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Schedule a call with Dr. Damien Jackson-Ricketts, get a clear diagnosis of the problem, and learn how we can help you find a solution!
Schedule a call with Dr. Damien Jackson-Ricketts, get a clear diagnosis of the problem, and learn how we can help you find a solution!
Damien is a Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in orthopedics, sports, and in particular outdoor adventure sports. After growing up in Virginia, his studies moved him all over the country including New York, Miami, and LA. He moved to Portland in October of 2021 seeking green nature, clean air, and an escape from LA traffic. Damien is passionate about staying active outdoors and helping others to do the same.
In his free time you’ll likely find him hiking in Forest Park, rucking a sandbag around the neighborhood, or shredding the trails at Rocky Point on his mountain bike.
Quick summary: Damien is by far the most skilled physical therapist I have ever worked with, and I've worked with a lot. Save yourself the wasted time and money experimenting... read more with other physical therapists and just work with Damien.
More detailed version: over the course of 10 years I spent well over $15k out of pocket working with more than a dozen specialists for an issue with my shoulder. The issue was beyond frustrating - I couldn't lift weights with anything beyond extremely light intensity, and as a very active person, it was a major hit to my quality of life.
But what was especially frustrating was that every person I worked with would give me fairly basic exercises, I'd do them for weeks & months with no change, and ...that'd be it.
They'd say, "Well, I don't know what else to do."
Until I worked with Damien.
He didn't know what the issue was at first either. But he actually seemed bothered by not knowing - and genuinely wanted to find the answer with me.
Over the course of 3 months he worked with me like a detective, seeing how my body responded to a variety of exercises.
Finally we stumbled on a few exercises that gave me instant relief... exercises that, oddly enough, weren't even close to my shoulders. A small muscle in my lower back was weak and causing everything on my left side to be out of wack.
Within 2 months I was working out hard again, for the first time in 10 years.
Just like that, my saga was finally over thanks to Damien.
I've continued to go to Damien for all the other small issues I've accumulated over the years and have the same experience every time.
He is gifted. Stop searching and work with him.
When I worked with Damien, I spent a lot of time in physical therapy getting to know the guy. My most egregious injury was a broken knee. I tore my... read more ACL (complete rupture) and had a bucket handle tear to my meniscus. Prior to this Damien had helped me with a dislocated shoulder causing persistent pain. (I get injured a lot as an athlete.) I'm not sure if you have experienced being unable to walk, and that you're here means you're experiencing something, but I could not have gotten over the hurdle without Damien. For starters I was using both my hospital required Physical Therapy, and Damien simultaneously. What Damien knew the hospital didn't. The hospital did not want me at an external physical therapists but I declined to adhere to their program and went to Damien simultaneously. It is because I was with Damien that my knee is feeling better. For starters Damien put emphasis on things the hospital only told me to manage six months in, but that I had been managing from the get go because of him. A specific example is known as "scar massage" I started this the week after surgery. The hospital failed to really emphasize it's important and the general PTs sortve brought it up but Damien made me do it. Because of his experience and outside knowledge (he can follow his own curriculum and not be forced to use a hospitals guidelines.) I was able to not have skin form back tightly which would've caused me long term pain. The way a hospital PT has to run is on a special directive and they can't stray from it. Damien can see a problem and follow and pursue that path. By the time I got to an "ACL expert" (who I was on a waitlist to see and is by the way is an amazing PT over at the hospital) I was already six months in with the "general PT" who didn't know as much and got excited about studies Damien told me about 6 months prior as back pocket knowledge. Damien prescribed me BFR cuffs, when I met with the expert he did too. But six months AFTER I'd already been working with them and owned a pair. The expert really was a good amazing doctor who does conferences and publishes papers, so he helped a ton, but he was always strapped for time because he's the only available ACL doctor and expert in the hospital. He has to see many people and you get 30 minute sessions with him or 1 hour 30 classes with him and MANY others at once that he is working with while working on you. The biggest difference is Damien is his OWN guide. No insurance to tell him what to do or how to make it run. He will pick his plan and make it work FOR YOU. Because he understands the body and isn't stressed for time he can even read any new research whenever and make sure he knows all about YOU specifically. I have been out of surgery post op for 2 years now. Specifically my injury was complicated because I had to wear a brace for my meniscus to heal and couldn't bend my knee to allow the sutures on the meniscus to completely close (doctors orders) but with an ACL you should bend immediately. This put my recovery behind. If I followed the general PT (wrong) advice I wouldn't have bent my knee, making it possible I'd need second surgery if it stuck and possibly not have full range in my leg EVER again for bending. Instead the first day after surgery Damien called me and told me they were crazy bend it in a controlled environment. He walked me through it and I met with him 3x a week. It is because of him I can bend my knee all the way today two years later. I don't believe I would be able to, and I'm 24 years old, this could've affected me for life. Bottom line is he has better knowledge than anyone I've met and I've met four physical therapists now through my experience with needing surgery, and one orthopedic surgeon. And Damien was always not one or two but 5 steps ahead of them. They'd tell me "new" info and I'd nod and shake my head like wow so cool you know about this study Damien told me about 6 months ago. I always wondered did they not want me to go to him because they were embarrassed trying to keep it mums the word that they couldn't keep up?
I was reluctant to get Physical Therapy for my broken ankle post ORIF surgery. A year had passed, and I was "getting along just fine"- accepting that my abilities now... read more had limitations. Then I fell a few times after, and more recently tore/perhaps sprained my lateral meniscus a few weeks into my half-marathon training.
After days of scrolling, reading about PT, and talking with others who have worked with a PT my initial thoughts were:
1 - Too expensive
2 - Not being heard & then getting a standard plan that I could of downloaded for free and followed myself.
3 - combine 1 & 2 = upset/waste of time & money
4 - I can find countless amounts of videos on youtube (bob & brad PT channel - IYKYK), instagram, tiktok... and create my own plan
Thankfully I came across Damien,
who has completely transformed my view on PT, and it was absolutely worth the investment! His assessment alone was more thorough then any of my doctor visits, and he helped set realistic short term goals that fit within my training plan. The plan was customized and adjustments were made along the way according to our conversations and the responses my body was having to the exercises. Each exercise was explained in a way that was encouraging and kind. Can I find them online? - sure... but I simply would of gone through the motions whereas Damien helped me connect the dots from mind to each movement with clear direction/cues that has changed they way I think about how I'm running/hiking/biking/lifting ect.. My range of motion and running gait has improved significantly, and pains that I didn't even realize went hand in hand with my "real injuries" have subsided.
I looked forward to each session, and was always greeted with a wag of Kenzo's tail in a welcoming space with great tunes. I'm eternally grateful for such a life changing experience.
O - and I crossed the finish line of the toughest half marathon to date feeling better post race than the last!
I have been struggling with chronic neck and shoulder pain for 4 years. I have been to countless physical therapists and chiropractors; the results were minimal. I met with Damien... read more last year and within a few months, I saw major improvement. Unlike other physical therapists, Damien takes the time to explain your issues to you. After a full year with Damien, I’m no longer in pain and have learned a lot about my body.
Damian as been my personal trainer/physical therapist for several months. I had a broken shoulder, foot injuries, and a have a chronic and degenerative muscle disease. I can truly... read more say that Damian has been outstanding in helping me build strength and getting my range of motion back even beyond what my orthopedic doctor thought would be possible. He comes up with innovative ways to work a muscle or joint when a traditional exercise is not doable by my limitations. Having worked over the years with multiple physical therapist and personal trainers, I rank him as top notch. He is also dependable and personable. Best of all is that with his instruction I am doing better than I have in a long time.
I worked with Damien for ~4 months and the amount of personal care and attention he provided was unmatched. I came in with a nagging neck and upper back injury... read more which we worked on consistently until it was stronger than ever before. Because of his extensive knowledge and training, he also helped me improve long-term shoulder and hip injuries with new exercises and movements. He also created a personalized home exercise program which made it incredibly easy to do the exercises at home. I can not recommend Damien enough!
Dr. Damien is super knowledgable about the body and different exercises/stretches/massages to alleviate pain and build strength in weak areas. He helped me to build a stretching, warmup, and exercise... read more program, and did a great job of quantifying my progress through measurement and careful note-taking. I was impressed by the care that he put into my health--he honestly remembered everything that we worked on together, and had a keen intuition about how my range of motion had been changing over time. Highly recommend!
I started to see Dr. Damien Jackson-Ricketts few months ago for a frozen shoulder and neck pain after being disappointed by the inefficiency of the treatment I received in other... read more PT places. His approach is very unique which really makes the difference for the recovery. Damien is an intuitive person, very talented, and fully dedicated to his patient health. In my case, he was not only treating my problem but found the cause and taught me how to prevent new injuries. I was also really impressed by the way he was able to adapt each session to my needs, allowing me to make constant progress. On a top of everything, he has found new exercises every time which made the sessions super fun. I cannot recommend him enough and I think having a session with him will speak for itself.
Damien is amazing. I had a grade 3 groin tear playing hockey. Within about three months of nothing really working a friend suggested Damien to me. Within two months I... read more was back on the ice. Worked with me over several weeks for about an hour each time and gave me specific exercises and stretches to do at home. Each week things got a little better. Great guy and super knowledgeable.
I've been working with Damien for some time now. I found him after going through several other physical therapists, chiropractors, etc all of which just did not feel right. Once... read more I worked with Damien I can tell that not only is he very knowledgeable but he cares about you and your recovery. He pays attention to detail and tracks progress to make sure the things you are doing are going how they are supposed to go. I would recommend him to anyone with any acute or chronic complications
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