Emily Vyvial Completes the PTU Mentoring Program

Emily Vyvial volunteered her time at Physical Therapy Unlimited in order to receive school credit. She spent weeks learning and practicing therapy techniques from Director/Owner Robert Rodriguez and P.T. Technician Emma Martinez.

Emily completed her volunteer work and thus graduated in May from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science.

"I really enjoyed my experience at PTU," said Emily. "I especially enjoyed interacting with the diverse group of patients.

"Emily was very helpful in assisting us to provide quality, hands-on care to each and every patient," said Rodriguez. "We always welcome eager students to join us and learn in a real physical therapy setting."

"I highly recommend PTU's mentoring program to any and all students," said Emily.

Dustin Cross - PTU's Therapist and Canyon Lake Manager

Dustin Cross is Physical Therapy Unlimited’s therapist and manager of the Canyon Lake office. At 34 years old, he maintains a healthy lifestyle by playing golf, soccer and volleyball. Dustin started playing volleyball in 1995 when a bunch of his soccer buddies decided to play on the sand courts. “It seems like a lot of former soccer players play volleyball so I guess I just followed suit,” said Dustin.

He has been playing in the Seguin City Volleyball League since 2003 and plays at least once a week. Dustin plays in the ten team Men’s AA League. “There are men from 18 years old on up to 55 and it’s a pretty competitive league,” said Dustin. He is currently a member of PTU/Davila’s Volleyball Team who just completed the spring season in which they finished in first place!

Dustin plays volleyball year round. In the spring, summer and fall his league plays outdoors at Starcke Park. In the winter, they take the game indoors. “I love to play. It’s a way for me to relax, get some exercise and have fun.”

Dustin lives in New Braunfels and enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters. You will also find him playing golf and winning tournaments with the PTU golf team.

DMS at PTU!

Deep Muscle Stimulating (DMS) massage is offered at PTU! The DMS uses percussion, mechanical vibrations that reach deep into the muscle tissue to stimulate proprioceptive functions. The percussion vibration facilitates the patient or athlete with the benefits of:
Increased circulation
Reduced pain
Faster rehab from injury
Increased lymphatic flow
Break up of muscular scar tissue
Reduced lactic acid build up
Tissue regeneration
Soft & active tissue release

In short, the DMS can be used on patients for rehabilitation, on athletes for faster recovery from workouts or on anyone who might need relief from sore or tight muscles.

Call PTU at 830-609-2000 to make an appointment.
30 minute sessions $30
60 minute sessions $55

PTU Patient Linda Harris Rides!

Physical Therapy Unlimited patient Linda Harris started road cycling 27 years ago when her home town of Comfort sponsored a 10 mile ride/walk. "My husband wanted me to do something for my health so he dared me to ride. I just wanted to prove to him that I could do it so I took my three speed bicycle from Sears (which was probably my daughter’s bike) and I rode.” Unfortunately Linda didn’t make it up the last hill so she got a ride back in the safety car. But that didn’t deter Linda’s will. Immediately following the ride, she was more determined than ever to keep cycling so she and few friends decided to make it a habit.

Linda and her cycling buddies met twice a week for nine mile rides and every year they registered for the two road rides that their club sponsored. Less than a year after her very first ride, Linda was sporting a brand new Peugeot road bike.

Linda moved to New Braunfels in 1995 and continued riding. She met fellow cyclist Gary Gibson at the PTU Fitness Center. After Gary taught PE all day, he would ride his bike to PTU to work out. They quickly became friends and started cycling together.

Linda currently rides her reconditioned Peugeot road bike, another road bike and a Marin hybrid cross over. She trains at least once a week during the school year and three times a week during the summer. She and her crew ride the annual 30 mile Cuero Wildflower ride in April and the 40 mile Goliad Mission Tour in October. These rides take them anywhere from one hour 45 minutes to two hours 15 minutes.
“Riding has really prolonged my active lifestyle,” said Linda. “It motivates me to keep going and not slow down and I really feel like I’m in great shape. Riding has also been a fun social activity as well.”

When asked what her biggest cycling accomplishment has been Linda replied, “Even at age 68, I feel like I’m getting fitter and stronger. I can sprint and go faster than ever before.”

Linda is currently dealing with some tightness in her low back and hamstrings. PTU is helping her to get stronger and more flexible so she can keep riding and lifting her grandchild.

PTU Employees Survive the Alaskan Wilderness

So you think it was cold this past winter? Try living in the Alaskan wilderness from September through December with no electricity, no running water and no conveniences of home. Bernice Pierson PTU's Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist/Marketing Director and Greg Pierson PTU's Golf Fitness Manager lived entirely off the land in a 200 square foot cabin in Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias mountains. The project was part of the Discovery Channel's hit television show called "The Alaska Experiment." (Season 1)

Greg and Bernice lived in a 60 year old 200 square foot trappers cabin. They spent hours each day chopping and gathering firewood to fill their wood burning stove so they could cook and keep warm.


They had to hike almost a mile everyday to get water. Their watering hole was a glacier fed river that melted from the glacier above their cabin and ran down to the glacier below. Eventually the river froze and they had to chip at the ice and carry the heavy chunks back.


Greg was able to hunt and kill a 300 pound mountain goat which they preserved and ate. Bernice caught several salmon, canned them and made them last for several months. They also sustained themselves with the wild blueberries that grew nearby and a couple of ptarmigan birds.

You can see some video clips here.
You can purchase the DVD's here.