Onward Physical Therapy

I went to 3 PT facilities after breaking my right arm, and I can say for sure that the best one by far is Onward Physical Therapy with Dr. Melody Stevens. The facility is great -- very clean and quiet. The receptionist Ashley is always friendly and helpful. And Dr. Stevens is a pleasure to be around. The amount of progress I've seen with Dr. Stevens is incredible. With just 2 sessions per week (and later on just 1 a week), I've seen measurable increase in both range-of-motion and strength in my arm that I wouldn't have been able to achieve otherwise. She provides manual therapy for the first half of my session while laying flat on a comfortable table. The second half is exercises (she has plenty of equipment and even lets me borrow them sometimes), and then she gives me exercises to practice at home. She can also email me with exercise worksheets in case I forget any of them. The main benefit of Onward Physical Therapy in my opinion is that you are working with ONE PERSON all the time, every time. At other places (e.g. Comprehensive Therapy Services in Mira Mesa) I'd get passed around between therapists and assistants, and often found myself rolling my eyes when asked "which arm is it again?" Dr. Stevens knows me, knows my condition, and is there every step of the way as I progress. She was also very accommodating when we discovered that my insurance hasn't been covering as much as I thought. She was generous enough to work with my budget and give me a great rate. If you need physical therapy, look no further than Onward Physical Therapy!

Dr. Melody is the dream physical therapist you hope for when you begin researching for care. What makes her practice unique is that you get individual attention, thorough examinations and treatment plans, and she's incredibly caring and friendly. She works closely with you to see what approach is most effective, and will alter the care plan accordingly if needed. I felt like each session was involved and productive. This isn't one of those therapy clinics where you're given a bunch of exercises and homework and sent to another room to workout on your own. Dr. Melody is extremely military friendly, and worked around my schedule to accommodate appointment times that worked best for my schedule. She's gone above and beyond for me and I would recommend her to anyone seeking the best physical therapy care in San Diego.

I have done PT in the past, and I have found it to be helpful, so when I was recovering from surgery last fall and my chronic joint issues flared up, I looked for a new PT provider near my workplace. I am so lucky I stumbled on Onward PT. Dr. Stevens clearly has a lot of knowledge and expertise with a wide range of issues--even my weird joint problems--and she started me on a routine that had me getting stronger and more stable right away. A few weeks in, my joints calmed down, I stopped getting awful back spasms, and my posture improved. Now I'm several months into PT, and I feel better than I have . . . maybe ever. I especially appreciate how attentive Dr. Stevens is. With my former PT provider, I got a one-size-fits all approach, and I was left to do exercises unattended, with some gum-smacking teenage intern who could not have cared less about my form eyeing me from over her iPhone in the corner of the room. In contrast, Dr. Stevens is right there with me, hands-on--she watches so carefully to ensure that my form is right, that I'm not injuring myself, and that I'm getting the most out of my rehab. Her approach is specific and targeted to my needs, and she often knows better than I do what my body will benefit from as I heal and become stronger. I like that she can laugh with me as I fumble my way through the exercises (I'm awkward, what can I say?), and that she is clearly personally invested in my wellbeing and health. I look forward to PT every week, and working with Dr. Stevens has started me on a journey toward more strength and better health overall. Her office staff are incredibly nice and accommodating, and they deal with nasty insurance companies like pros. I can't recommend Onward PT highly enough. I feel that stumbling upon Onward and Dr. Stevens has made such a positive difference in my health and my life.

I am a former figure skater who suffers from Young Onset Parkinson's Disease. I had developed significant balance and fall issues, as many as three to four falls a week. I was prescribed "gait training" by my neurologist. Dr. Stevens has worked with me for several months now and my friends and family have commented on my improved stability, improved posture, and fluidity of movement. Best of all, I haven't had a fall since the first few weeks of therapy! During my time with Dr. Stevens, I had a fall that was my own fault (standing on a swivel chair, DUH!) that resulted in a shoulder/collarbone injury and she worked with me on improving that, even giving me suggestions on things I could do at home to help. If you are looking for a caring, compassionate therapy expert, who truly cares about your whole self, not just seeing you as a patient or as your impairment, go to Dr. Stevens at Onward Physical Therapy. I actually look forward to going and enjoy my time spent there!!

Dr. Melody is great! I had to take my 1 year old into the office for some treatment and she was so attentive, professional and overall great with people. The visit was one on one for the entire length of the appointment which was something I didn't expect. I never felt rushed and my little one loved working with her. In fact, at the following visits she walked right up to the "toys" we had worked with last and started "playing". What kid loves the doctors? Dr. Melody answered all my questions and made me feel at ease about getting to the root of the problem and gave us tools to fix it! The environment was relaxed, clean and inviting. I would definitely recommend her to anyone.

Dr. Melody is incredible! No really! I was absolutely blown away by not only her expertise, but also her ability to communicate and explain exactly what causes pain AND how it can be alleviated. It's so clear that she is passionate about what she does and making people feel better.