Matt Schmitz - A Man of Letters

 

Cambridge dictionary defines the idiom “man of letters” as “someone who knows a lot about literature”. Not knowing the extent of his literature IQ, I am exercising some creative license by using this reference for Matt, who can be found most days at Hulst-Jepsen Physical Therapy in Lowell.

Their website reads: “Matthew Schmitz, MSPT, OCS, CERT, MDT, CIDN”. Mr. Schmitz has a whole lot of letters after his name. What all that means is that once Matt graduated from GVSU in 1998 with a Master’s of Science Degree in Physical Therapy, he continued to expand his knowledge about the human body and learn new and different ways in which he can help people. He is certified in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, and Integrative Dry Needling for pain management, and is an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. All of this and more are a result of his self-directed continuing education.

“I simply love learning,” Matt remarked. “Going a little deeper though, I derive great satisfaction from using what I learn and applying it or teaching others.”

Schmitz not only passes along his accumulated knowledge to his clients on a daily basis, he was an adjunct professor at GVSU for ten years. His passion for what he does is very evident as he moves around the Hulst-Jepsen facility interacting with patients and the other therapists. One moment he is assisting someone in a new type of stretch while explaining to them what is happening in their body and the next he is down on the floor demonstrating how someone could modify what they have been doing in order to facilitate a quicker road to recovery.

When asked what he enjoys most about his profession, Matt said, “The blessing of the interactions and relationships built with patients as I help guide them toward independence through their rehab process. There has been a deep sense of a call to serve in my life and PT is one of the ways I am fulfilling that.”

The call to serve and the decision to pursue Physical Therapy meshed when Schmitz was a track and field athlete during his junior year in high school. He had “some knee issues” and was referred to get PT. After going through that experience, he immediately began looking for physical therapy programs and ended up at Grand Valley.

Matt’s answers to some of my questions have put physical therapy in a completely new light. Schimtz would like to move the role of PT more in the direction of being a preventative form of self-care rather than just a recovery plan post injury or surgery.

“Most people go to a dentist for cleaning once or twice a year. I think it should be that way for physical therapy,” Schmitz said. “Schedule a yearly visit and get looked over. We can help you in improving your posture, setting up an exercise program tailored specifically for you. Poor posture and sedentary lifestyles are a large part of what leads to painful conditions.”

Matt leads by example when it comes to getting off the couch. When he is not working he loves to spend time on a bicycle – on the pavement and off-road in the gravel and dirt. He also enjoys hunting, back packing and hiking. He shares some of those activities with one or more of the seven children he and his wife Georgia are raising. Great news for the future of PT, his second oldest – Ana, is very interested in following in dad’s footsteps.

Matt had more helpful information that he wanted to pass along about Physical Therapy. Michigan law allows patients to be treated without a physician prescription for up to three weeks or ten visits. Most insurance companies participate with this. PT is not strictly for surgery or injury recovery – you can seek out help for all of your aches and pains in any region of the body. With a nod to all those letters referenced above, Matt related that he is prepared to deal with special problems including vertigo, women’s health issues and drug free pain relief from “dry needling” which is similar to acupuncture “with a Western medical twist”.

There is a great vibe in the air at the Lowell Hulst-Jepsen. People joke about coming in for their “torture session” but watching the way people interact with Matt and his crew make it clear no one is being tortured.

The lady who runs the logistics in Lowell is Keagan Locke. She is the Patient Advocate who handles all the scheduling and paperwork. She has worked with Matt in Lowell since they opened here in September 2016.

“What I appreciate about Matt is that I can go to him and talk to him about anything.” Keagan said. “We have that relationship that I can go to him and he is always open to hearing things and talking about them.”

Matt explained that the way in which he tries to manage the Lowell office is a reflection of the model that has allowed Hulst-Jepsen to grow to the point that they have 22 locations in West Michigan.

“We have set ourselves up to be a small community based clinic where the atmosphere is more like a barber shop or coffee shop and we strive to get you in within 48 hours,” Schmitz commented.

Kegan Locke concluded her remarks about Matt with this, “It is very obvious that he cares for his patients. He cares for them and he cares for all of us who work here. He is very kind.”

Perfect. We can add four more letters behind Matthew Schmitz, KIND.