Injury Rehabilitation and Human Performance
hero_pattern.png

About The Practice

Data-Driven, Individualized, & Streamlined

The Mission: Measured Achievement

This practice is a single-provider operation that prides itself in the methodology and tailored approach to rehabilitation and movement performance. The founding principle is simple: it is impossible to manage what cannot be measured. The human body is a very complex inter-system connected machine that can make overall health management challenging. Specialists are often necessary to navigate any health-related issue. This practice aims to assess and manage your movement health with regard to performance and injury recovery or mitigation. Objective motion data helps drive an informed clinical decision making process to set clients up for the most success possible, and all rehabilitative or performance programs are individualized based on this data. Successful management requires reliable, precise, and accurate measurement combined with thoughtful goals which guide the framework of the plan. This practice believes clients being an active part of their process is essential to successful outcomes, and as such emphasizes education to enable participation and understanding throughout your musculoskeletal journey.

The Name: Motion-Based Methods

Movement screens are non-invasive and can be diagnostically powerful. It is a part of the physical exam process that may be under utilized in other health settings. This practice methodology starts by observing how you move; it’s only appropriate that the name fits. The term “Anthrokinetics” is simply derived from the merger of a shortened Latin prefix “Anthropo-” which refers to humanoid bodies and “kinetics”, the study of effects of forces on motion. While most of what will be measured with regard to human movement is technically “kinematics”, it is the environment that ultimately determines our movement strategies. This is one of many reasons onsite services are offered — to measure you directly in your particular setting.

The Tech: Multi-System Synchronization

What is this aforementioned “data”? A proper motion or posture analysis has multiple components consisting of (1) joint position in 3D space at any given point of the movement cycle, (2) the muscle strategy utilized to achieve the joint position, and (3) the forces generated to manage the environment as a result of position and strategy. Depending on the desired solution, I deploy a combination of inertial measurement units (IMUs), surface electromyography (sEMG), multiplane 2D video, and pressure devices (via insoles or force plates). These sensors synchronize and capture the data, which can be used either in real-time for biofeedback training or analyzed post-hoc for diagnostics. Customized reports (based on your goals) are generated, which guides the treatment or training plan. I encourage anyone further interested in these particular technologies to check out the FAQs section where I discuss some of this technology and associated methodology in more detail.

Anthrokinetics proudly uses class-leading technology developed by Noraxon, USA and its partners.

 

Connect.

Inquiries are welcome. This practice is not traditional in how it offers outpatient physical therapy and wellness services. Questions are expected. If after browsing this page and the FAQs you still have questions or want to know if your case is appropriate, click the link below to send a brief message.

Send Message ▸

Cost?

As all plans are individualized based on your goals, details about your case need to be discussed before an accurate fee for service can be determined. Not all cases require the same level of complex analysis and this will determine the end-cost. More details can be found on the FAQs page.

 
 

The Provider

 
 
Professional Profile.jpg

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Rick Pitman, DPT

Pursuing my passion for human movement studies, I spent 7 consecutive years at Pacific University obtaining my B.S. in exercise science (2012) and doctorate in physical therapy (DPT 2015). The year I completed my undergraduate degree at Pacific, I received distinction at the regional ACSM conference for my research on utilizing tri-axial accelerometers as a method to measure workload exposure among first responders. This is when I first appreciated the role wearable and motion capture technology would have in the future on improving health outcomes. This compelled me to continue my studies and pursue an advanced clinical degree, knowing I wanted to integrate biomechanical methods into a clinical setting. During my DPT studies I worked in the university athletic training room to get as much exposure and hands-on clinical time as possible. After completion of my professional program, I spent 2 years working with an outpatient orthopedics and sports medicine multidisciplinary team in San Francisco, CA. I then joined two accomplished sports medicine physicians to integrate a physical therapy department within their successful practice, whose cumulative professional affiliations included the Oakland Athletics (MLB), Cal Bears (NCAA) and St. Mary's College of California (NCAA).

In 2018, I branched out on my own as an independent practitioner of physical therapy with a focus on leveraging technologies like sensor-based 3D motion capture (IMU), EMG, and dynamometry with a particular emphasis on kinematic and performance-based outcomes. This approach has enabled the translation of sports medicine and physical rehabilitation research into clinical practice. These methods are constantly being refined with the greater goal of arming clinicians and clients to make data-driven decisions and re-think traditional questionnaire-based outcome measures.

My experience in athletic training rooms and on-field injury management coupled with clinical orthopedic physical therapy makes me a good fit for cases which range from post-operative care, return-to-sport decision making, and injury prevention or performance. I maintain advanced certifications in movement science and manual therapy techniques, and am always looking to expand my professional knowledge to best serve my clients.

 

Education

Pacific University - Health Professions Campus
Doctor of Physical Therapy - 2015

Pacific University - College of Arts & Sciences
BSc Exercise Science & Integrative Physiology - 2012

Memberships & Affiliations

  • CA Licensed Physical Therapist

  • APTA Sports & Orthopedics Section

  • Titleist Performance Institute

  • USGA US Open 2019 Wellness Team

  • Functional Movements Systems (SFMA / FMS)

Extra Certification & Training

  • TPI - Medical Level 2 Certified

  • SFMA - Advanced Level 2 Certified

  • Advanced Functional Biomechanics of the Lower Quarter - Certification through Movement Performance Institute

  • Mulligan Mobilization Techniques Upper & Lower Quarter Certification

  • Maitland Manual Therapy Techniques

  • Certified Emergency Medical Responder