PhysioWorks, Sports and Wellness, Inc

I have been trying to get into running for 3 years now and never got past a 5k without injury. I have ended up with 2 stress fractures, 1 stress reaction, 2 wildly different opinions from orthopedic doctors, physical therapy, custom orthopedic inserts, and repeatedly told to “do less” and “slow down”. I couldn’t possibly go any slower, and I didn’t want to do less. After my first visit with Andrew, he actually listened to my concerns in depth and helped me get to the root of my issue in order to prevent future injury. While other doctors told me “however slow you’re going, you just need to go slower”, Andrew’s treatment plan was based on maintaining and increasing activity, and strengthening my weakest muscle groups that were causing injury, which was an incredible change of perspective. I’ve had a few bumps along the way, but every time I have contacted him, he has worked with me to find an active treatment plan. Three years ago, I couldn’t get past a 5k without being injured. After 3 sessions with Andrew, I have progressed to running my first half marathon, and I now have the confidence to train for my first full marathon. I never thought I could do the things I’m doing now. I can’t recommend him enough!!

I highly recommend going to see Andrew, especially if you are a runner. I went to see him after experiencing severe left hip pain whenever I ran more than 10 miles or when I tried to pick up the tempo. After working with him and doing the strength training and exercises, I have no hip pain during or after running. I was even able to run 50 miles at Delano without any hip pain! His recommendations have improved my running form. Also his suggestion of using an electrolyte powder/mix with caffeine to stave off the migraine headaches I was getting during long runs worked like a charm! He is very knowledgeable in many areas & knows the recent research and data. Furthermore, my Orthopedic physician (Dr. Franklin) told me to do whatever Andrew says! Very pleased seeing him!

There isnt a more attentive, more caring, or more knowledgeable PT out there. Andrew is your guy. Received absolutely unmatched care while working with him. I wanted to challenge myself as a former professional goalkeeper with a hiatory of back injuries and no lick in traditional PT. Andrew gave me the confidence to challenge my body and force change. He educated me on building strength in dysfunction and how to correct it. His plan worked perfect and i am officially pain free! Id give 10 stars if i could. Thank you so much Andrew for giving me my life back!

I really enjoyed working with Andrew! His plan to get me back to healthy running was personalized and easy for me to do on my own time. After working with Andrew I was able to set a marathon PR. I would recommend Andrew for anyone seeking running specific physical therapy!

After suffering a stress fracture a couple of years ago, I had recurring knee and ankle pain related to running. I tried working with another physical therapy group and ended up frustrated when they could only work on the specific site of the pain and not work to correct the gait problems that were causing the pain. I met Andrew earlier this year and spoke with him at several races, but I put off scheduling a running assessment because I was afraid he wouldn't be able to help any more than the other PT group. I finally decided to schedule a running assessment after seeing my friends dramatically improve their running. It was the best thing I could have done! Andrew did a full strength and flexibility analysis along with the video running analysis. He assigned very specific strengthening and stretching exercises. Andrew was great about answering questions via email between appointments. He also worked directly with my running coach when I had specific problems. I loved that the appointments were spread out enough to see significant changes with each visit. It was also helpful to see the improvements on video at each session. My strength has definitely improved. I don't have residual soreness after runs. Best of all, after just two months I've come close to my best pre-injury 5k time and I'm enjoying running again.

Andrew was recommended to me by several members of the Huntsville running community when I experienced pain in my right heel this winter that severely impacted my running. Andrew examined my running style and leg strength and gave me a series of exercises that quickly helped reduce the pain and build back up my running. Andrew has a great knowledge of the latest research and targeted solutions for individual runners. Now I am running pain free and feel I have a better foundation for long term running fitness.

Andrew is highly knowledgeable and very intuitive in determining specific needs of clients. I am so happy to still be running without neck and back pain following a car accident! Andrew took time in really assessing my areas of pain and weakness, he gave me great exercises and therapy to help repair and improve my posture, movement and flexibility. I can still hear his advice when I feel my gate, posture shift... 'trust your spine and don't over correct'... I'm still loving my sport and highly recommend this practice!

I saw Andrew in January for a running assessment after having gotten back into running a couple months before. I had back surgery in 2009 (L5-S1 discectomy) and was strongly discouraged from running by a PT I saw after my surgery. I had been feeling pretty good getting back into it, but was worried about possible injury both to my back and knees. Andrew's running assessment and subsequent muscle strength assessment were extremely helpful. He gave me a couple of things to change while running to help prevent injury and a list of stretches to strengthen my leg and core muscles. A few weeks ago I ran my very first half marathon. A few weeks before that, I had tweaked my back doing something stupid and was afraid I was going to have to give up running the half. I emailed Andrew who encouraged me that all was not lost. With his expert advice, I not only ran the whole way, but ran faster than I was expecting! I have since run a 10K and have 2 more half marathons and a 10-miler on the horizon.

Seriously, make an appointment with Andrew! For anything! Not just if you're a runner or athlete. He can help with normal (and not so normal) life pains, post-surgery issues, etc. Not only is he knowledgeable about how the body works, but he also takes the time to explain the whats and whys and hows. My only complaint is that he lives in Alabama while I'm in Colorado and therefore I can't very easily make appointments with him! So all of you North-Alabamians, take advantage of how close he is to you and let him help you!!

Andrew's knowledge of proper running techniques and his passion for injury prevention make him an invaluable resource for both casual and competitive athletes. I've enjoyed running for over 20 years, with no real training or coaching, and have taken a recent interest in mid-distance triathlons. With his advice, I am buying more effective shoes, improving my posture (all day - not just when running), adding helpful exercises outside of my run, and, of course, improving my run. His analysis is highly personalized and extremely thorough - it is so much more detailed and accurate than the several "free" tread mill videos in running stores that I've had over the years. Andrew is a leading health-care professional and we are lucky to have him in Huntsville. No matter what stage you are in with your exercise program, I can't recommend him highly enough. -Ivy

I had a knee injury that was about 2 years old by the time I saw Andrew. A combination of hoping it would get better on it's own and just not taking the time to get something done about (it was more annoying rather than debilitating) resulted in me putting off addressing it.

I was impressed with Andrew's assessment skills and his ability to explain the different compensations I had developed as a result of my injured knee. The exercises were challenging but doable and I really appreciated the videos he supplied so that I could check my form. He also offered to let me send him videos of me doing the exercises so that he could assess my form if I had questions.

The most positive aspect of my appointments with Andrew was how encouraging he was. I had all but stopped exercising for fear of aggravating the injury and, therefore, progressing to debilitating. Andrew has been very supportive of me returning to walking and even encouraging running if I wanted to do so. As I have started adding some running to my cardio, he has given very useful pointers on improving my form and speed in order to prevent injuries.

I will definitely seek out Andrew again in the future!

I called Andrew after seeing a sports doctor who recommended I use a boot for 6 weeks with little to no activity. I am SO thankful I called him and got a second opinion because I was back to my normal workouts in a few weeks and now I’m running better than I was before the injury and I feel like I have more knowledge and am able to listen to my body to know when to push and when to back off. Andrew will give you all the tools to be successful, you just have to listen, trust the process and do the work!

I feel as if I will be repeating a lot of the reviews, but I have had a wonderful experience with Andrew Walker! I went to see him for a running injury six months after the injury started (and seeing another PT organization). He not only was thorough with answering questions, but was clearly interested in my issue and how best to treat for not only fast recovery but also prevention of re-injury in the future (both the injury I was dealing with and other potential injuries). I saw him maybe 5 times within a 5 month time span and got better and better each time. I appreciate how knowledgeable he is and how willing he is to share the research he has come across. I also liked how the exercises he prescribed built on each other, so I never felt unable to perform or uncomfortable with new exercises. I'm very happy with how well I've recovered and now I'm faster and more efficient as a runner as well!

Starting running at a later age I knew it would not be easy and after a lot injuries that always involved one side I knew I needed something more than PT after the injury. My last injury in 2015 took 5 months of PT and I knew I still had lingering issues that needed work after being released from care. Andrew's assessment identified those areas that were too strong (compensating for the weaknesses) and the ones that needed re-training to engage as they should. The care Andrew has provided has made me a balanced and stronger runner. I can see a difference in posture, walking, and running. I highly recommend Andrew.

Andrew is a fantastic physical therapist, and I highly recommend him to everyone! I originally saw him for an impinged shoulder about 10 years ago in a traditional PT setting, and although I was very pleased with the results, the Physioworks practice model is a tremendous improvement over traditional PT. Andrew is able to provide more individual attention to his patients and work with them over a longer period of time to get better and more permanent results. Andrew has the gift of encouragement and focuses on educating his patients in the "why" of each exercise.

I came to Andrew with a hamstring tear that had sidelined me from running and in pain before a planned business trip to India. Andrew was able to target in on the causes and provide me with some great tips on how to decrease my chances of injury while running. His advice about how much I can be working out while recovering was key to my improving so quickly. I definitely recommend him to any athlete!

I first went to see Andrew Walker at PhysioWorks a couple months ago for a severe shin splint. I had just finished physical therapy elsewhere and didn't get anywhere with my healing. It was a waste of time and money. A friend then recommended going to PhysioWorks and told me how different Andrew is from all other physical therapists. After doing the running analysis, Andrew was able to determine the cause of my shin splint and saw many weak areas with my running form and mechanics. He created a personalized exercise program to strengthen those areas during the time that my shin was healing. I love how he just doesn't focus on the injury and then send you on your way. He has done so much for me and is always available when you have questions. I am already feeling like a much stronger runner than I ever was before, thanks to him. He is the best physical therapist and I would recommend him in a heartbeat!

I went to PhysioWorks after battling severe knee pain for over a year that kept me from walking more than 5-7 miles per day. After working with Andrew for a couple of months, my pain went away, and I was able to complete a 28.3 mile fundraising hike in the foothills of NC in one day! I'm also back to running for 30 minutes a couple of times a week pain free. I highly recommend him!

Another 5-star review for Andrew and PhysioWorks! When I got to town, I had about 20% flexion in my left knee and constant pain and was afraid I was going to have to have surgery to fix it. After a consultation with Andrew and a PT schedule, I am doing great! No knee pain, up to past 90 degrees on flexion and CrossFitting 3+ times a week, as well as a regular yoga practice. I can't thank Andrew enough for his thorough evaluation and spot on recommendations. I'm not ready to hang up my shoes yet, and with Andrew's help, I'm feeling stronger than ever!

Andrew is an extremely valuable asset to our community thanks to his passion for not only his patients, but for staying on top of current research and techniques. I have seen him numerous times and the care I have received is second to none. Andrew is also actively involved in our local athletic community offering injury prevention advice and training tips, and you can often see him volunteering his time at athletic events. Highly recommend.

I was struggling with hip problems for months. I run maybe 20-30 miles a week but when I made my first appointment with Andrew my hip pain was so bad I could barely walk. I had gone to another in-network provider and he had told my there was a problem with my psoas. That treatment did nothing even though I saw him 2x/week. I've been to Andrew 4x in 5 months and each time he observes me and then prescribes new exercises for me to do at home. The meetings are over an hour and he is very patient and engaged. It is not like any pt I have been to in the past. Most of the work you do at home, so there are not a lot of appointments. I've been doing my exercises regularly and my pain has receded and I'm back to running. Andrew not only correctly diagnosed the problem, he takes the time to explain exactly what is going on. I've worked on my running form and with my exercises, I'm a better, faster, more efficient runner than before I got injured. With BCBS, I sent the claim in and was reimbursed, so don't be scared off by the out of network label. I highly recommend this guy. He knows what he's doing.