Integrative Spine & Sports

Many years ago I was treated for plantar fasciitis by a podiatrist who has since retired. So when fasciitis symptoms returned last year, I decided to try the recommendation of a trainer at my gym who had resolved hers through Active Release Technique with Dr Williams at Integrated Spine & Sports. Unfortunately, my experience wasn’t as good as hers.
Twice a week for several weeks, Williams treated my heel pain with Active Release, which brought moderate improvement in terms of pain and overall flexibility. Eventually, however, he suspected that the plantar fascia might actually be torn, and an outside ultrasound confirmed his hunch. With that, he suggested I go down the hall to see IS&S’s podiatrist, Dr Green. Every week, Green elaborately taped my foot. He also recommended that I limit stretching and walking. The tape made even minimal walking uncomfortable, and shower-​proofing the tape every day was a major drag, but I put up with it all for many weeks. When the heel pain returned, however, and I couldn’t get an adequate explanation from either Green or Williams as to why or what to do next, I quit going — problem unresolved.
A new podiatrist prescribed physical therapy for my plantar issues and after a few weeks of rigorous PT (and waterproof taping!) I’m walking more than I’ve been able to in a year, even on hard surfaces — pain free! In retrospect, I can’t help but feel that I wasted a LOT of time, money, and energy at Integrated Spine & Sports and that they were never particularly interested in helping me.

I have been going to Dr. Williams for over 5 years. Him and his team are not only great at diagnosing the problem and fixing the issues, they are great at showing you preventative exercises to eliminate whatever injury you may have. They take the time to listen, understand and treat you in a professional manner. I have had IT band issues, hip flexor challenges, and massive shin splits. They have been able to address all my injuries. Not only that, they can get you in right away if you need an MRI.
Great doctors, amazing work, and professional and caring bed side manner.

I’ve been working with Dr. Lal for over a year, and the improvement I’ve seen in my pain level, stability, and mobilization is phenomenal. Along with Diana and Dr. Williams (who helped to fit me with custom Orthopedic inserts), the whole team at Integrative Spine & Sports worked to correct years of repeated ankle injuries and the resulting back pain. The results I’ve seen have actually been life changing, as I’m again able to be an active, healthy New Yorker. THANK YOU TO THE FULL TEAM!

First off, I can’t say enough good things about this practice, and specifically, Dr. Lal. I would send anyone and everyone with sports injuries, pain, or lack of success from other treatments straight here.
I had lightly pulled a hamstring in yoga, and it had remained stuck and sore for 8 months– and 7 of those months, I was in physical therapy. There wasn’t huge, steady pain– it was elusive, not dependent on particular activity, would show up in all different areas of the leg, and was not steadily responsive to physical therapy, to which the therapists didn’t seem alarmed or have further information. As a dancer, performer, and generally active person, it wore on me to have to take care with it, without knowing exactly how to do so, and all the while feeling like I was overreacting or incorrect because no doctors seemed to quite understand what I was experiencing.
By the time they referred me to Dr. Lal, she listened to the entire story attentively and curiously, understanding and reassuring my stress. I ended up having to get multiple rounds of PRP, which is a therapy involving shots and re-​injection of your blood that is only a few years old. She was so caring and reassuring throughout the entire process, patient with my health insurance and other schedules, and did everything from chatting with me about shopping and life lessons to calling up my physical therapists when she believed they weren’t accurately rehabilitating me. I was still new to New York, and I felt more kindness and care there than anywhere else in the city. I met the only doctor only during the formal procedures, but he was also kind and put me at ease. I could tell they had a clear theory, approach, and practice to their work, and they don’t buy into pumping you with unnecessary drugs or being evasive about anything. My leg responded to treatment because she was committed to getting me better.

I have been seeing Dr. Williams and Dr. Sapienza since March, 2014 for a glute/​hamstring injury. They have been very attentive to treating me and changing my treatment course accordingly once we has a conclusive diagnosis after an MRI they recommended for me. I am currently still rehabbing from a hip labral tear and hamstring tendinosis. While it’s a slow healing process, I have felt like I have been under expert care here. They take the time during appointments to explain things well and answer all my questions. I also have found them to be fairly on time for appointments. The location is also very convenient and I come from Astoria! I have already recommended their services to other people who are suffering from sports related injuries.

After three years of physical therapy, pain medications, and seeing doctor after doctor, I had almost given up hope that I’d ever live a life without chronic pain. Then I found Integrative Spine and Sports. From the very beginning Dr. Lal and Dr. Williams assured me that there absolutely was a solution to eliminating the pain I have felt since I fractured 5 vertebrae in my spine. Dr. Lal listened to my entire story and validated how I was feeling about my pain and past treatment. She recommended several different treatments and we have found the one that works best. Dr. Williams works on the spots where I am feeling the most pain and seems to have adjusted things I never thought would be the same again! He always explains why I’m feeling the pain and how he can fix it. While I had been told time and time again that I have «a permanent injury» so I would «probably always feel it» to some extent, Dr. Lal and Dr. Williams set a goal of making me pain-​free… even pain free when I dance! As a 25 year-​old professional singer/​dancer/​actor, this sort of progress has been life-​changing and I feel more positive about my situation than I have in years. Additionally, the staff and nurses at Integrative are very friendly and the atmosphere is always welcoming. Best of all, I feel like I have a team of people behind me — who WANT me to feel better. I’m so happy I found Integrative and I can tell you — if on the search for pain management or sports chiropractic — this is where you want to go!