Staff Spotlight: Dr. Claire Tielke

Dr. Claire Tielke has over 2 years of experience providing care in outpatient, inpatient, and home health settings, treating a variety of neurological and muscular conditions. She graduated from Auburn University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree and earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis in 2023. Claire enjoys staying active outdoors, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Schedule your appointment with Dr. Claire in St. Charles & St. Louis Counties by calling 636.728.9046 today!

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Our Mobile Physical Therapy Services

At iMove PT, we offer a comprehensive range of mobile physical therapy services designed to cater to your unique needs. Our expertise spans orthopedic rehabilitation, sports medicine, neurological rehabilitation, geriatric physical therapy, and pre and post-surgical rehabilitation. By providing targeted, specialized care, we ensure that our clients receive the most effective treatment and support throughout their recovery journey. Our mobile services bring this personalized approach directly to your doorstep, making your physical therapy experience more convenient and accessible than ever before. We understand that every client’s journey to recovery is unique, which is why we prioritize personalized treatment plans, skilled and licensed therapists, flexible scheduling, and ongoing support. At iMove PT, our commitment to your well-being extends beyond treating injuries and conditions.

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The Road to Recovery

Thomas’s journey to recovery began with a visit to iMove PT. He was evaluated by one of our skilled physical therapists and given guidance on how to recover quickly and get back into the game! 

Initial Steps: Initially, Thomas’s therapy focused on reducing his pain, eliminating his swelling, and restoring his mobility. This involved:

• M.I.C.E (Move, Ice, Compression, Elevation): This simple method is crucial in the early stages of an ankle sprain. Thomas learned to keep moving his ankle, apply ice to reduce pain, and use compression with elevation to reduce the swelling.

Building Strength and Stability: Once the swelling reduced, Thomas’s therapy shifted gears towards rebuilding strength and stability. This phase included:

• Strengthening Exercises: Thomas worked on exercises to strengthen the muscles around his ankle. These included toe raises and resistance band exercises.
• Balance Training: To regain stability, Thomas practiced balancing exercises. This was crucial to prevent future sprains.

Regaining Functionality: The final phase of Thomas’s therapy centered on getting him back to his pre-injury level and back on the field. This involved:

• Functional Training: Thomas gradually returned to activities that mimicked soccer movements.
• Sport-Specific Drills: As he regained strength, sport-specific exercises were introduced to prepare him for returning to soccer.

Through his recovery, Thomas also learned how to perform sport-specific warm-ups, the importance of sleep, and regular conditioning to prevent injuries.

Why iMove PT is the Key to Full Recovery After a Sports Injury

When recovering from a sports injury, time is of the essence, and seeing a physical therapist as soon as possible can be the pivotal factor that leads to a complete and successful rehabilitation. While many may consider these injuries a mere inconvenience, they can have long-lasting consequences if not treated properly from the start.

Here’s some of the common problems with waiting to see one of our physical therapists after a sports injury:

• Incomplete Healing: Ligaments and tissues may never regain their full strength and stability, leaving you vulnerable to further injuries. The longer you wait to address the issue, the more challenging it becomes to recover fully.
• Poor Rehabilitation: Inadequate or improper rehabilitation is a common pitfall that leads to recurrent injuries. Without proper rehabilitation, you risk weakening the supporting structures, setting the stage for another injury.
• Return to Activity Too Soon: One of the biggest mistakes an athlete can make is rushing back into physical activities or sports before a full recovery. It’s understandable to be eager to return to the game, but a premature return can lead to re-injury. Our physical therapists will guide you on when it’s safe to resume your activities, ensuring you don’t jeopardize your progress.

Recipe of the Month: Halloween Ghost Pizza

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough

• 2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons (11 ounces, 312 grams) bread flour
• 1-⅛ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ¾ cup (6 ounces, 177 ml) filtered water

Super-Simple Pizza Sauce

• 16 ounces (2 8-ounce cans) tomato sauce
• 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1-½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 1-½ teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon onion salt
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Ghosts for Pizza

• 6 slices (4 ounces, 113 grams) sliced Mozzarella cheese
• 1 Tablespoon sliced black olives

Halloween Ghost Pizza

• 8 ounces Pizza Dough, room temperature
• 1-½ Tablespoons olive oil
• ⅓ cup Super-Simple Pizza Sauce
• ¼ cup (.75 ounces, 22 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-½ cups (6 ounces, 170 grams) shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, for drizzling on cooked pizza

Instructions:

Pizza Dough

1. Add bread flour, yeast, and salt to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse 5 times to combine. Add olive oil and water. Process until a rough ball forms, 30 to 40 seconds. Let rest for 2 minutes.
2. Process an additional 30 seconds. Transfer to a lightly floured surface; knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball. Place in a large, lightly greased bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1-½ hours. Yield: 1 pound of pizza dough – enough for two pizzas.

Super-Simple Pizza Sauce

1. Add all ingredients to the blender. Purée for 30 seconds, or until all ingredients are well combined.

Ghosts for Pizza

1. Trace an 11-inch circle on a piece of parchment paper. Flip to the other side. Set aside.
2. Using ghost cookie cutters, cut out ghosts from sliced Mozzarella cheese. Position on parchment as you want them to appear on the finished pizza.
3. Cut out eyes and mouths of black olive slices, and place them on the ghosts. Set aside until the pizza comes out of the oven.

Halloween Ghost Pizza

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Brush 1-½ Tablespoons of olive oil in bottom of 12-inch cast-iron skillet; set aside.
3. Divide pizza dough in half. Press and roll one piece of dough into an 11-inch round. Transfer to prepared cast-iron skillet; gently push it to the corners of the pan. Spread ⅓ cup of super-simple pizza sauce over surface of dough leaving ½-inch border around the edge. Top with ¼ cup of the grated Parmesan cheese and 1-½ cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
4. Set skillet over medium heat and cook until the outside edge of the dough is set and the pizza is lightly puffed, about 5 minutes. Transfer skillet to preheated oven; bake until the edge of the pizza is golden brown and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Remove pizza from oven; position the ghosts on the hot pizza.
6. Remove pizza from cast-iron skillet. If desired, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.