Weightlifters

12 years ago, I had a lower lumbar disk rupture, and another herniate. Although the local injury healed over time, I now understand that the supporting and surrounding muscles never regained balance; their tendency to overprotect the body has resulted in various muscle groups being constantly tight, and then compensating for this and that in an endless cycle of doom. Before Next Level Physical Therapy, I woke up EVERY single day for years with a tight lower back. I would start every morning with a long walk and then various stretches to get to somewhat normal. If I missed my morning routine, and then moved the wrong way or lifted a box the wrong way, a flare up would be more likely. I often felt like I was walking on eggshells, where the wrong move in my daily life (playing with kids, lifting at work) would ruin my next week. This went on for years. Flare ups could be severe and had me cancel weekend plans, flights on a couple occasions and last summer even an out of country summer vacation. I learned about Dr. Artem through my wife’s colleague. I started reading their reviews and they were insanely positive (at the time the Southampton location had over 230 5-star reviews, maybe one 4.5-star review, and that was it). I became cautiously optimistic that maybe Next Level PT could fix my stubborn back issues. After evaluating me, Dr. Artem was confident he could help. Specifically in my case, he said that he’d need to, as for an onion, peel back multiple layers of problems and tight muscle groups that have engrained themselves over the years. And that’s exactly what he was able to do, as long as I did all my homework (assigned exercises that changed session to session as I progressed). After working with Dr. Artem, my life has changed, I’ve gotten my active lifestyle back! I cannot speak highly enough of Dr. Artem. As other reviews have mentioned, he really does have an array of techniques and I believe they’re at the cutting edge of PT. The once omnipresent tightness is gone. I’m now in the gym 2-3x per week without the hovering risk of flare ups. I’m able to play sports with my kids, bend my back instead of breaking it with yardwork, and am able to jog, feeling alive instead of feeling pain. A little bit of a long review, but hopefully relatable, helpful and encouraging if you’re considering giving Next Level PT a try.

Working with Matt at Next Level put me back on track. I had chronic pain that was keeping me from activities that I enjoyed my whole life, like running and sports. After a few months, I was running, lifting and training again. It made a huge difference in my quality of life and I can’t recommend Matt & Next Level enough.

New Level PT was a gamechanger for someone who loved moving but neglected the proper warmup and cool down after lifting. I decided to reach out to Next Level after noticing Dr. Jose as someone who went to my gym! With Next Levels help, we able to pinpoint the root causes of my shoulder pain which was actually related to the locations of my hips being externally rotated on my right side and internally rotated on my left side. Within months of working with Dr. Jose, my shoulder pain had relieved and my hip tightness was reduced. It was the best that I've felt in years. Dr. Jose was not only a great guide to helping me get back to my best, but he was a plethora of knowledge. No stone was left unturned and he made sure to explain the information provided so I could start to incorporate what he taught to me in my routine. Everyone at Next Level was extremely kind and wants nothing more than to ensure people return to doing what they love! Whether you are trying to return to a sport or you're a lifter with some pain, Next Level Physical Therapy will get you back to being your best physical self!

I had an outstanding experience at this physical therapy clinic. From the very first visit, I felt welcomed and supported. Rachael at the front desk was incredibly friendly, professional, and helpful — she made scheduling easy and always greeted me with a smile. Dr. Jose was truly exceptional. I’ve been to physical therapy before, but I still had lingering, unaddressed issues that left me feeling frustrated and discouraged. I was genuinely worried that I might never be able to bench press or overhead press normally again. Dr. Jose took the time to thoroughly explain how my body mechanics work together and where things were breaking down. Instead of just treating symptoms, he helped me understand the root causes. He created a clear, personalized plan to address my issues and gave me practical tools to manage and improve them long-term. For the first time in a while, I feel optimistic about my recovery and confident that I can get back to lifting the way I want to. I’m incredibly grateful for the care, knowledge, and encouragement I received. Highly recommend to anyone looking for thoughtful, effective physical therapy.

I first met Dr Matthew Simcox at Next Level Physical Therapy about 2 years ago when I injured my hip lifting something over heavy. I could barely walk across the room and was in a great deal of pain. Dr. Matt is the best Therapist I have ever worked with. I am a former college basketball player, now 70 years young, with a 30 year old left knee reconstruction and he has kept me on my toes, and on my feet ever since, which in my case is no easy task. He has earned my highest possible recommendation.

"When I first came to Dr. Matt, I was in rough shape. Years of working as a mechanic had taken a serious toll on my body. My back pain was constant and exhausting—standing too long, bending, even just moving certain ways would leave me hurting for the rest of the day. I had pain shooting down my leg, trouble sleeping, and could barely get through a workday, let alone enjoy time with my family. I’d already seen specialists, done physical therapy, and gotten MRIs and X-rays that showed some pinched nerves. Things would improve a little here and there, but the back pain never really let up. Honestly, I was starting to think this was just how life would be from now on. Then I found Dr. Matt—and everything changed. He took the time to really listen and figure out what was going on, not just treat the symptoms. His care was spot-on and actually made a difference. Over time, the pain started to ease up, my energy came back, and I was able to move like myself again. Now I’m back at work full-time, wrenching, lifting, doing what I love—and I’ve even got my weekends back. I can go on adventures with my family again, something I honestly thought was off the table for good.

Before coming to Next Level Physical Therapy, I had a lower back injury from lifting that prevented me from deadlifting, squatting heavy, and even doing some upper body lifts. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted by kind and welcoming staff. Dr. Artem was the one who worked with me, and we went straight to identifying the root cause of my injury. There were ups and downs throughout the process, but Dr. Artem continually reassured me that this was a normal part of recovery and that I was doing things correctly. My mind just needed to stop sounding the alarm. Over time, it worked. I was able to start deadlifting and squatting again with no pain, which honestly felt unbelievable. Since finishing my sessions at Next Level, I reached my original deadlift goal of 145 lbs and have even progressed to 155 lbs. Being able to return to the gym has been incredibly encouraging, and I am continuing to focus on slow, intentional progression. Coming to Next Level Physical Therapy was truly a game changer, and I could not recommend them enough!!

I highly recommend Next Level PT. Dr. Devi has helped me so much after injuring my shoulder. For a while I was convinced I needed surgery. It was difficult to sleep, work out and carry out every day tasks. Today, my range of motion has increased and so has my sleep. The best part is that she taught me how to modify my workouts so I never had to stop lifting and barre while adding some exercises I thought I wasn’t going to be able to do! Great, well rounded sessions with manual therapy, stretching, weight bearing exercises etc. Everyone there is very friendly, always welcomed with a smile. Na’Zyia, at the front desk, is a joy. She and Dr. Devi work to accommodate my crazy schedule, which is so important for me since I have my own businesses and teens at home. Next Level PT is exactly what I was hoping for.

Next Level PT is the place to be when trying to get back to doing what you love. My name is Chris Naperkoski and I underwent surgery for a full reconstruction of my UCL in my elbow (Tommy John 3). Dr Matt has been working with me for the past 9 months and I couldn't have asked for anyone better. He has been there for me through all of my ups and downs after surgery, seeing me in my lowest points after surgery, and bringing me up to my highest points after my surgery. Dr Matt is incredibly talented and knows what he's doing, working with me to strengthen my elbow even before my surgery to help a speedier recovery, and pushing me everyday after my OP to get back to doing what I love! Everyone at Next Level is very welcoming and the nicest healthcare staff I have been apart of. As well, the atmosphere of the building is just overall very uplifting and a fun environment while recovering. Dr Matt is great and is always up to push you to be the best version of yourself. Thank you Next Level PT for being there throughout my long recovery and getting me back to doing what I love!

I came to Dr. Artem as after struggling with lower back issues and periodic spasms for more than five years. I've done stretches and foam rolling in the past, but as I got older and kept lifting and doing BJJ through my late 30's, my issues got worse and killed not only my progress, but my quality of life. Dr. Artem took a highly personalized approach, listening, watching and walking me through various movements that helped figure out exactly where the pain points were, what was causing them and how they evolved through time. He did not then simply give me a set of PT exercises to work on, but made a progressive regimen with weekly check points that worked on all of my joint limitations, strength, and frankly a lot of patterns that I have not realized were there even though I like to think that I'm read up on sports physiology. Combined with tools like dry needling and manual therapy, Dr Artem made me capable of competing again, coming back stronger and with more confidence than before. I still to rely on Dr Artem for continued advice, and I really like that he's very approachable and values his patients as much as he does, making himself available first thing. Cannot recommend Dr Artem and his team enough.