Welcome to our Clinic

Crochet Physical Therapy has been providing quality patient centered service since 1984.  We take personal interest in each patient's unique condition and dedicate our effort to realize the best possible outcome in an efficient and cost effective way.  Crochet Physical Therapy is owner operated and relies on the expertise of our licensed professionals with over 60 years of clinical experience.

In addition to providing thorough care for soft tissue injuries, post operative recovery and postural related disorders, Crochet Physical Therapy offers special services. These services include caring for youth athletes, special interest groups and providing expertise in the evaluation and care of foot dysfunction through prescription orthotic shoe inserts.

We hope we can meet your special needs affordably and responsibly.  We sincerely believe you will be impressed with our work.  We consistently exceed our patients expectations and look forward to helping you reach your goal.

Meet the Team

Don Crochet PT
RPT/Owner

Don graduated from Georgia State University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy. He is the Founder and Director of Crochet Physical Therapy, an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy facility since January 1984 and continues to operate two clinics emphasizing a high level of individual specialty service. The 26 years of direct patient care experience enables considerable value in expedient diagnostic skill, appropriate assessment methods leading to meaningful and effective intervention for a diverse caseload. When Don is not working he enjoys spending time with his family, golf, running, tennis, and coaching kids in little league sports such as football and baseball.

Violette Schneider PT
Physical Therapist

Violette graduated from Georgia State Univ. with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy. She has 30 years of experience in orthopedics, working with a variety of caseloads from geriatrics to sports related injuries. Violette provides a valuable perspective with a high level of sensitivity and clinical skills. She’s actively involved with her daughter’s travel softball team and middle school basketball team, as well as, an enthusiastic sports mom who takes pride in her daughter’s youth sports accomplishments. For recreation, Violette enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

Greg Mayhue
Executive Director

With over 10 year’s experience at Crochet Physical Therapy, Greg is dedicated to providing exceptional care and exhibiting extensive knowledge to assist in the treatment of each patient. He is a native Georgian and is married with a daughter, Madison. Greg went to school at East Tennessee State University where he studied Sports Medicine and Athletic Training. He transferred to Georgia State where he received his Bachelor in Exercise Science. Greg is an avid golfer, runner and tennis player and enjoys spending his free time with his family.

Tamera Johnson
Patient Coordinator/Assistant Office Manager

Tamera joined the team at Crochet Physical Therapy after relocating from Seattle, WA with her son Demetrius. Tamera brings over seven years of experience in the medical field, doing front desk and back office, as well as, office management. Tamera has enhanced her ability to manage and lead by taking extensive continuing education courses, and has proven the ability to implement with her achievements. Her ability to connect with people and help them feel welcome and comfortable makes Tamera a natural for the growing needs of our practice. When Tamera is not working she enjoys spending time with her son and working out.

Trey Tucker
Clinical Assistant

Trey graduated from Auburn University in May 2006 with a BS in Exercise Science. While at Auburn, Trey served as a student assistant to the athletic trainers. During this time he worked with the track and field teams, women’s volleyball, and was privileged to work with the 2006 NCAA women’s track and field championship team. Trey is a graduate of the Academy of Somatic and Healing Arts where he received his certification in massage therapy. Outside of the office, Trey enjoys music, golf, boating, rock climbing, reading, and college football.

Services

What To Expect During your First Therapy Session

Our physical therapist will perform an evaluation and talk with you about your condition.  The therapist then creates a therapy program based on the results of your evaluation and your physician's recommendations.  The therapist takes into consideration your goals, expectations, and and physical abilities.

If you are in pain upon arriving, you should expect the physical therapist to provide modalities in order to give you short-term pain relief.  These consist of electrical stimulation, ultrasound, manual therapy such as soft tissue mobilization and/or massage, and cold packs.  The therapist may also provide you with instructions in proper positioning to control your pain symptoms.

Following your first session, the therapist will send a report to your physician regarding your evaluation and a plan of care for your treatment.  Before you return to your doctor, your therapist will send an updated report describing your progress in therapy.

Exercise is almost always an important part of your program.  You will usually exercise in our gym and we will give you exercises to do at home.

Each therapy session takes about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes, some programs take a little longer in order to carry out your exercise program.


Modalities

Modalites are used to reduce pain and inflammation.  Common modalities in physical therapy are:

Hot Packs, Cold Packs
These are heating and cooling agents that are used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and speed healing.

Ultrasound
These are high energy sound waves that produce a vasodilation in order increase bloodflow to a localized area in order to promote healing.  In addition, ultrasound has been shown to cause increases in tissue relaxation, facilitate scar tissue breakdown, can be used to help reduce local swelling and chronic inflammation, and, according to some studies, promote bone fracture healing.

Phonophoresis
This is a localized, non-invasive way of administering a medication, Cortisone, to joints, muscles and other underlying tissues.  With this technique, the ultrasound forces the medication through the skin to provide an anagelsic effect and to reduce inflammation.  This also helps to reduce pain and facilitate healing.

Electrical Stimulation
Electrical Stimulation is a method of treatment used to excite nerve and muscle tissue for the purposes of acute or chronic pain relief, meuromuscular reeducation and prevention of disuse muscle atrophy.

Manual Therapy
Manual therapy is a passive technique that uses the therapist's hands to move and mobilize segments for the purpose of examination and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders; such as muscle spasms, myofascial restrictions and joint compression.  A common technique used in physical therapy is:

Soft Tissue Mobilization
This consist of massage, joint mobilization, cervical traction, pelvic traction and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF).

Exercise Training
Exercise training is at the core of most all successful treatment plans.  Almost all our patients recieve some form of exercise training.  This is used to improve joint range of motion, strength, balance and endurance.  Exercise helps relieve pain and improve function.  Patients receive ongoing home exercise instructions as part of their therapy program.

Patient Education
Patient education is an important aspect of our physical therapy practice. Teaching patients about their conditions and how to minimize their symptoms and maximize their function is an important part of each patient’s treatment process.

Fall Prevention

Falls are not just the result of getting older and can be prevented with the proper knowledge and instruction.  There are few factors that contribute to falls and with change you can reduce your chances of falling:

  1. Implement a regular exercise program
  2. Make your surrounding environment safer
  3. Have your physician review your medications
  4. Have your vision checked 

Quick Facts...

  1. The risk of falling increases with age and is greater for women than for men.
  2. Two-thirds of those who experience a fall will fall again within six months.
  3. A decrease in bone density contributes to falls and resultant injuries.
  4. Failure to exercise regularly results in poor muscle tone, decreased strength, and loss of bone mass and flexibility

We are working on our Fall Prevention and Interactive Balance Program and hope these advancements will benefit you.  We will have more details to come soon...

Bio-Implosion

WHAT IS BIO-IMPLOSION?
Bio-implosion can be described as a collapse of the skeletal system due to gravity as a result of hereditary malalignments in the foot.

At Crochet Physical Therapy we work in a unique way to create a greater awareness of the prevalent condition in our population.  We have been able to develop a precise approach which makes a great deal of sense!  We would appreciate the opportunity to show you what we have learned as a valuable insight in preventing the greatest problem in orthopedic medicine, Osteoarthritis, “the wear and tear” disease.  Prevention is the key, understanding Bio-Implosion and correcting abnormal alignment is the objective.

You can see in the picture below the postural effects of Bio-Implosion.

Bio-Implosion

You have probably heard of the term HYPERPRONATION… but do you know what it means??

Hyperpronation is the abnormal motion of the foot and it’s relationship to the ground during walking and functional activities.  This is the basis for the Bio-implosion pattern.  Compare it to a building… An unstable foundation can produce problems in the entire building.  Likewise, an unstable (excessively pronated) foot can produce problems in the entire body.

We work with a variety of people each day with this common condition.  Some researches estimate that 70% of the population have some degree of clinically significant hyperpronation.  Most individuals do not realize this until they experience some form of pain or functional limitation, then they seek medical attention.  The actual site of pain is dependent on factors such as stage of life, body weight or daily activities.  Unfortunately, most practitioners in today medical community do not immediately recognize the chain reaction and/or underlying cause of the “bio-implosion” related area of the pain – therefore the symptoms are treated but the true cause is overlooked.

Our experience has shown that hyperpronation is a lifelong problem which is best managed by early prevention.

Patient Information

We know your time is valuable.  For your convenience, we have made our new patient forms available for you to download.  We recommend printing and completing these forms at home in order to minimize paperwork during your first visit.  Bring the completed forms with you to your first appointment.  If you have any problems getting these files to print properly, please call our office and we will gladly fax them to you.  We look forward to working with you and helping to meet your physical therapy needs.

Health History

Patient Data Sheet

Payment Policy

Insurance Information

Please remember to bring your doctor's referral/prescription with you to your first physical therapy appointment.  You will also need to bring your insurance card in order to verify your benefits and appropriately file your claims.

Proper attire is necessary for us to most effectively assess and treat your ailment.  If we are treating your lower extremity, ie. hip, leg, knee, ankle and/or foot, please either wear shorts or bring them with you to change into.  For treatment to your neck and back, although you may change into a gown, please wear loose fitting clothing. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is physical therapy?
Physical Therapy is a medical profession and method of healthcare centered on treatment of problems restricting a person’s ability to move and function. Physical Therapists treat a variety of conditions that can affect different systems of the body, including musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular/pulmonary and your motor system. A variety of treatment methods, exercises, and modalities are used to restore physical function, prevent disability, and improve strength and movement. Physical Therapists also educate patients to take care of themselves and to perform certain exercises on their own. Physical Therapy is a licensed profession and can only be provided by qualified individuals.

Do I need a referral?
You are not required to have a Physician's referral before seeing a Physical Therapist for an Evaluation. However, in order to receive treatment you are required to have a prescription for physical therapy and some insurance companies may require a referral or “authorization” before they will approve treatment. You may contact your insurance company beforehand to determine the process that they require. It’s important to remember that if you are under the care of a Physician and require Physical Therapy, you have the freedom to choose which physical therapy clinic to receive your treatment from.

Do you accept my Insurance?
We accept most major insurance carriers. Here is a partial list: Medicare, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Tricare, Cigna, PHCS, Workers Compensation, and more! At the time of scheduling your first appointment we request that you provide us your insurance information so that we may verify your benefits and coverage.

How do I pay for treatment?
We accept payment via cash, check, debit and credit card (Visa, Mastercard, & Discover). Payment is expected at the time of treatment (normally during check-out). If you have insurance coverage there may be a deductible or co-pay required. During your first visit we will contact your insurance company to verify your benefits for Physical Therapy. As a courtesy, Crochet Physical Therapy files your primary insurance as well as any secondary coverage. You will be billed for any charges (if applicable) after your insurance has paid their portion.

What should I expect during my first visit?
During your initial visit, your Physical Therapist will provide you with a thorough exam, please be prepared to discuss your needs and any pain, lack of mobility or function that you currently have. This evaluation will involve certain range of motion, postural, and strength tests to help your Physical Therapist develop an unique plan to suit you and your condition.

Do I need to bring my X-Rays or MRI films?
Yes. Please bring any X-Rays and MRIs along with their reports from when your X-Ray or MRI was read by a Physician. These can reveal important aspects your Physical Therapist needs to know in order to properly treat you.

May I bring my child with me to my appointment?
Our policy is that only patients are allowed in the treatment rooms and gym. For safety reasons, please make arrangements for your children. This also allows you and our care providers to focus on your treatment during the time you are here.  If you're child is under the age of 18, a parent or guardian is required to be present during their physical therapy treatment.

Can I fill out any New Patient Forms and bring them with me?
Yes! To access our New Patient Information Forms please click here. Please print them out, complete, and bring with you to your first visit.

Contact Us

Location:
(404)-377-1223
1382 Scott Blvd
Decatur, GA 30030
info@crochetphysicaltherapy.com
 

Hours of Operation:
Appointments are taken Monday thru Thursday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Closed Saturday and Sunday.  Please call with any questions you may have.

Payment:
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Debit Cards, Cash, Check, Diners Club