By Phoebe Alwine | Reporter
Baylor offers physical therapy using equipment and exercises to students, staff and faculty. All services are located within the McLane Student Life Center.
Dr. Richard Gochis, head physical therapist at the McLane Student Life Center, said he works with individuals that come in with a wide range of injuries.
“Any musculoskeletal injuries – so any back pain, knee injuries, ankles, shoulders… I do a lot of musculoskeletal type and sports orthopedic stuff,” Gochis said.
Gochis said he is able to enhance his rehabilitation services by using the available equipment. He said he uses treadmills, bikes and rowers, as well as the track and the pool, to treat his patients and increase mobility.
“We do a lot of strengthening exercises,” Gochis said. “A lot of our focus now is on core strengthening type things, because we found that a weak core can have a negative effect on a lot of different areas of the body, so a lot of [treatment] is going to be stretching, but then a lot of strengthening…balance and proprioception.”
Dr. Sharon Stern, medical director at the McLane Student Life Center, said that having this clinic on campus is beneficial to the Baylor community. She said that with Gochis’ treatment plans and exercises, patients receive superb care and return to full health.
“Physical therapy is a wonderful asset for Baylor University students, faculty and staff. Our physical therapist helps us to have healthy bodies by using modalities and teaching us exercises,” Stern said. “Physical therapy allows you to recover from surgeries and injuries.”
Gochis said he uses many methods and advanced technology and tools to help decrease pain and increase mobility and functionality in all of his patients.
“I use a lot of different things like modalities and ultrasounds. I do a lot of the deep tissue massage, Graston type stuff,” Gochis said. “I do a lot of manual therapy also.”
Gochis said that the physical therapy services are unique to Baylor’s campus because of their convenient location and payment plans.
“I think it’s great for the students to be able to come here. It saves a lot of time for a lot of people,” Gochis said. “I mean, just the amount of time you would take to drive to and from an appointment, we can already have their appointment completed.”
Gochis also said that the clinic provides easy payment plans, taking most forms of insurance and allowing costs to be added to a student’s bill, alleviating the stress of paying after each session.
The Physical Therapy clinic is available to individuals without doctor referral for 10 days, but if Gochis decides that further rehabilitation is required, a referral is needed to continue treatment. The clinic is located on the second floor of the McLane Student Life Center and appointments can be made by phone at 254-710-4249.
