About Us

Our Mission Our highly skilled team at North Tahoe Physical Therapy is focused on helping you to achieve your optimal state of health through exceptional therapy, education and personalized treatment programs designed to return you to the lifestyle that you desire. Our Staff Jane O’Brien, MSPT Advanced Myofascial Release Practitioner Women’s Health Therapist Jane is the owner and director of North Tahoe Physical Therapy. She received her Master of Science Degree from Boston University in 1992. She has over 15 years experience in treatment of orthopedics, women’s health, and pain. Jane has extensively trained in manual therapies such as Myofascial release, Craniosacral therapy, and spinal and joint mobilizations, dynamic stabilization exercises and strength and conditioning. Since 2000, Jane has been an instructor for John Barnes’ Myofascial Release Seminars. While living in Sedona, Jane trained and worked with Barnes at his clinic.  She presents several workshops annually on the Myofascial Release technique. Jane is currently in pursuit of the Certificate of Achievement in Pelvic Physical Therapy (CAPP). This honor is granted to physical therapists that have completed the required training and testing through the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Section on Women’s Health. The CAPP demonstrates dedication and advanced training in the field of Women’s Health. She expects to complete her studies and receive the CAPP in Spring 2009. Memberships: APTA-American Physical Therapy Association, Section on Women’s Health AAUW- American Association of University Women Hobbies: Belly dancing, skiing, hiking, rollerblading, Brian Hrindo, MT Brian graduated from Bowling Green State University in northwestern Ohio with a Bachelor of Education in Kinesiology, where he studied Early Childhood Development and Effective Movement in Athletes. He has been practicing as a Massage Therapist since graduating from the Utah College of Massage Therapy. Brian specializes in injury massage, Russian Sports Massage, Craniosacral Therapy, and Deep Tissue Massage. He has trained under John F. Barnes, international lecturer and authority on Myofascial Release, and has become a highly skilled Myofascial Release practitioner. In his spare time, Brian enjoys relaxing on his boat on Lake Tahoe, skiing, mountain biking, and rafting the rivers of the Wild West. Rebecca L. Deal, MPT Rebecca received her Master of Science degree from California State University, Long Beach in 2005. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Nutrition from the University of California, Davis. She believes in helping people by educating and empowering them to take responsibility for their health.In her spare time, she enjoys snowboarding, snowshoeing, and hiking the Tahoe trails with her dog.

Our Location 889 Alder Ave., Suite 105 Incline Village, NV 89451 775-831-6600 office 775-831-6697 fax We are located on the ground floor of the Lakeside Medical and Professional Building, across the street from the hospital. Our History North Tahoe Physical Therapy was established in the 1980’s in Incline Village, NV. by Claudia Dill, PT. Ten years later, Thom Werner, PT, bought North Tahoe Physical Therapy and operated the clinic for 14 years. In 2003, Jane O’Brien, MSPT, became the 3rd owner of North Tahoe Physical Therapy. Jane O’Brien, MSPT, director and owner of North Tahoe Physical Therapy, says, “Many people think of physical therapy as exercise and hot packs. We want to change that perception. We believe that a hands-on, intuitive approach combined with movement is the key to healing and restoration of function. Our staff has dedicated many years learning to use our hands as tools for healing.”

Massage and Chronic Pain

Can massage help me with chronic pain that I have had for years?

Therapeutic and deep tissue massage and bodywork can not only relieve acute symptoms but can also affect a change in chronic pain that you may have been experiencing on and off for years. In some cases, massage is the most beneficial tool used to deal with these ongoing discomforts.As with anything, it may take several sessions to relieve symptoms of chronic pain. You didn’t develop these pains overnight, so they may take more than one session to relieve. As you begin to treat your condition, it may be important to be treated several times before you can transition to a less frequent schedule for health maintenance.

Please be sure to share specifics with your massage therapist to develop the best plan for you.Massage therapy is particularly effective in treating the chronic pains experienced as a result of exercise, fibromyalgia, and job related discomforts (i.e. working at a computer, sitting or standing for long periods of time). I have the experience and training to facilitate your bodies healing process and look forward to ridding your body of the pain and discomfort that keep you from enjoying a healthy lifestyle in Lake Tahoe. Massage should not only be looked upon as a commodity, but as preventative maintenance on your body’s tissues and subsequent organs which is one of the best ways to stay out of your doctors’ waiting rooms.

-By: Brian Hrindo, LMT

Orthopedic Massage

Orthopedic Rehabilitative Massage is an advanced form of bodywork in the current mainstream health care community. This type of massage is indicated for post-surgery, chronic pain, overuse, and repetitive stress injuries. It is indicated for people of all ages and body types. This deeper (more pressure, deeper layers) type of massage is very useful when patients/clients are in some sort of discomfort or pain and is useful (and in some cases more results with) as preventative medicine, which seems more important in this day and age. It compliments treatments by physical therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, osteopaths, and medical doctors.

This advanced style of bodywork requires more training from therapists specifically in the areas of anatomy, physiology, and pathology of injury. This work can be applies to any body part ranging from the neck all the way down to the feet. You will find practitioners of this work in multiple work settings, whether it is in a physical therapy or chiropractic clinic or day or resort spa. But if you decide to receive this type of therapy, please do your research. Not every massage therapist is qualified or for that matter good. So do your homework, find out the massage therapist’s history, education, and experience in body work. At North Tahoe Physical Therapy we are constantly increasing our understanding of how to address pathology, as continuing education is required for all licensed therapists.

Orthopedic Massage is a form of manual therapy that specializes in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. In addition to the benefits of traditional massage such as relaxation and increased circulation, orthopedic massage has several other treatment goals. These include increasing the range of motion, decreasing and managing pain, and normalizing musculoskeletal function. The therapist works to dissolve adhesions in muscle and connective tissue, lengthen connective tissue, balance muscle function by strengthening weak muscles and releasing tight ones, as well as normalize the position of soft tissue, restore joint function, release entrapped nerves, and facilitate normal neurological function.

What to expect from Orthopedic Massage

You may ask, why a deeper more rehabilitative massage as opposed to your traditional Swedish massage? I prefer to label what I do as body work as opposed to massage. For a few reasons; when people think of massage they tend to correspond it to your every day Swedish massage, “which is nice to get”. Yes, I am doing tough “massage strokes”, but I am providing the body the therapy is desperately needs to return it to normal working order. I provide this type of work when everything else fails with traditional massage therapy and the pain and dysfunction persists. Also, I will incorporate other therapies such as Myofascial Release, myofascial stretches, manual traction, muscle energy techniques, and craniosacral therapy. So it is not necessarily massage strokes.

A session typically lasts from ½ hour to 1 hour. The work will be both gentle and deep. For lasting results, the therapist will want to see the patient 2-3 times a week initially, as frequency is the key. During the course of a session, the therapist will evaluate the entire body and address the body as a whole, to see how is responding to the injury. The therapist will then specifically address the area of trauma to increase the fluidity in the tissue and range of motion in the effected joints. This can be done by a postural evaluation, checking passive range of motion, or movement analysis.

-Brian Hrindo, MT