first time in a very long time. Dr. Mike was so great at listening to my concerns, explaining to me what was going on, and making sure I felt confident in the Tangelo approach and possibility of living pain free. Robb has been so helpful in getting me stronger and equipping me with modifications and mobility exercises. Best of all, everyone there has been friendly and hilarious. PT isn’t something I ever imagined looking forward to but I genuinely love coming into Tangelo and working with these folks.
Bottom line: if you have any sort of pain, stiffness, or general discomfort, this is your place. It was easy to set up appointments, easy to bill my insurance, and easy to FEEL BETTER. What more could you ask for?” – Vanessa B.
“Ladies, if you have plantar fasciitis, the answer is not to wear orthopedic shoes. It’s to get your muscles treated and work on strengthening the right muscles.
A month after I started going to Tangelo, the daily cramping stopped. The improvement in quality of life has been dramatic. And I’m wearing heels again.
(As a point of comparison, a coworker of mine also had plantar fasciitis at the same time. Six months after he started getting rehab therapy from Group Health, he was still walking around in pain.)
Tangelo combined ART and rehab exercise training for my treatment. The doctors and trainers are supportive, friendly, responsive and on top of the latest research and innovative techniques.
I highly, highly recommend Tangelo Health.
You don’t need to live in pain. Or in ugly shoes.” Sharon C.
“Lucky me, my 2020 bingo card included a nasty knee injury…but it ALSO brought me Dr. Aaron and Dr. Sean. I couldn’t be happier with the team at Tangelo Fremont. They are immaculately professional, invested in your recovery, and fun to be around! I never once felt like I was navigating my injury and rehab alone. It was an honest team effort. Do yourself a favor, and give these folks a call. They will take care of you.” Natalie W.
“I just had my first session at Tangelo to figure out this hip thing and I AM SO IMPRESSED. With my other PT (who I saw through my insurance), I left feeling frustrated, uninspired and really limited – like I couldn’t trust my body and take things up another notch. That PT implied I was all notched out. I felt very alone and wasn’t sure what to do next.
Dr. Bart and Ashley are AMAZING. Like 800,000% better than that other PT.
SO MUCH MORE INFO. They explain WHY. It totally makes sense. I am engaging in a treatment plan so my body can re-learn how to function better.
If you’re feeling limited…GO SEE DR. BART. He’s like an exercise-body detective and he will ferret out that one thing that is holding you back, that you might not even know you needed. I learned SO MUCH just with that first session.” – Mindy C.
