Services

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Physical therapy, like many other medical professions has generalists and specialists.  In order to become a specialist one must go through advanced training via residency/fellowship upon completion of the entry level Doctor of Physical Therapy training.  Dr St. Clair is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist ‘’specializing’’ in working with people who have musculoskeletal and neuromuscular issues.  From tendons to bone stress injuries or radiating nerve pain this is our area of expertise.   Our goal is to guide you through the rehabilitation process and migrate you out of the medical system and back to performing as quickly and safely as possible.  A comprehensive evaluation includes both a thorough history as well as precise and educated physical assessment.  Endurance athletes require unique physical demands and their clinical evaluation and care should reflect these needs.


physical therapist examining knee

Dry Needling

Dry Needling is an effective therapy to treat muscular tension and spasm which commonly accompanies conditions such as arthritis, nerve irritation, muscular strain, ligament strains and herniated discs. It is called “Dry” Needling because there is no solution injected as with a hypodermic needle during a flu shot. With Dry Needling, the needle itself and the effects it produces within the tissue is the treatment.

When an injury occurs from repetitive use or acute trauma, inflammation will be produced from the damaged tissues. The damaged tissues will also go into a protective tension state or contracture to guard against further damage from utilizing the injured tissue. This contracture and inflammation inhibit microcirculation which limits both the oxygen rich blood reaching the injury and the waste products leaving the injury. The injury site becomes hypoxic (decreased in oxygen) which stimulates the body to produce fibroblasts, a cell that produces fibrosis or scar tissue. This fibrosis and scarring builds up around the muscles and tissues limiting the tissues ability to fully function (lengthen/shorten) and can also cause compression and irritation of nerves (such as carpal tunnel syndrome) – all of which inevitably lead to biomechanical disturbances in gait and function.

dry needling to relieve stress and pain

Dry Needling can assist in the following conditions:

  • Neck/Back Pain
  • Shoulder Pain
  • Tennis/Golfers Elbow
  • Headaches
  • Hip and Gluteal Pain
  • Knee Pain
  • Achilles Tendonitis/Tendonosis
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Radiculopathy
  • Muscular Strains/Ligament Sprains
  • Chronic Pain
  • Athletic Performance

Manual Orthopedic Physical Therapy

In addition to becoming a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Dr. St. Clair also completed a Fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy.  The term “manual therapy” refers to hands on treatment.  Manual therapy is a passive treatment that is ALWAYS used in conjunction with active treatments.  Hands-on work when combined with exercise and education has been shown to yield a faster recovery. Manual therapy encompasses a broad group of sophisticated techniques including but not limited to soft tissue work, joint mobilization or manipulation, or instrument assisted techniques.  The primary aim of manual therapy is to decrease pain and increase function in less time.

Performance Training and Injury Prevention

Strength training should be one of the most important aspects of any endurance athlete’s training program.  There is an abundance of research showing the benefits of resistance training for endurance athletes of all levels to both improve performance and reduce injury.  Our goal is ensure your program is tailored to you as an athlete and also where you are in your training season.  We offer individual sessions, package rates, assessment and program design, as well as remote training options.  Please contact us for additional details.

Running Analysis Package

Every endurance runner is likely to suffer a running related injury at some point.  It is our goal to reduce or mitigate the risk for such injuries.  A slow motion treadmill analysis can serve as an invaluable tool to help break down each component of your running gait cycle and allow us to provide feedback and avenues for improvement.  In addition, we will discuss footwear considerations, previous history of injuries, and perform a full orthopedic examination to ensure the end result is tailored to your individual needs.

Why Choose Rise PT and Performance

Rise PT and Performance has a single goal to help get you back to your physical best following injury.  We specialize in helping runners, triathletes, and ALL ACTIVE INDIVIDUALS move out of the medical system and back to consistent training and performance.

 

Dr. Jason St. Clair

Dr. Jason St Clair is the founder and owner of RISE Rehab. He believes strongly that the ultimate goal of physical therapy should be to get people quickly and safely out of the medical system and back to the performance they desire. His motivation to create a model of care that respects his belief system led him to dedicate the past 5 years seeking advanced education and obtaining his Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist as well as a Fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy (FAAOMPT). This dedication to his training has given him the ability to clearly identify the current source of one’s pain or primary limitations leading to the inability to perform to their desired level. Being able to quickly identify these factors allows him to look more broadly and to understand each individual’s unique situation and contributing factors that have led them to seek out his care. Of equal importance, Dr. St Clair believes that every individual must take an active role in the planning and goal setting process, which will enable them to control their situation through his professional guidance. Dr. St Clair works with all active individuals of varying performance levels and has a special interest working with endurance athletes, as he was a collegiate track and field/cross country runner himself. In addition to RISE he is also Adjunct Faculty in the Physical Therapy department at MUSC. Beyond his career, he enjoys surfing, working out, and spending time with his wife and 5 year old son. If you have unresolved pain or feel you are not performing to your potential, please reach out and schedule an initial consultation.

Location

Rise Rehab proudly serves the Charleston area.

Perfectly Fit Wellness

1476 Ben Sawyer Blvd

Suite 10

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

map of service area

What my clients say about me and my work

Jason St. Clair is a highly qualified physical therapist, but more than that he is a dedicated healer. Jason approaches his patients with knowledge, skill, curiosity, and empathy. In my case–a pinched nerve that was causing all sorts of problems in my back and arm–he employed a combination of traditional hands-on manipulation with the very sophisticated “dry needling” technique, and produced near miraculous results. He prescribed an exercise routine that aided my healing, and he even predicted the timeline of my recovery. I would recommend Jason to anyone suffering with neuromuscular pain. He is the best.

John H.Patient

Jason at Rise has been phenomenal. I suffered a lower back injury and after a month with little to no improvement seeing my regular doctor and a chiropractor, I decided to contact Rise. Jason really listened to me and my specific issues to come up with an individualized treatment plan to get me on the road to recovery. After just three appointments my mobility has greatly improved and my pain is minimal. It has been a great experience.

Kelley M.Patient

Wow. After just a few sessions, I feel so much better. Plus Jason showed me how to do a few simple exercises on my own that address the specific pain I was having. Highly recommend.

Jon L.Patient
As a 57 year old very active runner, biker, and tennis player, Jason has worked thru so many injuries, including tennis elbow, rotator cuff injury and a hip flexor.  Each time he has designed a program that got me going in a short period of time.  I still follow his advice today!
Bill M.Patient

Jason St Clair has been my physical therapist since 2018.  I started going to Jason when I decided I wanted to race in triathlons after an 11-year hiatus due to chronic knee pain.  My daughter was starting to race triathlons and I thought this would be a great activity for us to do together but my knees were a barrier.  Jason, quickly evaluated me and came up with a diableplan which made me able to run again quickly. Then came the inevitable overuse injury…my hamstring tear.  I strained my hamstring on a long run 4 weeks before my first ½ ironman.  To say I was devastated is an understatement. My daughter and I had trained for months for this race and I was in doubt that I could even complete it.  I called Jason in tears, but as always he stayed calm.  He treated me for the entire time leading up to my race going above and beyond to manage my pain and help me with my race plan.  He NEVER said “you cant do it” , instead he said, “let’s figure out a plan for you to do it without furthering your injury”.  This was HUGE! I, like may endurance athletes hate the word “can’t” or “don’t”.  Jason and I figured out a race plan and I completed my first ½ ironman in 6 hours. I was not painfree but he taught me how to manage it and get the race done.  After the race I took some time off running to heal and again Jason got me started on a rehab program to get me back to running painfree.  Within 3 months I was back competing in my triathlons and running pain free.  I cannot thank Jason enough for what he has done for me and I am sure will continue to do for me.  Endurance athletes have injuries, it comes with the territory.  Having someone on your team to help manage and prevent these injuries who understands the mindset of an endurance athlete is invaluable.

Sara K

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