Cooper Rehabilitation and Wellness

I injured my shoulder shoveling snow this past winter (I know, sad) to the point where I thought I may even need surgery. I was in a lot of pain for a good month and so I reached out to Shawna for help. She has been great. She really understands how the human body works and how the muscles are all interconnected. Not only is Shawna great at what she does she is a great person – very caring, very personable, and VERY generous with her time to high school sports teams. As a high school soccer coach we can always rely on her being there to help our athletes. She has even helped my own son a great deal with his sports injuries. Now, after about two months of therapy with Shawna I am pain free! And I didn’t have to have surgery! My range of motion is greater and I’m able to do normal tasks with no pain. I am very thankful. As a friend of mine said about Shawna, “She has the gift of healing.” I can certainly attest to that!

I came to Shawna after 6 months of left leg/hip pain with certain movements, keeping me from doing the activities I love such as hiking and running. Throughout my rehab, Shawna demonstrated above and beyond the standard level of care and was able to return to me to my activities. Her evaluations were thorough, insightful and complete, allowing me to be pain free, gain my strength back and enjoy running again after working with her. Her breadth of knowledge and skill allowed me to have all that I needed for recovery, saving me money on other accessory treatments in the area such as massage or chiropractic needs. She was easily available for questions outside of our sessions and really engaging, making that challenging time less stressful. I am now a year out from my last session with Shawna and still running, hiking and working out pain free. I refer everyone in need of physical therapy to Shawna, and will continue to do so! Thank you.

To Whom It May Concern, I, Rick McGlasson, have been experiencing back and shooting leg pain for approximately a year. Seeking relief, I consulted a back surgeon who recommended nerve loss testing. Fortunately, the results indicated minor nerve loss, which did not warrant surgery. The surgeon's final suggestion was to receive a cortisone shot in my lower back. Additionally, he proposed trying physical therapy, to which I agreed. Knowing that Shawna Cooper is a skilled Physical Therapist (PT), I approached her to discuss my issues. She graciously offered to work with me, and over the course of the next few months, she diligently addressed various muscular problems in my body. Notably, my calf, chest, back, and neck muscles were all found to be extremely tight. Shawna provided guidance on stretching, muscle-building exercises, and performed various muscle manipulation techniques. As a result, my pain significantly diminished after several sessions. Although it was a gradual process, we eventually achieved success. Since my last visit to Shawna, which was approximately 4-5 months ago, I have been feeling great. I owe all the credit to her exceptional skills and unwavering determination. Thanks to her, I was able to enjoy the winter season riding my snowmobile without experiencing a relapse. I cannot express enough gratitude for Shawna and wholeheartedly recommend her services. Working with her has been an absolute pleasure due to her pleasant demeanor and professionalism. Thank you sincerely, Rick McGlasson

Shawna and Danielle helped me recover from two pregnancies and intense back pain. They are both excellent listeners, skilled practitioners, and compassionate human beings. I didn't even realize how reduced my range of motion was until they started to work with me. Now I'm active, pain-free and building endurance again as a runner. Most of all, I feel comfortable in my own body again. I couldn't recommend Cooper Rehabilitation and Wellness enough!

My name is Meg Zerbinos. I first met Shawna when she worked for the hospital. I followed her to Freedom Physical Therapy, and now at her own business, Cooper Rehabilitation. I do not remember why I first came to Shawna. It has been a number of years ago. I was in a car accident in college and seem to have different issues surface as I have aged. Shawna always puts me back on the road to recovery with hands on treatments combined with home exercises. Both help me to recover. Instead of giving a lot of exercises, she gives just a couple that target the area needing help. Therefore, making complying with the exercises very doable. I have had two rotator cuff surgeries and a knee replacement. Shawna helped with the recovery of all of them. I am swimming three days a week and preparing for a 100 mile hike this summer. I believe my ability to do this speaks well to her expertise as a physical therapist. I have always enjoyed working with Shawna. As a therapist, she is very positive, compassionate, understanding and intelligent. She listens to me and gives me credit for knowing my own body. Combining what I say, and what I can do, she devises a treatment plan. I highly recommend Shawna Cooper as a rehabilitation therapist to anyone.

I had hurt my lower back just before coming to Alaska for a summer job. The pain was so intense it was difficult for me to get in and out of my vehicle or stand for long periods. I asked a friend about a chiropractor but she said I should try Shawna. I needed relief and mobility to be able to work. Shawna was able to give me some exercises and do some treatments to make a difference in just a few visits. I was surprised the non invasive and low pressure treatments made progress quickly. Shawna was very good at communicating the process of healing and possible set backs, she encouraged me to continue some simple tasks for continued improvement. I was pleased with the way she was able to see by watching my movements and find areas that needed attention. It was amazing to me to go from not being able to function freely, to no pain or restrictions in a few weeks. I was able to fulfill my work commitment without a problem. I continue to use the exercises if I feel a twinge coming and that seems to get my body back in line. I am happy with the results and with the care given. I have referred others and will continue to do so.

When I first met Shawna 15 years ago, I was experiencing significant upper back and shoulder pain caused by disabling arthritis in my knees. I had been seeing another physical therapist for more than a year and while he was helpful in reducing my pain somewhat, he was unsuccessful in finding its root. When he moved to a new practice, I followed him, and that’s where I found Shawna. Under her supervision new stretches and simple exercises were implemented and we were able to straighten my posture, improve my natural gait and the excruciating pains that had plagued me for well over a year disappeared. Some 10 years later, I again began suffering sleepless nights from debilitating pain in my thoracic spine as my arthritis worsened, and chiropractics and acupuncture were not proving helpful. My physician prescribed physical therapy and I was fortunate enough to find Shawna again. Over the next 6 to 8 months, she worked on my stiffening fascia and taught me stretches and exercises I was able to do in spite of my physical limitations. Again, she was able to ease my significant pain and get me moving as normally as my disabilities would allow. Two years after that, in early 2022, I took a bad fall injuring both of my arthritic knees. After 2 months of walking painfully with a cane, the surgeon I consulted suggested I seek Physical Therapy to strengthen my knees in anticipation of surgery. I called Shawna again, and after just 2 sessions I considered myself 80% back to normal mobility, and after 5 sessions I lost the cane for all but long walks or rough terrain, and the surgery is on hold. I can’t say enough good things about Shawna. She is knowledgeable, capable and creative at finding exercises or stretches that are both effective and tailored to my abilities. She is a highly skilled professional, but beyond that she is kind and she is generous with explanation and information. On a recommendation scale of 5 stars, I would give her 10!

Shawna is very knowledgeable and helpful. I have seen her for neck pain, SI joint pain and after I broke my ankle. She helped me gain both strength and mobility. She definitely made me feel more confident in my recovery.