Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Lum.
Hi Jeff, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Athletics have always been essential to my life. Having grown up in a single-parent household where I was left to my own devices most of the time, it was a way for me to work off excess energy, form an identity outside of the home and the classroom, and experience what it was like to win and lose in life. Like any activity or medium you choose to pursue, whether playing an instrument, dancing, sports, etc., we start doing them because we have a proclivity for it, born out of success, intense interest, or, if you’re lucky, both. Sports, particularly football, basketball, and track, were that escape for me where anything seemed possible. Becoming a physical therapist came onto my radar after going through rehab for a knee injury while playing high school basketball. I thought working with athletes and getting them back to activities they enjoyed was so cool! I got to listen to people’s stories on how they got into the activities they did, how they got injured, and was able to see them go back to doing the things they loved. Seeing people regain their lives and knowing you play a role is incredibly gratifying. I’ve always wanted to run my practice in a way that may be outside the box. One thing that hasn’t changed is putting the patient at the center of it all and providing care that helps them get back to what they do as quickly and efficiently as possible.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No one can say running a business is ever smooth. It tests your ability to level up in all ways. Any weaknesses or insecurities will make their way to the surface, potentially slowing your progress. When I started Mobile Spine Specialist, all I wanted to do was treat patients in a way that I felt would be most beneficial, without having to answer to anyone but only to the patient’s expectations. If the patient required more time, we had the flexibility to fulfill their needs in treatment, not only for their physical issues but for biopsychosocial obstacles as well, which ultimately impede physical healing. Being able to treat patients in totality is the goal. However, you don’t get the opportunity to do that if you aren’t doing the other things required, such as networking, marketing, and forming relationships with people in the community you serve. Being a clinician at heart, I am as happy as a pig in mud, able to do my own research and apply the knowledge towards patient care. Running my practice has opened my eyes to the actions and skills needed to put myself in a position to be able to do what I love doing in the first place. That means being very comfortable being uncomfortable. It has been a great learning experience which has not only made me a better clinician, but a better person as well!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Mobile Spine Specialist is an outpatient, mobile physical therapy practice based in Austin that serves individuals from all walks of life, including but not limited to: C-suite executives, healthcare professionals, tech workers, and older adults. Our mission is to empower individuals to reclaim their inner athlete, allowing them to thrive and achieve their active lifestyle. You’re an athlete at any age as long as you move! We specialize in injuries/pain to the spine and extremities, dizziness, and balance issues, pre-surgical physical exams to determine if surgery is appropriate through a process of elimination, post-op orthopedic surgery treatment, wellness fitness training, and injury prevention workshops for companies and corporations. We are known for our effective treatments at your location because our results are measurable, whether the components are strength, flexibility, function, or all; patients always know where they stand at any time during treatment through communication, partnership, and unfailing concern for their well-being.
We are proud that our brand strives to always do right by the patient or client. Everything else falls into place when that is at the forefront of your practice.
We can access tissue healing at all levels from: superficially with advanced soft tissue treatment such as ASTYM and manual therapy, as well as reaching deeper levels of muscles, tendons, and ligaments through joint manipulation and dry needling. Exercise self-education is also a significant component of our treatment. Most of the time, decreasing pain and improving mobility are attained by incorporating the right exercises at the right time. The research, by far, robustly promotes exercise over any other treatment modality for the return to normal pain-free movement and function.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Listening first is essential to understanding what individuals or groups seek, discovering what motivates them to improve their current situation, and fulfilling what they seek with precision and clarity. In addition, always stay positive and resilient, staying level whether you experience success or moments of setbacks.
Thank you, Voyage Austin, for showing interest in our story! It was a pleasure. Stay well, be well, and keep doing what you’re doing!
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Zanzibar! Multimedia
