Malawey Physical Therapy

this practice has closed.
Moved out of state

been up and running again for a few months since my last visit to dr malawey post knee surgery — woohoo!
a week ago, i must have done some funky move since i noticed a reduced knee flexibility while stretching at the gym post-​workout. after R.I.C.E. for over a week, i still could not sit on the floor with crossed legs. my right knee couldn’t bend that way anymore without a sharp (owie) pain. stairs became a problem and any slight turn to the right as well as getting in and out of cars.
got some it band deep massage and a meniscus tear is highly suspect. dr malawey wrote up an in depth report for my knee surgeon to review with all the test results he performed. i really appreciate the time he takes into solving my knee pain and even though he is out of my insurance, he’s pretty reasonable.

I was referred to Dr. Michael Malawey by my surgeon after back surgery. My surgeon told me that Mike was the best physical therapist in San Diego … and he was absolutely right! After my surgery, I thought I would never play tennis again. My back and core were very weak, but after consultation with Mike, he assured me that he could get me strong again. Mike did amazing work with me and thanks to him I will be returning to playing tennis again very soon. Michael was very professional and very knowledgeable in giving me exercises that would get me up to speed. It was hard work at first, but with his encouragement and support, I stuck with it and now I’m benefiting from the results. His approach in his practice is working with his patients one on one and listening to them as he figures out what exercises will make them whole again. I had been to other physical therapists prior to my surgery and there is no comparison as to the level of care and, most of all, the commitment Mike makes to one’s recovery. Also, it was an absolute pleasure to work with him. I highly recommend Dr. Michael Malawey at Malawey Physical Therapy. He’s the best!

I have been treated by a number of physical therapists (PTs) over the years for a variety of sport-​related, orthopedic issues. The PTs have ranged from barely OK (Kaiser) to the top of the heap (Steadman Clinic, Vail, Colorado) — and I can tell you that Mike Malawey is right up there with the very best of them.
A San Diego orthopedic surgeon referred me to Mike in January, 2010. I was seeking ways to delay what I had come to learn from the Steadman Clinic in 2008 was the inevitability of having to replace both of my knees, which had been torn up and repeatedly operated on for damage from skiing and distance running.
Mike’s breadth and depth of knowledge, combined with his practicing on an independent basis, AND his truly caring about results have all come together in a perfect confluence of events for me.
First, Mike gave me some exercises that would delay my total knee replacements (TKRs). And then he quickly referred me to a source for knee braces, known as «unloaders,» that allowed me to function pretty normally for most of 2 years before finally giving in and replacing my R knee in late 2011.
One of the best consults Mike gave me — in fact, one of the very best of all medical consultations I have ever experienced — was the hour or so he spent giving me the areas to probe and the questions to ask prospective orthopedic surgeon candidates for my TKRs. As a result, I researched 18 orthopods and narrowed them down to three — 2 in Los Angeles and 1 in Denver. Each, to their credit, gave me 2 hours to go through the topics and questions that Mike had teed me up with.
You see, Mike has to deal with all of the detritus, all of the fallout AFTER injuries and surgeries — so he has a deep understanding of and appreciation for excellence in the orthopedic surgery field.
In late 2012, I had my second knee replaced.
By following Mike’s advice about exercise and strengthening programs BEFORE my TKRs — and then diligently hewing to his directions after the surgeries, I was able to shorten my recovery times. My very complicated R knee took only 8 weeks of PT appointments. And a year later, my less complicated, standard-​issue left TKR took a bit less.
Obviously, I am a fan of Mike’s. All I can advise others who might need PT of any kind is to interview Mike, learn what you are facing — and GO FOR IT! He is the best, bar none.