The story of Zach Tillman, a teacher and local resident of Shorewood.
In June of 2023 I herniated two disks in my back. It was the most significant injury I have ever had and it literally brought me to my knees. Initially I could barely walk and spent a great deal of time in pain or complete discomfort. The fear and anxiety I had for my future was constantly on my mind and often brought me to tears. Traditional physical therapy was helping, as were the doctors I worked with, but I was not getting better and I was concerned that my life would be changed forever. Thankfully I heard about Structural Elements.
My first visit to Structural Elements was life changing and brought the first glimmer of hope I had about my health since I hurt my back. Kevan, the owner and one of the therapists at Structural Elements, sat down with me and actually talked to me about the injury. I am not embarrassed to admit that I cried in that meeting as well, when Kevan asked me about the injury, but more importantly what I wanted for my future. His optimism was contagious and was exactly what I needed! He put me through some initial tests to gauge my mobility and identify any glaring issues in terms of structure and function.
After the initial test, Kevan immediately began developing a treatment plan. This is where I feel Structural Elements differs from traditional physical therapy, as the treatment plan included an exercise plan that was aggressive in nature and focused on past and present injuries. Kevan wanted to address the very things that led up to my back injury. He stressed that if I followed the plan he was confident that I would be back doing many, if not all, of the things I loved. Each day I show up to the LAB, I am met by committed therapists that create an encouraging and structured environment. A greater sense of accountability is created, as the therapists are so committed to your recovery. In fact their commitment makes you feel accountable to them as they truly have your health and recovery in mind as they advise you throughout your initial treatment plan. Furthermore, at Structural Elements it is about more than recovery as the work out regimens and continued treatments allow you to gain confidence and push yourself beyond the point of recovery.
I continue to work with Kevan and the other therapists as their guidance is invaluable and I appreciate the attention they provide to detail. Form and function are essential components of a healthy body and at Structural Elements they truly help you correct your form and provide exercises that help you throughout your life. I am committed to my health and work hard to maintain it, it is nice to have therapists that are equally if not more committed than I am. Structural Elements has truly changed my life and I am so thankful to Kevan and his team for helping me find some optimism and guiding me beyond the point of recovery.
I would like to provide an example of how proactive their work is as I think it is important to highlight that they are actually thinking about your recovery and are willing to get innovative. At one point, I aggravated my back injury and was beyond frustrated as I thought it would be a major setback. Kevan literally sat next to me and said, with complete confidence, we will figure this out. Rather than rest, Kevan advised that movement is medicine and he wanted me to move. He had me come in for three consecutive days and designed a treatment plan for me that allowed me to continue to exercise in a modified way. In the past, the pain would be prevalent for weeks, however, after the three day treatment plan I was able to jump back into regular workouts. Again, the confidence and focus that Kevan shared throughout the process encouraged me and provided a true sense of optimism. I do not know if I will ever be able to thank them enough for all they have done for me and my family. Without Structural Elements, I do not know where I would be today!
.jpg)
