Testimonials - Adult Therapy

I’m so grateful I went to see Darwyn! I had chronic hip and low back pain for about a year and visiting the chiropractor consistently did not provide relief. I felt immediate improvement after my first visit with Darwyn. He takes great care to not only address your issues thoroughly, but he also teaches you practices you can do on your own that will help between visits. After working with him for a few months, I am so grateful to be pain free!  -  Andrea 

Early in June of last year, I began suffering with severe pain in both shoulders, and in my neck from no discernible injury or cause. I went to the emergency room on three different occasions in search of relief, or at least a diagnosis. Doctors prescribed opioid painkillers and recommended an MRI of my shoulder. Their recommendation was shoulder surgery due to my prior rotator cuff injury.

It was then I knew I needed to speak with Dr. Bartsch. 20 years earlier, he had ended my pain from a torn rotator cuff through precise exercises and returned my arm to full use. 

Dr. Bartsch suggested I have an MRI on my neck as he suspected the pain was from a pinched nerve. Thank goodness for his insight and expertise, not to mention his time. He was correct. His advice on concise pressure points started my relief. After more than four months of severe pain and sleeping in a recliner, I no longer have pain. 

I am an 87-year-old woman and so grateful to Dr. Bartsch. Truly, I am 99% pain-free and back to my full activity routines!  - Jeanne 

Three years ago I had a bicycle accident and fractured my collar bone. After the accident, I had three years of being stiff and unable to turn my head very far to the right. I also continued to have upper back pain. Now my neck is doing well and still able to turn to the right almost as well as turning to left. The work you did to get my head to turn to the right after my bicycle crash and broken collar bone was incredible. Also, the work with my rib cage and my upper spine was very helpful and made such a difference in the discomfort of my upper back. - Debi 

I have had two car accidents which left me with chronic right side neck pain and stiffness that left me unable to turn my head to the left or right and unable to tip my head back in order to look up. If I tried to move it, there was severe pain.  I have had physical therapy, therapy exercises, and acupuncture  (which gave limited relief). But I still had limitations, stiffness, pain and headaches. This condition that I was living with was a constant disability. All of the prior treatments centered on neck and shoulder muscles.  I used muscle relaxants and heat to get through my days.

I was referred to Excel In Health, PT, PLLC and with a treatment of just 2 hours, the problem was assessed and was identified as not only my neck but included my ribs and upper back.  So now for the first and lasting time, I can turn my head right and left and up and down. My "trigger" points are gone and my posture is better.

Assessment, including listening to the history, is the key to locating and identifying the root cause of the problem. So, for one year,  I have been pain free, and can turn my head and have not had headaches. I have discovered that living with chronic pain and limitations is not always necessary. With the right diagnosis and treatment by a qualified physical therapist can make all the difference. - Carol 

I have been suffering with migraine headaches for about 35 years. I have been to the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago, and numerous other Neurologists throughout the years.  Dr Bartsch treated my migraine in one visit. I have been headache free since January 2010.  I cannot remember ever going so long without pain.  What a Blessing you are to me. - Mary 

It has been my distinct pleasure to have received therapy from Dr. Darwyn Bartsch. He has treated more than one malady for me with profound results. 

Darwyn is my brother, so in conversations over the years I had heard many examples of how his therapies had helped folks, both children and adults. Then an old injury began to impair my health when I was in my fifties, to the point where I was unable to eat or sleep because of nausea and pain. 

Receiving no beneficial treatment in my locale, I travelled from Canada to Arizona to see Darwyn. He pulled me from the edge of the grave (no exaggeration). I am now 66 and have remained functional and thriving, thanks to his therapy, which included a couple of tune-ups along the way.

This year (2021) I was unable to see him personally due to international travel restrictions since I live in Canada. I developed debilitating elbow, wrist, and finger pain, was incorrectly diagnosed here, and then consulted with Darwyn. He advised me of some things I could do on my own that took most of my pain away instantly. It was astounding! Miraculous from my perspective but clearly, he knows anatomy and physiology and how to correct misalignments and relieve injuries. He’s knowledgeable and gifted!

Many, and probably most, of his patients have experienced equivalent or greater benefits than I have. That’s remarkable! I highly recommend that you consult with him on your therapy needs. - Jackson Mackenzie 

Thanks so much for helping me with my ankle/foot issue. The pain is greatly reduced and the discomfort is not keeping me awake at night anymore. Am happy to have relief of the swelling and pain. Stairs are no longer troublesome. Wish you lived closer so I could have you work on my foot again but am happy to have relief of swelling and pain.  - Mary-Ann (after one treatment session) 

For over 10 years I had an extremely painful hyper-sensitivity in the thumb and first two fingers of my left hand. I went through many tests and therapies, including chiropractic adjustment, massage, acupuncture, and physical therapy with only mild improvement. I just learned how to manage my pain and compensate so I could carry on with life.

I saw Dr. Bartsch two years ago while on vacation and with just two short treatment sessions the discomfort was gone in the first two fingers. I had to return home but the next year, 2009, I saw Dr. Bartsch again for one more session, which improved the feeling in my thumb so that I had normal sensation in my whole hand for the first time in over 10 years. He also showed me a simple maintenance technique I could do on my own.

I appreciated Dr. Bartsch's specialized skills and knowledge demonstrated not only through his keen understanding of the human body, but also through his gentle approach to healing. - Val 

Hi Dr. Bartsch. A client of mine gave me your contact information. As her massage therapist I know how painful her neck was to her, and in just one treatment from you she was completely better! What kind of treatment did you do?! - Shirley 

As a dentist in practice for 25 years it seems inevitable that I was destined to have back problems. Over the years the pain grew worse but was tolerable. Recently it finally got to the point I just felt that it was more than I wanted to put up with. I was aware of Darwyn’s unique approach and specialized training in treating back pain. In only one visit he was able to diagnose and treat my problem with complete pain resolution within only a few days. Darwyn also showed me a simple exercise I could do myself to treat the pain should it recur. I’m happy to say that three months later I still fell great. I had been expecting months of treatment with numerous appointments. It just goes to show you that you don’t know what you don’t know.  - Dr. Chase, DDS 

I received two therapy sessions from Darwyn Bartsch for my back issues. I was in a minor car crash at the beginning of December 2015 and as a result my upper and lower back started to give me great discomfort. I started noticing that my back would hurt after sitting for more than 8 hours a day at work, trying to sit straight up was very difficult, with bending forward and end of the day fatigue. The days when I would be working more or doing a lot of physical work would ignite the symptoms even more.

After the first session, I felt a sense of relief and loss of pressure in my back. The second session felt like just a check up but my back felt even better. I am very lucky to have had the chance to have Darwyn work on my back and help me feel better than ever in such little time! - Alyssa 

I am a registered nurse and my husband also works in the medical field.  A year ago my husband had a problem with the cervical area of his neck causing numbness down his arm.  After having an MRI and unsuccessful physical therapy sessions at the hospital, he turned to Dr. Bartsch, PT.  It took just one therapy session and instructions for a simple exercise and my husband was 100% after just a week.

Also, I severely injured a toe several months ago.  Instead of considering surgery, I turned to Dr. Bartsch, PT.  In two therapy sessions the pain had disappeared, and the toe was back in alignment.  We would both encourage you all to seek the expertise of Dr. Bartsch. - Judy 

"I am a mother of a 5 year old girl, who was diagnosed with global and developmental delays. She was physically delayed from the time she learned how to move. Even when she crawled she did it oddly. Our major problem was her clumsiness while walking, and her continuous falling and injuring her head.  She has had very low tone and a weak core. Prior therapies were unable to figure it out how to train her on how to protect her face when she fell down. We had few PT’s who were wonderful, but they lacked the connection of what my daughter really needed.

When Darwyn started, I instantly felt how gifted he is in his work and how unique his techniques are. I am sure the parents who have had Darwyn can agree with me on how he has an eye for what is wrong with the child. Darwyn instantly knew how to deal with my daughter. It comes naturally to him. I like the fact that he does not waste time at all, and how detail-orientated he is. In the 4 months Darwyn worked with my daughter, I saw drastic change in her physical ability. His session was focused on teaching her how to protect her face when falling, and her balance and coordination and she no longer falls or bumps her head.

I highly recommend Darwyn to desperate parents who are struggling with finding the right PT for their children."

“I’ve seen this man at work and amazing doesn't come close. He helps people defy the odds, and with so much compassion, it is refreshing to see a medical professional that truly loves what they do. Don't take my word for it, give him a call and pray that he has an opening. If you get him as your PT, you just hit the lottery.”

“I think I watched this video 20 times in my hotel room in London - thank you so much!  I'm so grateful you've been in my son’s life from the beginning!”  (After seeing a video of her son jumping rope by himself for the first time.)

"My daughter was initially diagnosed with Torticollis at 3 months old and received physical therapy twice a week until 7 months old. During this time, we saw multiple pediatric therapists and experienced very little progress with her development and reaching milestones. Then we saw Darwyn. By the end of the first session, I was already seeing improvement in my daughter’s movement patterns! Darwyn was able to diagnose actual underlying motor pattern errors that were preventing her from performing the correct movements she needed to meet milestones. As a parent, I saw firsthand Darwyn’s confidence, expertise and thorough care of my daughter. Over a 3-month timespan, Darwyn created what seemed like audacious goals, made a therapy plan using unique expertise, and helped my daughter achieve all her milestones! Darwyn is incredibly gifted and knowledgeable."

"As we celebrated our son turning 4 – and how far he’s come – we wanted to celebrate those with the largest role in getting him to where he is today! We’re grateful for your time (countless hours) and talents in helping him reach his full potential – it truly is an amazing thing to watch! And makes us so hopeful of all he’ll be able to accomplish in the future years!"

"We've worked with Darwyn with our son to focus on sitting and standing and crawling. Going back to basics, implementing reward for progress and small wins, plus educating us on how to get success were huge. Darwyn's patience and creative thinking for empowering the child and the parents to be successful, has been valuable for our son to learn new skills that we can carry over at home and practice every day. We are hopeful for the future for what our son will be able to achieve." (Family travels from OH for  intensive therapy sessions lasting two weeks each time.)

Emma's Story:

"At 7 AM every Thursday morning in Chandler, Arizona, something special happens. For the past six and a half years our daughter, Emma, has had physical therapy sessions with Darwyn Bartsch. To us, her parents, the weekly progress of the sessions is imperceptible. But thinking back on where Emma began the journey with Darwyn, the changes have been utterly amazing. Let us explain.

Our relationship with Darwyn began out of desperation. Emma had been working with a team of therapists for 2 years, the results of which were frustration and disappointment for all. In fact Emma's therapists called a meeting with us and communicated that further treatment was not recommended. Luckily for Emma, her case worker told us to ignore the advice and introduced us to Darwyn.

When they began working together, Emma was two and a half years old and could not support herself in sitting position and would scream and cry the entire time. Session by session Darwyn patiently and consistently worked with Emma, along with demonstrating to us how to help. Weeks turned into months, months turned into years and progress was made in 'Emma Time'. Sitting turned into all fours and finally to crawling. Emma could now explore her world. Crawling evolved into standing and finally to frst  steps with a walker. We were all thrilled as Emma could venture out. By the age of five Emma could walk independently. She was so proud of herself. Emma can now ascend and descend stairs and rides a tricycle around the neighborhood.

Do not get us wrong, there are still tears and reluctance at each new challenge, but this long term relationship and trust make it that much easier. Emma does not light up when she hears Darwyn's truck pull up, but she does share a high-five and an occasional 'Hi honey'.We are truly thank for and blessed for every Thursday visit as they have made a huge impact in Emma's life."

"Our son was born with Down Syndrome and his gross motor skills were very poor as a young baby and toddler. As our son was still not walking at age 2 1/2, his developmental instructional therapist advised us to contact Mr. Bartsch. 

On March 27, 2012, after only 3 months of our son working with Mr. Bartsch, and on my husband's birthday, our son took his first steps. Aside from making my husband's birthday special, we knew that Mr. Bartsch's technique was different than any other therapists' we had observed at that point, but more importantly we saw how effective it was. Three months since taking his first steps, our son was walking, a little wobbly and falling a bit, but walking none the less. As our son began walking more independently, Mr. Bartsch continued to set goals for our son to strengthen his gross motor skills. 

Over the years with step-by-step instruction, Mr. Bartsch would show our son the proper way to navigate the playground equipment, throw and kick a ball, climb in and out of a car seat, climb steps, climb onto and down from a chair and sofa, expose him to running and jumping, climb a steep hill, walk on uneven surfaces, step up and down on curbs and walk independently on a beam. In addition, Mr. Bartsch has incorporated other learning opportunities for our son, which include practice scooping food from a bowl and putting small Legos together, just to name a couple. 

Mr. Bartsch has also been extremely supportive in regard to our son's sensory needs. He has made countless recommendations that has helped our son deal with his sensory needs, the most recent being the workout bands that has assisted our son with his need to pull and lift weighted objects. Words that describe Mr. Bartsch's approach to therapy are: hands-on, step by step instruction, fluidity and constant movement, repetition (in a good way), challenging, supportive, patient and caring. He is a strong leader but with an understanding heart for children. A firm believer in himself, his technique, and the child he is helping. He rarely sees the limits of a child, but rather the possibilities the child can work toward and achieve success at. 

When our son reached a goal, I always asked Mr. Bartsch, "So what do we do now?" To which his reply was always, "Well...what do you want him to learn?" I don't think he realized how powerful that statement affected me. It gave me the determination I sometimes needed to fully understand and embrace my son's situation, which was, that while my son had a disability, it wouldn't affect his capability of doing so many things in life, it only meant the learning process might take a little longer. It was this positive outlook that embodies Mr.Bartsch at all times. 

His therapy sessions are intense, aggressive and driven with a clear goal in mind, which is to help our child lead a productive, happy, self-sufficient life. Mr. Bartsch has always given 100 percent at every session, is extremely professional, courteous, dedicated, punctual and compassionate. Going to his therapy sessions are like going to hear a motivational speaker give a talk. Mr. Bartsch emulates motivation and action. His actions and constant movement are what makes him stand out as a therapist. He makes goals happen with action and less talk. 

To conclude, I feel that Mr. Bartsch is an outstanding therapist. He is a needle in a haystack - a unique individual who I believe, lives to help those in need. For that I am truly grateful and honored to have had Mr. Bartsch work with our son these past 3 years. 

My son is now progressing wonderfully but at his own pace. We are working on running, jumping and several playground equipment activities around the neighborhood. When our son is old enough, I will tell him how wonderful Mr. Bartsch was and how he helped him learn to walk. As for ourselves as parents, my husband and I will continue to use the tools and foundation laid out for our son to follow and work with. I would recommend Mr. Bartsch to any family, school or individual looking for a PT who strives to makes a difference in the quality of life for themselves or loved ones." 

“Fantastic presenter. Gave me many ideas to improve my treatments.”

“I learned so much from this session, the hands-on practice was great; the speaker was very knowledgeable. Very informative session.”

“I liked the hands-on opportunities to practice and appreciated the videos of his techniques.”

“Best course I have ever taken.”

“I loved the course…especially the steps of motor learning and how to apply them.”

“I took the most home from this session. Hands-on skills I can use when I return home, which is what I needed.”