Advance Physical Therapy, Inc.

I have had varied problems with my back for several years, and have worked with three different physical therapists during the last 6 years. Right now I am grappling with severe lower back pain and sciatica. Alton Ching is doing things that no other therapist has done for me, and is lowering the pain. We are not quite there yet, but the combination of his hands-​on work and prescribed home exercise is doing the job and has made me more optimistic than I thought possible. I could not recommend him more highly.

I began seeing Dr. Ching this past spring at the suggestion of my neurologist & I am SO glad I did. I have suffered with chronic migraine headaches for over 30 years. In college they weren’t too bad-​I used to just get the aura but no headache. Fast forward several years when I rarely got the aura but got the headaches instead. They got worse when I got pregnant & years later I had hopes of them disappearing after having to have a hysterectomy & removal of my ovaries, since my mom’s migraines went away after her hysterectomy decades before. No such luck. It progressed to the point that I was having more days with migraines than without, each month & had never been able to determine my triggers. For a couple of years now I have been doing Botox treatments for my migraines & that cut them back by about half, but since seeing Dr. Ching they have been reduced even further. Between the physical work he has done on my neck, shoulder & jaw areas, plus the exercises he has me do under guidance in their on site «gym» I have had some great results. He has also made me keenly aware of posture & positioning that can create issues for me so I have made various improvements in those areas. My migraines aren’t completely gone but they have been reduced even further & I feel far better than I had. Even my neurologist commented the last time she gave me my Botox injections – she could not believe how much looser the muscles were in my neck & shoulder region. If you suffer from migraine headaches I encourage you to try seeing Dr.Ching. I bet you will start feeling better if you put his suggestions & easy exercises into practice.

I wish that you could find a way to evaluate without doing the exact same thing that injured me. For instance, contacting my old PT to find out what worked before.
I wish that when I told you I was flared up and in a lot of pain, you listened and found a way to help me instead of having me leave in tears.
I wish that instead of taking the time to respond to my post by blaming me that put the same time into trying to help me. I had mentioned that I was already on anti inflammatories. I wish you had been listening to me and helping me heal. That’s what I look for in a physical therapist.

Advance Physical Therapy gave me my life back! Since I found them on Unilocal,and have been miraculously returned to my athletic life, I thought I’d post my experiences.
I broke my ankle two years ago. A rather common, straightforward fix, turned into a nightmare of pain and suffering. I saw multiple surgeons and a physical therapist who succeeded in giving me an inflexible ankle, a neuroma and three torn ligaments in the bottom of my foot, post surgery, during rehab. After a year and a half of pain, I had an MRI performed by a third doctor. He was a kind, podiatrist, friend of my husband’s. He said that sadly, there was nothing that could be done.
I refused to give up my athletic lifestyle. I was unwilling to be in pain ²⁴⁄₇. I Unilocaled doctors, chiropractors & physical therapists from San Francisco to San Jose. Based on the stunning reviews I read on Unilocal,I chose Advance Physical Therapy in Redwood City.
The location is pretty convenient, a short drive to downtown Redwood City from either 280 or 101. The facility is like a spa. There is exquisite black and white photography throughout the office & treatment area. There is a waterfall in the waiting room. It is a very soothing environment for healing.
The office staff happens to be amazing too. Denisse had all my insurance information and was able to quickly and efficiently schedule appointments. Ditto on billing, which was quick and seamless.
Deanne interviewed me extensively on our first appointment. On our second appointment she began treatment. During the second and third treatment, she ELIMINATED the pain I had been experiencing for a year and a half. Within a few months I was back to hiking, yoga and doing Zumba every week. Deanne saved me physically and emotionally by eliminating my chronic pain, and giving me the treatment necessary to restore my foot to full athletic function.
The student physical therapists who assist with exercises — Candace, Elizabeth & Matt were a real asset in my treatment. They were always friendly and fun. They insured that my form was on target, and my exercises were completed safely.
I give Advanced Physical Therapy my highest personal recommendation. The whole team way exceeded my hopes and dreams — and helped me to make an amazing, full recovery, to my very active life!

If more stars were available, I would add more! I was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis and my doctor prescribed Physical Therapy for treatment. I work on the Peninsula and needed to find a place near my job. I called Advance Physical Therapy and spoke to the receptionist and asked questions about their facility. She was very informative and professional. After checking with my insurance company, I schedule an appointment with Deanne Smith. OMG! She has «magic hands». My feet feel so good after she has massaged them. I feel like I have «new» feet when she is done. The entire staff is very professional and friendly. It’s a great place that provides excellent service while making you feel right at home. Advance Physical Therapy is AWESOME!!!

I’d definitely give them another star if it was available. I particularly like the local feel to the place as everyone is super friendly and welcoming. Alton is gifted in his ability to diagnose pain and relate the source of that pain to the things we do day to day. Most importantly, he knows how to fix the problem both short and long term and can do it in a way that is fun and challenging. In addition, his home exercises are great not only for helping recovery, but maintaining healthy muscles and joints. Definitely things I’ve incorporated into my day to day workouts. I was also treated one day by Dr. Chen and she too was great at asking lots of questions and providing good insight and exercises. She also has a great and friendly demeanor.
Also, I cant say enough about the staff. Denise works the front desk and is always fun to talk with. She’s great at accommodating schedule changes, takes care of the insurance so I never have to, and keeps me well informed of any upcoming events.
Candice is great at working me out. in addition to being the officer of the pre-​physical therapy club in college :) she always motivates me to push a bit more without overdoing it. And she ALWAYS corrects me, in a fun and friendly manner, when I’m doing the exercises wrong.
Note that I’ve seen Alton 3 times over the last couple years for lower back, shoulder tendonitis, and post op knee surgery mostly related to an active lifestyle. And I’d see him again if and when I get another injury.

This is an A++ PT place. I told my friends and family that if they were looking for PT, this is the place to come. My 81 years old mother is now also coming here.
I have issues with my neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist, leading to numbness of my fingers and hand. I saw several specialists at Stanford and each would advise me what to do with the particular part of THEIR specialty including surgery, PT, nothing… etc. I felt like pieces of a doll than a whole person. Dr. Keane at S.O.A.R recommended Advance Physical Therapy.
I was very skeptical of PT since the last round of PT at another place did nothing after 3 months. Dr. Keane said good PT should show results in 2 weeks. I began working with Dr. Alton Ching. He identified issues with all 4 parts and began exercises and manipulations that addressed them. His knowledge and deep understanding of the issues were astounding. His skills in manipulation are superb.
I saw Deanne Smith once as well and she was also amazing. She works in a totally different style than Alton but it made my shoulder and side feel so good afterwards.
There are two key differences btw. this place and the other places I have been to. One, the doctor actually spend about 20−30min working on you before releasing you to the exercise floor. Two, on the exercise floor, you are supervised by the staff, usually Candice, closely, instead of just being told to «do that 15 times twice» and be left alone. While doing one exercise, Candice noticed my shoulder was clicking so she modified the exercise right away. I do appreciate the attention.

This place is a joke. I called about a week ago asking about physical therapy and the person that answered the phone was a rude (female that sounds like the age of 23 – 28). Wow talk about professionalism but they need to retrain her because I’ve read on another post that this has happened before regarding answering the phones and scheduling.
I asked this individual about making an appointment and if they accepted workers comp. She responded with an attitude and seemed like she did not like working there. She was unable to answer any of questions regarding documents and paper work. She was unable to help. She got my info but never contacted me at all.
I feel bad for this office because I’m sure she’s slacking in other duties. This individual needs to distress and take whatever problems she has out from work.
In all I was not able to experience the physical therapy but dealing with that individual was not worth it.

I first saw Deanne Smith three years ago for some severe shoulder pains. I can see why the other reviewers love this place; Deanne was wonderful! She took time to diagnose the problem correctly, did some painless manipulations of my shoulder that somehow made the pain magically disappear, and then worked to teach me the exercises I could do at home or at a gym to fix the problem permanently. It’s now been three years, and I often neglect to do the exercises, but the problem has never reappeared.
So when I had a lower back problem this month, the obvious person to see was Deanne, and I wasn’t disappointed. Again, she took a lot of time and care to do the diagnosis and to show me what the problem was, why it appeared, and exactly how to fix it.

Dr. Alton Ching and Advance Physical Therapy gave me back my active outdoor life. Both he and his partner Deanne Smith have the magic touch for teasing pain out of injured muscles and fascia. They are masters at helping you understand the body mechanics behind your injury while helping you rebuild strength, flexibility and alignment. The supervised gym work is great. They also teach you routines you can to help you mainten your gains at home. Thanks to Dr. Ching I’ve beat TMJ, frozen shoulder, and overcome 15-​years of chronic foot injuries. I’ve been to other therapists who got me back on my feet for a while. But Advance Physical Therapy really transformed my life.

I’m not the review writing kind of person normally and this is my first review ever, I have just moved to the USA I have chronic back pain due to a 3 meter fall that happend 4 years ago, I received excellent physiotherapy when I lived in London/​England, so I was skeptical about going to an new physiotherapist but my GP referred me to see Dr Deanne Smith. I feel so fortunate and grateful for this referral, Deanne and Pete are the most wonderful, caring and professional team. You’ll be in good hands with these guys.

At 64, I have seen a lot of physical therapy practitioners in an active life. Dr Alton Ching is the best I have encountered. With the onset of Parkinson’s my horseback riding days looked short. After working with him I feel stronger and more flexible than I have in 10 years. My balanced has so improved that my horse and I tear up and down the trails, laughing. i haven’t been able to do this in years (maybe ever before?). And my whole movement is so much surer and fluid.
I appreciate this professional. His office staff are great and his PT techs are a joy to work with. Why couldn’t I have found this man 20 years ago. Oh, he would still have been in school. shoot!

Two years after Dr. Ching fixed an issue with my thumb/​arm/​wrist (see previous review), I found I was starting to have trouble sleeping due to Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). I would wake up mutiple times every night and it would take me a long time to get back to sleep, if I could at all.
Since Dr. Ching had helped me so much before I went back to him for help.
He has been treating me for about 4 weeks now. We’ve been working on strengthening the muscles in my lower back, so my spine is better supported, and the nerves don’t get so pinched and irritated.
This week, for the first time in months, I slept through the night, and not just one night. I went to bed at 11pm, closed my eyes, and didn’t open them again until 8am. I could hardly believe it. I feel like I still have a way to go to make sure this keeps happening and to ensure that I don’t go back to where I was before, but I am very hopeful now because I know that it’s in my power to fix this.
As another side effect of the treatments, I also seemed to have gained close to an inch of height because my muscles are getting stronger and I am not sinking down into my spine and slouching like I used to. I had to adjust all my car mirrors upward: P.

I have always been a very athletic person, having played basketball and soccer while also skiing and snowboarding recreationally. For the longest time I took my athletic ability for granted. This attitude changed drastically four years ago, when I injured my back in a wakeboarding accident. While this experience was both physically and emotionally challenging, it changed me into the person I am today — driven, caring and thoughtful of other people’s pain.
Four years ago, while wakeboarding at Clear Lake, I fell during a back-​flip and landed hard on my back. My board, which was still attached to my feet, swung out around my body. I felt a pop, and excruciating pain in my lower back. My legs felt numb, and for a moment I thought I was paralyzed. I had to be lifted out of the water by my dad and friend because I wasn’t able to move. For the rest of our vacation at Clear Lake, and for the weeks following, the pain did not lessen.
When I tried out for basketball in the fall, the team trainer realized that something was seriously wrong because I couldn’t even complete the warm-​up. She referred me to a doctor at Stanford who ran a C.A.T scan that confirmed I had multiple fractures in my lower lumbar. When I found out that there were fractures in my back, I was in shock. I had never injured myself so seriously before. For the rest of the summer I had to stay at home to let my back recuperate. I felt diminished and isolated from my basketball team, and being immobile made me depressed.
When I began physical therapy with Dr. Ching, I found that it helped me both physically and emotionally. Dr. Ching took the time to explain how he was going to help me, and what I could expect in the next few months. He did the exercises with me during each session to ensure I had perfect form. I noticed after several sessions I was feeling better and getting stronger, which gave me hope that I would fully recover.
Just after 1 month of rehab, I was 110% better than I was before. I recommend going to Advanced Physical Therapy if you need rehabilitation. It is by far the best PT I have experienced.
Woohoo! As good as it gets!

I used to see Dr. Alton Ching at his old place in San Carlos. Going a few times for an old, nagging and Yoga strangling injury to my left hamstring, convinced me that Dr. Ching really knows the score.
I had multiple «at home» exercises to do that at one point took me almost 2 hours — but here’s the thing! It worked! In a short amount of time, say 2 months, I was able to 100% erradicate the hamstring problem that I had held onto for years and years. So, do the work and exercises and he can help you.
Today I went back after years and years. I guess my aging and old arches aren’t withstanding the crazy workouts I’ve put them thru since age 5. So, I’m going to «not run» nor do any sort of exercise that bugs them for awhile and see if that helps.
~Ms. Ali

I wish I was able to review their PT Services; I wasn’t even able to make a first appointment with their therapists because whoever is in charge of answering the telephone was too busy laughing and talking with another woman.
First I called last Friday (08÷02÷13) and though I called late they advertise to be open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Fridays; all I could do was leave a voice mail with my contact information letting them know that I was referred by my physician and that I needed PT.
Monday morning I received a returned call and after the standard salutations I asked if it was possible to schedule an appointment. The person on the other end hung up. I called again (silly me) thinking that the call simply dropped but when the lady answered the phone and I told her that we were just talking she said «can you hold on a minute» and started having a conversation with another woman. The telephone receiver was not close enough to hear what they were talking about but I could her them laugh and make fun of something. After 5 minutes or so she simply hung up… just like that.
I really wanted to give Advance Physical Therapy a try… now I’m afraid it will never happen.

Five stars is way not enough. If there were ten I’d gladly give them that. As it is I am pleased to give my highest recommendation to Dr. Alton Ching and Deanna Smith of Advance Physical Therapy — they are the greatest physical therapists I have ever had, bar none.
One thing that had me hooked right out of the gate: Dr. Ching is the physical therapist my own doctor used for a serious spinal injury he had personally, and that he refers power clients to, like the 49’ers he treats for injury and chronic pain. A recommendation with that much weight behind it was what convinced me to check Advance out, as I had almost given up on physical therapy entirely.
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The Nitty Gritty
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Since a broken back over twenty years ago, I have seen over a hundred physical therapists, physiatrists, and specialized pain doctors. None have been as helpful as Alton and Deanna and their staff. Plus which, the environment is beautiful and more reminiscent of a high end spa than a physical therapy office. Bamboo floors and columns, a waterfall in the waiting area and a gorgeous bathroom make me feel I am getting a treat, in addition to a treatment. The soothing environment really does make a difference.
When I came to Advance Physical Therapy with severe carpal tunnel from a current car accident, and broken ankles that had healed badly from an accident of two years ago, I expected only the one body part from the recent accident to be treated as every physical therapist I’d ever had did.
Alton not ony treated me top to bottom, but spent careful time assessing every dysfunctional area of my body, giving me more information about what was broken and why, and how to get past it than I have ever gotten before. The home exercises are reasonable and easy and actually work.
Not only that, but Alton and Deanna both do manual therapy which has been particularly helpful for both my back, arms and ankles. This is a series of gentle massage-​like manipulations of the affected joint that has miraculously, brought movement back to my frozen ankle, back and wrists.
I am looking forward to the day when I am past the need for the ongoing physical therapy because Advance also runs a «safe gym» (at competitive pricing to local gyms) for «graduates» so we can continue and ramp up our exercise in a safe environment.
If you’re wondering where to go after an accident or to get back to a pain-​free life, look no further, Advance Physical Therapy is it!

Thanks to a doozy car accident many years ago, I’ve had various hip and spine issues my entire life. I also just had to have a total hip replacement. Which came out great, but during the healing process I decided to see a PT to see if we could accelerate things a bit. I’ve seen a few PTs over the years, but have never had very satisfactory results. But after this hip surgery, I thought I’d give PT one more try.
I Unilocaled, and found Dr. Ching. Wow, all those 5-​star reviews! Long story short, he listened, manipulated, advised, and manipulated some more. After every visit, my healing pains were soothed, and I had much better range of movement. After each visit, I followed his exercise plan. And was feeling much better for the next visit.
He has a lot of orthopedic experience, which was valuable to me. But, as his website shows, he has a lot of experience in a number of areas, and a very impressive education.
If I could give him 10 stars, I would. Thanks a lot, Dr. C!
UPDATE: 12÷3÷2012
Because I am a masochist, in August I had a second hip replacement. After two months of being in too much pain to have anything manipulated, I called Dr. Ching. He’s now practicing out of a beautiful building in RWC. All of his equipment is state of the art, and the environment is very calming.
Within one session, he loosened up my hip joint a lot. Suddenly I was walking a lot more gracefully. I just got done with session four, and I feel fantastic. I’m now walking relatively gracefully, and I no longer get pity stares from people I pass on the street.
As of this date, Dr. Ching has 58 «filtered» reviews. Most are five-​star reviews. I don’t know why Unilocal does this. Yes, some are old, and others are by Unilocalers who have posted few reviews. But they all say the same thing: This guy is great. If you need a PT, you couldn’t choose a better practitioner.
UPDATE 12÷2÷2015
In the last three years, I’ve recovered well and am loving my two new hips. But my hips have remained «tight» and I just went back to Dr. Ching. I saw him twice a week for a month or so, and I got a lot of relief. Dr. Ching is highly specialized in ortho issues and ortho manual therapy, and he also took the time to talk to me about my recent experiences and my chronic issues. Again, I can’t speak highly enough of him.

Without going into too much detail about my various injuries at different times, which run the gamut from neck and shoulder tension down the back and finishes off with multiple sprained ankles, I highly recommend Dr. Alton Ching at Advance Physical Therapy. In addition to his professional, easy-​going personality and solid knowledge of the body and rehab, he is trained in orthopedic manual therapy. His first consultation with you will consist of gentle bodywork with lots of questions to determine your level of pain and your body’s reaction to his techniques. Over a series of treatment you will see and feel yourself improving in strength and mobility very quickly.
If you’ve been through or are going through other therapy programs without the results you need, give Dr. Ching a try. Better yet, save time and just go see him directly. At the very least, I can guarantee that his recommendations will be an excellent complement to whatever you are trying at the moment.

This is a review on Deanne Smith. In the case of this review, five stars are not enough. I have been in treatment with Deanne for well over two and three quarter years – off and on. Our relationship started after a car accident that has been an ordeal to heal from. I followed Deanne to this new location and drive out of my way for treatment by her. Not only has she sold me on the value of physical therapy, but I feel what she has taught me in the process of my healing has already proven to be a great enhancement to my life and to my future.
She is a very devoted physical therapist. Deanne has helped me move an arm that was swollen stiff, deal with a frozen shoulder, and how to manage a neck that leaves me flat on my back for days. After a recent shoulder surgery her work with me had the surgeon making comments on how fast the recovery was. Deanne has taught me to manage nerve damage and chronic pain that otherwise would make me want to give up and spend too much time thinking about the my boo boos. What I like best about Deanne is that she knows how to treat the whole person – and she is good at it.
Deanne blows away all the other physical therapists that I have been to. She has loaned useful books, done work that gets results and given great advice on how to heal and manage injuries to the point that I want to share how good she is with other Unilocalers out there!