Reflecting on 25 Years: Dr. Brian J Pease

The 25th anniversary of the tragedies of September 11 reminded me of how uncertain we were about the world we would live in 25 years ago. Would we travel again? Would we face continuing attacks for the foreseeable future? How would we raise our children, go about our work, enjoy a long bike ride, tend our gardens, or simply sit on the porch with a dog and a cup of coffee without that cloud hanging over us?

We were all asking those questions - and many others.

At the time, I was finishing my doctoral dissertation and preparing to continue teaching in the physical therapy program at the University of Indianapolis, where I had been lecturing when the attacks occurred. It was against the backdrop of that uncertain future that I decided to embark on a journey of my own: establishing a physical therapy practice centered on individualized, one-on-one care and bringing together exceptional physical therapists committed to providing “Simply Better Therapy.”

The anniversary of September 11 belongs first to those who were lost, to those who responded, and to the families who have carried that loss for 25 years. For me, it also triggers memories and reflecting on the uncertainty of that time and the choices we made about how we would continue living within it.

One of my choices was to begin Body One. Now, as we enter our 25th year, we are quietly and humbly still here - caring for our patients, serving our communities, and remaining faithful to the ideals upon which the practice was founded. 

Thank you for your patronage, your trust, and your loyalty. We would not still be here without you.

Best,

Brian

What are You Preparing For?

This has been a recovery year for me. First, a blood clot. Then the unexpected death of my brother. Then preparing for the joy of a family wedding. Through health challenges, tragedy and grief, and joyful celebration, I lost the thread of my passion for cycling. In lockstep, my health and fitness declined significantly.

As I have regrouped, I have found that the structure and community of my riding friends have helped me regain some of my fitness. But I still have a way to go before I am ready to resume pursuing my dreams of riding strong, riding long, and imagining that next epic ride.

I am riding again. I am healthier. I am recovering. But I am not yet where I want to be. I am sure many of you feel the same way. That space between recovering what we have lost and preparing ourselves for what we still want to do is where many of us get stuck.

Physical therapy can help you recover from illness or injury, restore meaningful function, and begin preparing you to return to the activities that matter to you. But insurance coverage is generally designed around medical necessity and the restoration of basic function. It often ends before you have rebuilt the full strength, endurance, mobility, balance, and confidence needed to pursue more ambitious goals.

This is not a limitation of what physical therapy can do. It is a gap created by where covered rehabilitation commonly ends and the rest of your physical life begins. How do you prepare to garden, travel, play tennis, lift your grandchildren, run, ride a bike, or get off the floor - not just now, but twenty years from now?

There is often a gap between what you can do and what you want to do. We call this gap the recovery trap: good enough to resume your life, but not yet prepared to pursue your dreams. Escaping the recovery trap requires us to ask a different question. Not simply, “Are you feeling better?” but: What are you preparing for?

You may want to return to running, move up a group on the tennis court, ride across the state, hike with your family, or tend a larger garden. You may be on a weight-loss journey and want to become stronger and more capable as your body changes. You may be concerned about your balance, your mobility, or your ability to get off the floor. You may want to travel without worrying about how far you will have to walk. Or you may simply want to remain strong and independent as you grow older. You may know what you want to do, but need more structure, support, and accountability than you can create on your own. Or perhaps you trusted us to help you recover and now want that same team to help you take the next step.

Pain relief matters. Restoring movement matters. Returning to daily life matters. But none of those should automatically mark the end of your progress. Sometimes recovery is only the beginning.

That is why we are developing the Body One Performance and Longevity model. Traditional physical therapy helps you recover what pain, injury, surgery, illness, or life has taken from you. Performance and Longevity builds upon that recovery by asking a different question:

What do you want your body to remain capable of doing?

We believe the gap between recovery and readiness deserves a real solution. This fall, Body One is mobilizing our people, expertise, equipment, and facilities to create a clearer path from recovery to readiness - and from readiness to the life you want to live.

Through comprehensive testing, individualized planning, structured programs, independent exercise options, and supportive communities, we are building more ways for you to continue your progress with people you already know and trust.

For some, the need is structure. For some, accountability. For some, equipment or expertise. For some, motivation. For some, a supportive environment and a community of people working toward goals of their own.

Not everyone needs the same amount of help. Everyone deserves to understand what comes next.

Next week, we begin Ride Strong, our program for cyclists of all ages and abilities who want to improve their strength, mobility, stability, and confidence when they get back on the bike next spring.

Ride Strong is our first example of what the Body One Performance and Longevity model can become: preparation built around something you want to do.

In November, we will begin offering comprehensive Performance and Longevity Assessments. The assessment will help you understand your current physical readiness and answer three questions:

Where am I now?

What may be holding me back?

What should I do next?

The answer may be an underlying medical concern that deserves further attention. It may be lifestyle choices or circumstances that make progress difficult. Or it may be limitations in strength, mobility, balance, power, or endurance.

From there, a physical therapist will help you interpret the findings, identify the areas that need attention, establish meaningful goals, and develop a path forward. That path may include a structured Body One program, individual guidance, a supportive group environment, or an independent plan you can pursue on your own.

This is not simply rehabilitation continued indefinitely. It is purposeful preparation for the life ahead.

The life you want to live. Many of you have already trusted us during an injury, an illness, or a difficult period in your life. We were there to help you recover. Now we are creating new ways to help you build upon that recovery - to become stronger, move with greater confidence, and prepare for whatever you want to do next.

Physical therapy asks, “What do you need to help you recover?”

Performance and Longevity asks, “What can we prepare you for next?”

I know what I am preparing for: riding strong, riding long, and being ready when that next epic ride presents itself - to rejoin my cycling friends in adventures yet to be determined. You may be preparing to run again, travel confidently, continue your weight-loss journey, improve your balance, return to a sport, work in your garden, or simply feel more capable in your own body. Having a dream is the beginning. Preparing your body to realize that dream is the goal of Body One Performance and Longevity.

Whatever your goal, you do not have to figure out the next step alone.

What are you preparing for—and how can we help you get there?

Watch your inbox for upcoming updates about our Performance and Longevity programs!