During the peak of my marathon training I started feeling severe pain in my right hip that prohibited me from being able to continue running. I went to a sports orthopedist who diagnosed me with gluteal tendinitis and gave me a prescription for PT. I ignored the list of recommended PT offices and chose Spear as it is a 5 minute walk from my office. From my first (panicked) phone call Amy and Amir have been extremely helpful and understanding. Amy worked with my insurance company and made sure that I understood how my billing would work before my first session to prevent any confusion down the road. This was my first experience with PT and I was extremely apprehensive before my first session but Amir calmed my nerves immediately. He made sure I understood my injury and told me he would do everything he could to help me reach my goal of being able to run the NYC Marathon which at that point was about 6 weeks away. Amir prescribed stretching and strengthening exercises and made sure I knew how to do them properly so I could do them at home as well. Deanna has been a huge part of my recovery as well showing me new exercises and monitoring my progress along with Amir. While my hip felt better I still had a limp after a few weeks and Amir expressed his concern over my still wanting to do the marathon. It was at this point that we realized I had developed a psychological limp so Amir became not only my physical therapist but mental therapist as well. Knowing that my goal was still to be able to run the race Amir assessed me on the treadmill and intensified my strengthening work. As the race got closer Amir wanted to build up my confidence and encouraged me to run outside and up my distance to 5 miles. That didn't go too well and Amir could see that I was visibly stressed out over whether or not I should defer my entry. After talking it over he supported my decision to try my best to run it but know that there was a big possibility that I wouldn't be able to finish. Before the race Amir helped me adjust to the mindset that my new goal would be to just to finish the race and I would have to go slower than my pre injury training. I am happy to say that after not having run more than 3 miles for 6 weeks prior to the race and limping just 3 weeks before, I was able to finish the NYC Marathon. Seeing Amir and Deanna on the course supporting me and their other patients was a highlight of race day. I know I would not have been able to have accomplished my goal without them. Post marathon I am still working with Amir and continuing to recover. I may have initially chose Spear because of the office's location, but the energy of the office and the friendly, helpful nature of everyone in the staff has kept me there. They truly have their patients' best interest in mind and I highly recommend not only Amir but the entire staff. read more

I can't say enough great things about Spear. I was diagnosed with a frozen shoulder in the fall of 2019, and I was really worried and prepared that it was going to get much worse before getting better. I researched many physical therapy centers before deciding to go to Spear. Specifically, I had read a number of reviews of people who really liked Christine, so I Googled her and found that she was extremely experienced, considered to be one of the best therapists within the company (even NYC), according to her patients. I have a number of serious medical problems, so it's important for me to have the best treatment, and I always go to the best practitioners and the top hospitals. Spear is no exception. Bottom line: Everything from scheduling and reception to the treatment protocol and the results was exemplary. Christine and the folks who assisted were excellent. One of the reasons I really liked Christine is that she is highly trained and qualified. She has a broad depth of knowledge, which was important, given all of my comorbidities and multiple medical issues. That is extremely important, because the patient needs to be treated in a holistic way, always! Thanks to the team and Christine, specifically, my frozen shoulder did not freeze to the extent that my orthopedic surgeon warned me. We were consistent with therapy, but the modalities and treatment were paramount to my fast healing. I gained more flexibility and mobility than I ever had. And I was able to heal more quickly I believe than had I tried to do this on my own (I'm laughing at that crazy idea that I actually could have!) or possibly even gone to another therapist. It's important to have discipline in doing physical therapy and always attending your appointments. I hate PT in general and I have never been consistent when I did go in the past and quit. But I actually looked forward to my appointments! I can't believe I'm writing that because I have injured almost every part of my body doing extreme sports and I've always tried to push through it. I will never do that again, because I have caused more damage to myself. Had I known that if I were paired with the right team in the right therapy group, I would never have had to suffer! Thank you Spear and a big shout out to Christine! I'm back in action and hiking extreme mountains in Vermont! read more

I was diagnosed, early this year, with Multiple Myeloma, a bone marrow cancer that degrades bones and led to my 4-fractured compressed vertebrate. After leaving the hospital, I looked for a physical therapist as close to my home as possible. I found SPEAR Physical Therapy and Amir Rand, one of SPEAR's leading physical therapists who came highly recommended by clients writing on YELP. With my walker, I traveled over to SPEAR, met Amir, signed up and I have been working with him, twice weekly, for the past 3 months. Being and feeling tremendously vulnerable yet highly motivated to rebuild my core, strength and stamina, I had to relearn basic life activities due to loss of height, weight, and muscle, and now with fragile bones (no weight bearing work allowed). Amir offered what I call "a road map for the day", after a thorough evaluation, and perhaps that speaks to one of Amir's great strengths. As he likes to say, "I work with what you present". That is different from most physical therapists that have a formulaic approach and do not listen well. Amir listens very well. He created (in a highly personal and customized way) a physical regimen that targeted and reversed the losses brought on by the cancer. He then made constant adjustments based on my response, what I could handle, and how I developed. After Amir directs you in a PT exercise he supports it with the art and science in a very accessible way. Most of all, Amir is a highly creative physical rehabilitator. After 6 weeks, my oncologist was amazed and able to write me a return-to-work letter for my employer (and to get back to work within the 12-week Family Medical Leave Act period). He looks at me as a rapid responder to the PT treatment. And my not-so-secret weapon is Amir Rand and SPEAR Physical Therapy. I point to my case because it is little out of the box for the typical PT client (having been one previously for over 30 years) to show Amir's skill to treat both challenging and ordinary PT conditions. When I learned that he was going to open a site at 30 Broad Street, I was thrilled, and have been going there since the opening. This new SPEAR center has his "hand" all over it and I am glad for the many people who will benefit by his and his team's tremendous skill and wonderful manner. read more

I've struggled with a frozen left shoulder for about 2.5 years. It has inhibited me from working out, from playing sports like like softball and volleyball and completely stopped me from playing my most beloved sport of golf. I had been through Physical Therapy for about 12 months after the injury first arose and while it did help alleviate the chronic pain, I was never 100% healed. 4 or 5 months ago the problem worsened and i was somewhat resigned to the idea that maybe it was something I'd have to deal with for the rest of my life. Not a constant pain, but something that took me away from exercise and sports. When i changed my health plan I used it as kind of a reboot and along with my new Primary Doctor decided to give PT one more try. I'm so glad I did. I started working with Sarah Tabia at Spear in July and I can say now in October that after almost 3 years of dealing with a Frozen Shoulder I am 100% healed! Sarah was extremely knowledgeable about my injury. Through a process of stretching, strengthening and loosening via massage I saw immediately results and steady progress over a period of 6 to 8 weeks, remarkable considering my history with this injury. Sarah, along with aides Deanna, and DeShaunda made what can be a difficult ordeal enjoyable. Sarah also stressed the need to follow a home regimen to supplement my time at the Spear Center in the Financial District which was also important. Sarah and the others at Spear actually make PT fun and enjoyable. Their attitudes are great, not only caring about your injury but your general well-being. I've already referred two colleagues to Spear. I can't say enough of Spear or Sarah Tabia for Physical Therapy. Highest recommendation. I joked with Sarah upon my last visit that "I hope I never see you (here) again" since it would mean some injury related need but if I have to go to Physical Therapy I would only choose Spear! read more

I don't think I can say enough great things about SPEAR Physical Therapy! While I haven't been to any other locations, I have to say that Broad Street / FiDi hands down has some of the best therapists and employees around. I had previously been to another physical therapy organization for a different issue, but I wasn't pleased with my outcomes or even level of service. I did some research, saw some great reviews of SPEAR and how many locations they have and I was turned on (and it doesn't hurt that they share the name of my love, Britney SPEARS)! I am a current patient and have been for almost a year now for an injury which eventually had surgery and now I'm in recovery. Brooke David is my therapist. She is quite possibly the nicest (yet tough love when needed), most thorough, very knowledgeable physical therapist I've worked with...and that says a lot! I can be demanding, annoying, whiney, and love my early morning, but Brooke always meets me with positivity and energy to help me manage and recover from my surgery and the pain. It actually makes going to PT an enjoyable experience! She then recommended to me that I see Patrick Burford for a medical massage now that surgery is behind me. Let me tell you THIS....it was the BEST massage I've ever had!! He knew exactly where to go for the pain, how to relieve it and he even loosened up my shoulder muscle in that one hour session! And he's super nice too!! But also, everyone at SPEAR makes the experience an amazing one. I can't name EVERYONE, but everyone contributes to it: Nicole, Caitlin, Sarah, Dom, Dominica (I hope I didn't butcher her spelling), Deana, Janavi, Chloe....I truly enjoy and love them all! You're all basically an extended family to me. So if you are in need of a physical therapist, go see Brooke, go to SPEAR, get a massage and start living your life pain free!! read more

This is the best SPEAR location. The Therapist and assistants including the front desk are the best and pleasant people to be around. I want to give a BIG SHOUT OUT and a BIG THANKYOU to Joseph Kim "the BEST physical therapist" ever, and others at this SPEAR location. Joe really helped me walk normally without excruciating pain in my left knee. Injured the knee about 2 years ago jumping off the bus, and to be able to walk I had to stand for a few minutes before starting. There were days it was so painful that I had to use a cane just be able to stand up without falling over - I was so lopsided. After a year of pain finally went to the doctor, and found out it was a torn meniscus. The doctor said that surgery was not necessary since it was partial and was healing - just physical therapy. He recommended this SPEAR location, and he was not wrong - GREAT PLACE EVER! Joe took his time in explaining what each exercise was and what the expected result would be. As we advance to the different level of exercises I would kid him that he was torturing me. But those advanced exercises had improved my physical core to help me walk without pain. He gave me constant undivided attention to ensure I was doing it right and not in pain even though when he was working with other patients around the same time. I was also helped by the other therapists, when he is unavailable, and assistants; they were all very supportive. Even the people at the front desk are pleasant - always with a smile. I had always look forward to therapy because of the pleasant people who work there. I recommend Joseph Kim to anyone needing physical therapy. He is really "the BEST physical therapist" ever. read more

Spear PT - specifically the gang at the Broad Street location, and my incredible therapist Christine Lee - made recovery so much more fun for me than I could have imagined. Being a very active and athletic person, I was feeling extremely discouraged coming out of my first major injury. I had no idea if I'd ever be 100% again, and knew PT would be hard & frustrating. However, Christine never failed to be a shining light for me. Christine ALWAYS had my best interest in mind and worked with me to find my comfort levels, but also to push my limits in a way that helped my progression SO much. The exercises she'd give me were always varied and never monotonous. Above all, Christine never failed to be incredibly positive, bubbly, compassionate and genuine. She paid deep attention to my body's abilities, as well as always remembered what we talked about in our last session, which made it easy to form a really special relationship that was more than just PT. She made me really look forward to going to Spear... it was often - seriously - the highlight of my week. ALL of the physical therapists & assistants are incredibly friendly, kind, and just such a lovely group to spend your morning or afternoon with. No matter who your therapist is, they treat you like you're part of the Spear family. Sometimes I'm sad I don't have an injury anymore because I miss spending time with them! However, I improved so much with their care that I went on to be a marathon runner, and have used what I learned from them to keep my body healthy & injury-free. I seriously could not recommend a better bunch in NYC. It's no exaggeration to say that Christine Lee & her colleagues really changed my life. read more

I'm a competitive runner and as a result of overtraining for a race, I developed a combination of tendinitis in my knee, and a stress fracture of of my tibial plateau. My orthopedist prescribed physical therapy, and recommended Caitlin Murphy at SPEAR. He told me that Caitlin understood runners well, and was a runner herself. I'm very thankful for his recommendation, and had a great experience at Spear, and was especially impressed with Caitlin's expertise. She worked attentively to understand my specific situation, and tailored a program for my individual needs. I could see sustained progress from week to week, and Caitlin earned my complete trust. I'm a student of the sport of running, and very inquisitive about the science behind the rehab program Caitlin mapped out for me. She always had a thoughtful and sensible answer to my questions, and clearly knew her stuff. The staff at SPEAR was uniformly professional, helpful, and patient oriented. This includes the front desk staff who helped check me in, and the team that assisted Caitlin. I especially appreciated Alexa's grace and balance, and patience with my own lack of them. After about 8 weeks of treatment, of two sessions per week, my recovery was squared away, and it came time to say goodbye. I almost felt sad that I was healthy again, because Caitlin and team had been such a pleasure to work with. A few months later, I have resumed full on training, and am ready to return to racing, free of pain, but armed with more knowledge about how to stay healthy. (Hint, it involves a lot of those painful exercises with stretchy bands, and humbling exercises on balance mats.) read more

I've gone to Spear twice for 2 separate injuries and had amazing experiences both times with two different therapists. 1) I broke my finger and had pins put in. Once the pins were removed I still had very limited mobility so I saw Dominic about 5 times. I enjoyed every visit and by the end I had much more mobility and my finger looked much more normal! Dominic is such a charismatic, funny person and really knowledgeable so I'd highly recommend him. 2) The second time around I came to Spear because of glute tendonitis and general tightness in my IT band from running/over training. When I started having these pains, I emailed Dominic even though it was a couple months after I stopped seeing him for my finger and he was still so helpful. Dominic happened to be booked so I did a consultation with Amir and then Caitlin was my therapist going forward. When I came to Spear at the beginning of March, I couldn't even finish a 3 mile run because I was in so much pain. Just a couple weeks ago, I ran the Brooklyn Half and felt unstoppable and it was all thanks to Caitlin! I also improved my overall time from last year by 5 minutes!! I definitely feel stronger now than prior to my injury. I genuinely looked forward to going to PT because Caitlin and the entire staff are so caring, helpful, and fun so I felt like I was getting a good workout while having a good time too. Caitlin would always listen to me, but also make sure to push me enough. Since she's an avid runner herself, she really understood my concerns and always had great advice. I can't say enough good things about her so I'd really recommend her as well! read more

Always a skeptic about the efficacy of physical therapy, I went to Spear Broad Street in June 2016 to start a 2-3 times per week regime of PT in preparation for the NYC Marathon. I have bone-on-bone patella arthritis in both knees and was told by my orthopedic surgeon that without PT I would not be able to run the marathon. I requested a therapist with experience with runners and was assigned to Caitlin Murphy (a runner herself), who was largely instrumental in getting me across the finish line in my first ever marathon. The atmosphere at Spear is always professional, yet casual and welcoming. Spear is a state of the art facility with a complete range of equipment, lockers, shower and an onsite sports-masseuse. The level of professionalism I experienced at Spear was unparalleled. Caitlin is knowledgeable and highly skilled, but she is also intuitive and has an innate ability to identify critical concerns. She knows when to adapt the therapy to address my constantly evolving knee issues. Caitlin made me a believer in PT, as over the course of many months I went from chronic pain and stiffness to being largely pain-free with broad range of motion. Caitlin patiently educated me so that I understood the importance of strengthening related muscle-groups and the necessity of a holistic approach to body-mechanics. Her training in K-tape is an added bonus - I trained for 4 months with taped knees, hamstrings and IT Bands that managed my pain and gave me much needed support. I give Caitlin my highest recommendation and encourage anyone in need of PT to seek out Spear Physical Therapy before any other option. read more

I am a runner and, over the past year, have done a number to my knees. I needed physical therapy, especially if I wanted to run this past November's NYC Marathon, and was excited to learn that SPEAR had just opened in the Financial District. Before I attended my first session in July, I was nervous because I had no idea if it was even possible to reach a point in my recovery where I could still properly train for a marathon. I met Amir, and my skepticism and apprehension soon faded. He assessed the state of my knees, and explained that the pain in my knees was most likely caused by not implementing strength training to my normal exercise routine. I am a bit of a cardio-junkie, and did not see the beauty in doing squats and lunges (just wasn't my thing!). From our first session onward, Amir prescribed stretching and strength training exercises during our sessions and truly believed that I could be in good enough shape to run my big race. He also worked with me to devise a plan to ease back into running, but did warn me that I would probably feel the aches and pains, since I wasn't taking time off to fully recover. He was right, in fact some days the pain was more pronounced, but I did notice that the onset of pain was delayed as I increased my running mileage. I am happy to say that I was able to complete the marathon successfully, and owe a debt of gratitude to Amir and the staff at SPEAR who believed in me. I was impressed by the amount of personal attention and care that was given to me, and definitely recommend anyone who is in need of physical therapy to choose SPEAR in the Financial District. read more

As someone with a history of going to physical therapy and who has done some research on sports medicine, I can attest to the professionalism of SPEAR. I started going to SPEAR after sporadic pain in my right knee, but during the evaluation process with Amir Rand, he found the source of the pain quickly, identifying the causes of the pain. When I started finding it difficult going to my sessions because of the time, I was easily accommodated to a new time with a different therapist, Brooke David. The transition was seamless, as she was fully updated on my diagnoses and progress. My remaining months at SPEAR with Brooke were nothing short of quality care. Her constant undivided attention to me was pretty remarkable given the amount of other patients she was seeing; and her continuous engagement with me in my personal and professional life was more than encouraging during a time of frustration. Brooke, along with the other therapists (who, by the way, all have a Doctorate in Physical Therapy [DPT]) and assistants and secretaries and massage therapists, were quite the support throughout my time at SPEAR, up until my very last session. I'm always skeptical when it comes to physical therapy because, like all of medicine, it's hard for a regular person to know what's going on, even with Google's help. Given everyone's qualifications and character, and my successful recovery, however, I can easily recommend Brooke, Amir, and everyone else in this group for you to go to. read more

Quite simply going to Spear and seeing David Block for the last several months has been life changing. I live an extremely active lifestyle of fitness and races. I came to Spear to deal with some severe hip, hamstring and back pain that had really almost put me on the sideline for many months. At the first session Dave inquired about my goals to get back to being active and immediately was able to hone in on the source of those pains. Unlike most PT I had experienced - Dave was hands on and worked closely with me during each session. He customized each session and plan with me along with how my healing was progressing. He would often follow up with me via email or phone after a particularly difficult session. In addition Dave educated me along the way so that I understood the mechanics of what was causing the pain and the things I could do on my own to help my recovery. The entire staff at Spear has been incredibly helpful. They are always available and happy to handle scheduling and insurance questions.The techs who assist Dave during sessions at both E 56 and Broad St have also been extremely helpful and supportive. My office is 2 blocks from the E 56 location - because Dave has been so incredible I actually travel all the way downtown to continue to see him. The new Broad Street location is beautiful and turns out to be quite convenient - close to almost any train. I highly recommend them! read more

I spend at least 10+ hours in front a computer on most days for my job and I didn't realize how much the ergonomic set up at my office made a difference in my physical health. Once COVID-19 forced a remote, work-from-home set up, I didn't think twice about plopping on the couch, hunched over my laptop for the same amount of time for weeks... then months... Add to that the fact that I wasn't exercising or really going outside at all anymore. Finally, about 3 or 4 months into the pandemic, I realized that something was seriously wrong when I was having sharp lower back pains when walking or standing for more than 5 minutes at a time. YouTube yoga wasn't cutting it and I knew I needed physical therapy to reverse the damage. I had heard great things about Christine Lee so we started working together through video sessions. She was amazing--patient, professional and incredibly caring. I was also blown away by how well she understood my issues and how expertly she was able to tailor my treatment over the weeks as I regained strength in my core and improved my form. She even made recommendations on my home work set up and proper posture. All these things made a huge difference in just a matter of weeks. For anyone else having newfound, pandemic-related back pain, I can't stress enough that physical therapy works. Christine Lee is absolutely incredible and I couldn't recommend her more. read more

I came to SPEAR with a right shoulder injury that had kept me from working out, yoga, or any moderate to heavy lifting for almost a year. After just 12 visits I am back at the gym and feeling like my old self again, and I owe it all to SPEAR and its amazing staff. First of all, the front desk staff were more than helpful. They walked me through every step of the application process and handled all of my insurance matters with ease. My therapist was Dave Block, who on day 1 gave me a private hour-long assessment session where he used a physical model of a shoulder to help explain what the issue was. We then embarked on the path to recovery together. I say together because it was evident that Dave cared about me getting better as much as I did. Even if Dave was busy with another patient, he wouldn't let 5 minutes go by without checking up on me with whatever exercise I was doing. The PT assistant Deanna was also a big help in this way. She was always there to correct me during an exercise or to just simply ask how I was doing, always making me feel at home. Once my sessions were over, Dave made sure to explain in detail how I was to exercise moving forward and how to further strengthen my shoulder. I highly recommend this facility, you will always leave SPEAR with a smile and a sense that you accomplished a lot that day. read more

Seriously the best healthcare experience I have had EVER! I found Spear thanks to all of the amazing reviews and want to say it is 100% deserved. Every single person made me feel genuinely welcome. The staff is amazing across the board and the energy they send out is transferred to their patients. The facility is well kept, clean and beautiful. After a ski accident and a year of SoulCycle classes 3-4 days a week, my lumbar spine was a mess. I have been having shooting pain down my legs, headaches and radiating pain in my hips that worsens with the day-to-day grind of living in Manhattan. Two months of pain and headaches, two months of sadness, two months of not sleeping and in one hour Amir had me almost pain free and smiling. For the first time in two months, I slept last night :) I have spent thousands of dollars on acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care, orthopedic doctors and cabs because I was afraid to take the subway. I have been grumpy and unproductive at work and as a mom. I was defeated when I walked in the door thinking I would have to live with this forever. I am now very optimistic that I will be back to my normal life (maybe better) in 3-6 months thanks to Amir. They really are there to make a difference in people's lives! Stop looking and make an appointment. read more

I cannot say enough about how incredible my experience at Spear was. In a story worthy turn of events, I have spent the past 8 month at Spear recovering from ACL surgery. Not only did Nicole set me up with a fantastic surgeon, someone she'd worked with and trusted, she walked me through every step of the pre- and rehab process. She was honest about the ups and downs of recovery, constantly asked questions about how I was feeling, and even when I was traveling for work, she checked in to make sure I was doing my exercises. Even through the pain and emotional toll of recovery, there was never a day with Nicole where I didn't end up laughing hysterically or was genuinely happy to be there. Spear became my second home and the team there another family. Despite Nicole heading the recovery ship, everyone there played a huge role and I am incredibly grateful for the care ad compassion everyone showed me while I was there. The Spear team's energy and zest for helping people is contagious. And while Nicole and I joked about being "besties," she really has become a huge part of my life. I'm so thankful she's been there for every step of this journey. Should another twisted turn of events require another round of rehab, I know exactly where I will be going. read more