Move Easy Physical Therapy

I saw Deena once but this one time was very helpful. She did a hole check up on the body before trying to fix anything which I loved. I got great exercises to do at home. She showed great knowledge and got me to pay attention to other body parts I haven’t notice that they are a part of my enjory.
Thank you Deena

Deena never fails to help me feel better. I learn more about my body and how to help it heal and get stronger every time i visit her. She is encouraging and so caring. I come away with a better understanding on working to get stronger.

My issue was related to over zealous cycling resulting in pain in my neck, shoulder and back. Eventually, i began to get severe headaches while driving and running. I heard about Deena through a friend. On my first visit she assessed and expertly massaged my shoulder and the pain disappeared. To me this was miraculous since I had been living with this pain for a long time. Although the pain returned after a day, it was not nearly as severe; I could feel general improvement. The second visit brought further relief and more tools for me to use at home. I am very optimistic that she will help me to continue my active lifestyle and stay pain free!

Thanks to Deena I’m feeling better than I have in years. First she figured out how to stop pain in my knee that was so intense, it kept waking me up in the middle of the night. Then she fixed my back, hip and side, which had been hurting and stiff for a long time. I had some old injuries from a long time ago that weren’t fully addressed at the time and caused ongoing instability and pain. Deena knew just what was needed to fix them. Over the years I was treated by professionals who helped, but just didn’t have Deena’s insight about how to identify underlying problems and get them totally resolved. Since Deena runs her own practice she can use her own insight and observations to benefit her clients. That’s completely different from many physical therapists who work only on orders from a doctor — meaning, they can only carry out procedures that the MD tells them to do. As a result they can’t discuss or use other treatment options, no matter how beneficial something might be for their clients. Thankfully it’s a really different situation for Deena. Since she runs her own practice she can collaborate with clients and jointly decide on how best to proceed. I truly prefer Deena’s approach because a) it resolved the root cause and got rid of the pain, and b) it allowed me be an active participant in my own healing instead of a passive recipient for someone else’s suggestions, no matter how well-​intended.
Deena makes very effective use of time and after just a few sessions I saw huge improvements with my knee and back. I could start hiking again and take joy in being out and about. The icing on the cake was when she worked on my left hand, which I broke more than ten years ago. It healed very strong but despite many months of treatment at the time, I had very limited motion in my wrist and thought I’d never play the guitar again. (I used to be a professional musician, so that was very hard.) After working on my wrist for just a few minutes Deena restored the full range of motion — it feels as good as new — and I knew I could start playing music again. Thank goodness I never sold my beautiful 12-​string guitar, which was patiently waiting for me all these years.
Before becoming a PT Deena’s first career was as a dancer and she really understands how the body works. In addition to her healing abilities she’s a delightful human being: kind, intelligent, responsive to clients, with an upbeat personality and a strong sense of personal integrity. Deena can help you feel better whether it’s a new injury, or an old one where you thought you were down for the count.

Deena has changed how I move/​use my body and has given me the right tools to alleviate a lifetime of low back pain — and help prevent future pain! I’ve had chronic back pain on and off for over 25 years. Have had relief from previous physical therapy and especially myo-​fascial release. However, it wasn’t until I worked with Deena in the fall of 2014, that I learned that I could change the way I sit, walk, move and even play my accordion — to not just alleviate, but prevent future pain! Deena’s work is deceptively subtle. Her physical manipulation was gentle but effective. Perhaps even more importantly, she gave me spot on guidance on how to be much more conscious of how I was holding my low back with tension — and how to release that tension. I went through a recent stressful period, felt my old back tension mounting (which might normally lead to my back going «out») but this time I was able to apply the techniques, pay attention and release the tension over a few days — before it went into full-​blown spasm as might have happened in the past. Honestly I feel like I have a «new» low back — so much more free and pain-​free! Thank you Deena!

I’m a healthcare professional and have had the pleasure of Deena’s expertise for 5 sessions within the past few months. As a somewhat active middle-​ager I“ve experienced aches and tightness through-​out my body on a more frequent basis. I’ve received massages (from massage therapist) and was resigned to believe I’m «just getting older». I suspected a «deeper» cause of my body’s condition. My first visit with Deena «The Body Dectective» revealed long-​lived physical patterns/​underactivity and overactivity of muscle groups/​unawareness of muscular functions to name a few. She has addressed my body’s discomforts with almost immediate results of pain relief during our PT sessions. I feel more balanced, grounded and integrated. To sustain my reacquaintance with a comfortable body she’s provided excercises and tools for physical maintenance. Her initial visit of physical consulting is of no charge which is another reason why I recommend her. This will allow her prospective client to experience Deena’s informative suggestions and prognosis for their current physical status.
I am appreciative of Deena Levy’s Physical Therapeutic talents and highly recommend her.

I have been seeing Deena almost weekly for the last couple of months. I feel totally lucky to have found her! Her care, compassion, knowledge and genuine interest in resolving the many problems I have accumulated over the years with pain and limited range of motion just about everywhere in my body has really changed my negative opinions about Physical Therapy. I had tried many PT services in different locations in the East Bay and in Marin — they were terribly superficial and inadequate treatments.
Deena has worked through some really complex chronic problems with my foot, legs, pelvis and back. With any visit she knew how to approach each situation. I have always left her office feeling improved and with a positive attitude that I am actually getting better.
To start with, she gave me a few movements to do in her office to find out if my problem in my foot/​leg was due to weaknesses. She gave me no more than 2 exercises to try in her office. After doing them a few times I found they improved the strength I did not know I was missing, so I was totally motivated to do them at home. Other PT’s had drowned me in pages of exercise print-​outs without demonstrating how they would help me so I was never motivated to do them more than a few times. And when I did try their reams of exercises, they never seemed to do anything for me.
During two separate sessions, Deena addressed the high level of tension in my legs and back with ultrasound. Previously, I had taken the same problem to 3 other PT’s who had refused to use the ultrasound machine (they had insisted on using a vibrating machine on my skin/​clothes even when I reported the machine did not change my conditions during repeated visits). She also added myofascial release work with her hands which was even more helpful to release these tight, painful tissues after the ultrasound. I decided the over use of the skin vibrator by other PT’s must be a cost-​cutting move or just plain stupid — they charge for sessions but don’t deliver on the service. This never occurred with Deena. She has reliably used the right modality to address the problem.
I found most PT’s had no idea how to use their hands for specific myofascial release work. This fact that still mystifies me about their claim to do physical therapy. Not a favorite topic in PT schools I am told. Deena said she had studied with many other disciplines to learn how to do myofascial release work. Go Deena.
I am so grateful for her competent skills, interest and compassion to help me get through the many problems that have plagued me for years. She is doing a great job and I highly recommend her services.

I only met with Deena briefly, but she quickly recommended some easy things I could do to relieve lower back pain I’ve been having with my pregnancy. Her tips were so natural and made so much sense – but were something I would have never thought of on my own. I would highly recommend Deena to anyone needing ongoing care, or just a session or two to learn about how to better move and live within your body.

I can single-​handedly thank Deena for healing my sprained ankle in record time. I have suffered repeated ankle sprains for years now. I was finally at my wits end — so tired of this endless weakness. When I found Deena listed on Unilocal,I reached out to her and right away I could tell she was the perfect fit for me. She was patient, understanding, empathetic and personable. She made time for me in her busy schedule and I saw her that same week. Within the first session — she listened to my concerns, assessed my injury and diagnosed and then treated me with this delicious massage technique — where she actually manipulated a tendon — or was it a muscle — back in place across the bottom of my foot. Within minutes — I was walking again putting pressure on my foot. There was none of that harsh and violent setting that some chiropractors do. This felt so yummy that I could have just stayed there for hours. I have had many a massage in my day — but Deena’s massages are unparalleled. Putting my body together again and feeling this renewed sense of motion, the relaxation was off the charts. Deena gave me exercises to do at home and loaned me some equipment and after about 5 sessions — my ankle was strong and my body was anew. I love Deena and wouldn’t go to any other PT ever again. Her practice is inviting and comfortable and her knowledge of the body is extensive. I feel so lucky to know that there is such an accomplished healer right in our city. Deena is the best!!!

Deena is a remarkable physical therapist and healer. She has healed my sports injuries numerous times, and recently, simply transformed my daughter’s soccer injury with her knowledge, touch, and expertise. My daughter had pain for weeks — she left Deena’s office pain free and ready to play again. Amazing!!! I cannot recommend her enough!

Deena creates a really comfortable space, she knows her stuff, she is kind, engaged, and funny, and I feel really, really good after just four sessions. I went from not being able to even hike all that long to playing basketball in two months. I had been to many different folks for hip, knee and lower back issue: Chiropractors, healers, doctors, no one was able to get my body back into a healthy place, and then there was Deena. I would recommend her to one and all.

«I am so grateful to have found Deena Levy! She has such a keen sense of observation and wealth of knowledge. Each session was not only therapeutic, but a tremendous learning experience, as Deena helped me to gain valuable insight into my own body. As a professional cellist, I put a lot of strain on my body traveling, carrying, sitting, etc., and within several sessions, she gave me tools to use my body differently and I was free of back pain that had been ongoing for several months. With Deena you are in excellent hands.» — Theresa Wong

I’ve been seeing Deena for a few months now and it’s been a really rewarding experience. Through her treatments and the exercises and stretches she’s given me for homework my hip pain has significantly decreased and my flexibility is practically as good as it’s been since I was a kid. Very happy to be getting treatment from her… in fact, my next appointment is in three hours.
Deena is very attuned to what’s going on with my body… the possible causes, possible solutions and ways to help. She knows how to describe things in a way that resonates with me.

I just called Deena for my 10 year old daughter who is experiencing plantar faciatus heel pain– she is in track and soccer and has grown 4 inches in the past year. Deena gave me all sorts of resources and support — I feel so taken care of. This is on top of years help for both my partner and I for our own heel and knee issues. Oh I forgot Osgood Schlatter for my son. After a few visits from Deena– you are good to go!
She is kind and generous and deeply thoughtful about how to fix you up.

Deena is incredible. I was struggling for shoulder pain and when I wen to Deena I figured it would be a long road to recovery but in just a couple of sessions she had me back to normal functioning, pain-​free. She knows her stuff and her space is perfect. I feel totally comfortable and cared for every time I see Deena.

I was rear ended in August and went to Deena for physical therapy. She was the one service provider that could really evaluate where I was in my process, exactly what I needed to do to improve it and tell me how long it would take. She was always extremely thorough and gave me home exercises that actually really helped. I just finished up with her and I feel pretty much back to normal. I owe a lot of my recovery to Deena’s guidance. I hope that I won’t need her services again but if I do it’s good to know that she’s a resource for me.

I’ve seen Deena twice now, once to assess, and then the last time to start treatment. Let me tell you, she can really do the manual therapy that needs to be done! I have alot of muscle issues from a knee injury, and limited motion because of it. She really took the time to sort things out. I felt better immediately, can tell a difference. I will be returning regularly!

So, back in December I was in my exercise class working like a wild woman. Then, I made a beautiful misstep and *boom*. I was the proud new owner of a grade III sprain. It was supremely bad and horribly painful (I’m a bit stoic about pain, so if it hurt me, best believe it was bad.)
I was informed by my doc, the ER staff, and my chiropractor that the heal-​up was going to be a very long process and the chances of re-​injury would be high if I was not careful.
So, I sought out a PT. I wanted someone who would do more than massage my foot and use equipment on me. I needed someone would would rehab me like an athlete gets rehabbed. I am a curmudgeon, so I was prepared to walk in, not like it, and walk right back out again. I had to pay out of pocket, so I was surly about it and wanting something excellent. After a search, I found Move Easy.
Deena has a dance background and has been doing PT for many years, so that was a good starting place for me. Dude, she’s awesome. She’s nice (always a plus), she really sees and gets body mechanics and the workings of the whole body system. My ankle is nearly 100% again – no, wait – 120%, really as I have a crummy ankle to start with and it is stronger and more stable now than it has been since childhood. Even better than my ankle being in great shape again, in the meantime Deena has helped me rehab an old injury on my knee (from ten years ago, folks), and helped me begin to rehab my post-​partum/​post-​twins/​post-​c-​section belly muscles (from 2 years ago – the gym hasn’t done much for it, sadly.) I’ve got a new body in progress thanks to her help. No joke.
Best of all about Deena is that she gets the mechanics of both large movement exercise and the minute positions of joints and postures in making the exercises effective and good for your body. The slightest adjustment of a hip joint has made the difference between doing painful, stiff squats and effortless, quad-​strengthening things of beauty. Even my trainers comment of how good my form is getting. I can’t say enough about how great she is and what a difference this has made for me. It was worth every single penny and then some.

Deena might be excellent, but when I called to make an appointment, she wasn’t very interested after asking me about my insurance plan! Totally WEIRD! She answered the phone herself (I was surprised) and quickly after grilling me about my insurance and whether I was private pay, and then telling me she was $ 140/​hour each appointment, she told me she was booked for two weeks and I really needed to find someone else! I didn’t even object to the amount! She just dismissed me completely — so Meh! how good and caring can she be?!! I’m still speechless!

I had a sore back for literally years. Maybe you know the dull aching lower back — feels like you have been standing at a concert way too long and you really want to sit down, but… you know… all the time. I wasn’t sleeping very well and would wake up at night with a lot of pain in my lower back.
I thought it was something that I had to put up with until I met Deena Levy and she explained that the way I stand and walk (largely brought about by years of T’ai Chi in college and grad school) was the cause of all the pain and stiffness. T’ai chi basically taught me to stand and walk with my pelvis tucked under too far — I guess it improves your center of gravity, but it really screws with your back.
I went to see her for about 2 months and in that time, she watched how I moved, did some heat treatment and some massage, gave me a bunch of exercises to strengthen some ignored muscle groups and re-​taught me how to sit, stand, stand up and basically walk correctly so that today I am virtually pain free. She was successful at relieving that particular pain, but unfortunately it still hurts when I stub my toe. :-)
I will be forever grateful for her intuition and attention to detail which has led to a healthier and one would assume more long-​lived me.