Natives of Round Rock and Pflugerville, respectively, Sims, a physical therapist, and Llorens, a licensed physical therapy assistant, said they wanted to work closer to their homes and children’s schools.
“We wanted to be able to be at their Christmas program or their luncheon, and that’s hard if you’re farther away, and it’s not your company and trying to ask for that time off,” Sims said.
It has been 16 years since they opened their Round Rock practice, Therapy In Motion. Since then the pair have developed one-on-one care plans for many patients.
Sims said the priority at Therapy in Motion is to create care routines that can be completed at home without large and expensive machines.
“We don’t have a lot of equipment [at the clinic] because this is actually not the point,” Sims said.
Therapy in Motion sees patients by appointment only, and Sims recommends that patients make appointments for any issues when they first start—before they become a bigger problem.
“Don’t wait until it’s like, ‘Oh, my God, that shoulder’s really killing me,’” Sims said. “Because then it is a longer process to kind of unwind and get you back to where the tissue is normal.”
In addition to caring for patients through their own strategies and care routines, Llorens and Sims said owning their own clinic accomplished other objectives.
Prior to the January 2007 opening of Therapy In Motion, the co-owners settled on an office near Red Bud Lane and Gattis School Road. That location filled a niche for physical therapy services in a developing area of the city, they said.
They also sought independence from their previous male-dominated practice. Llorens and Sims described it as a bit of a “good old boy” network.
“When you go into a corporate [setting], the higher-ups are going to be more males,” Llorens said. “So for us to be able to open the clinic and we call the shots—it’s very important.”
However, Sims and Llorens maintain the most meaningful part of owning Therapy in Motion is having the agency to care for clients, who they said do not need a referral from a physical therapist until after the first two visits. Llorens said her favorite part of the job is being able to help people feel like themselves again after an injury.
“Someone can come in not feeling well and hurting. Maybe [there is] a little personality change because they’re just not doing well,” she said. “Within the first visit, a lot of times you can really get them help. After that, they feel better.”
Therapy in practice
Sims and Llorens utilize a specific process for identifying what is causing a patient's pain and then providing a long-term treatment plan. Techniques include:
- Decreasing pain: using myofascial release, which is a technique to ease tension
- Increasing motion: working with patients to increase daily movement
- Strengthening: implementing strategies to increase the strength of targeted areas to prevent future injuries
2301 Red Bud Lane, Ste. 300, Round Rock
512-248-1200
Hours: by appointment only
www.therapyinmotionrr.com
