Hypermobility & POTS
Elevating Stability with Specialized Solutions
Living with Hypermobility (including hEDS) or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) can feel like a constant battle with a body that won't cooperate. At Creative Rehab, we recognize that these aren't just "joint issues" or "fainting spells", they are complex systemic conditions that require a head-to-toe, individualized approach.
For over a decade, our Gurnee clinic has been a destination for patients seeking a therapist who finally "gets it." We move beyond generic exercises to provide innovative, personalized care that addresses the root cause of your instability and autonomic dysfunction. It's not that therapy does not work for you, it's that typical approaches and techniques are not what your body needs. Most of our patients have tried physical therapy elsewhere that has been unsuccessful but these patients have been able to achieve their goals with us.
The Creative Difference
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1-on-1 Care Only: You work exclusively with a licensed Physical Therapist every session. No aides, no techs, and no distracted transitions.
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Private Treatment Rooms: We provide a quiet, controlled environment for every evaluation and treatment, essential for patients managing dysautonomia or sensory sensitivities.
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Consistency is Key: You stay with the same PT throughout your journey. This consistent connection allows us to catch subtle changes in your symptoms and pivot your plan in real-time. It also allows 1 person to understand your history and story without you repeating it every session.
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Extensive Patient Education: We teach you the "why" behind your symptoms to empower you to manage your condition with confidence and get out of the patient role.
Hello! My name is Nichole Harju PT, DPT, CAFs and I am a licensed physical therapist who specializes in EDS/HSD and POTs. I have worked with hypermobility my entire career but started to focus and learn more about EDS in 2014. As there is very limited information and research about how to treat EDS, I have learned and created my own philosophy through trial and error with each patient. Essentially each of my patients is research and they teach me. My understanding and techniques about patients who suffer from EDS/HSD and POTs is continually evolving because every patient presents differently and there is still so much to discover about these diagnoses. Now, I am training 2 other therapists in my clinic to also treat Hypermobility as the demand continues to increase.
Our Approach
Our exercises may not be wildly different from other therapy places, but the foundation we build and the focus on how you body responds makes all the difference. The first step to improving your pain and function is to address any alignment issues. If your pelvis, knee, or vertebrae are out of alignment it will provide a painful base to strengthen on. Once the body is aligned, we add in stability exercises and movement re-training that focuses on the smaller muscles around the joint. It is extremely common that the right muscle does not activate during exercises, which is why we use our "secret sauce" to re-train the muscles to work properly. After the patient has progressed past stability exercises and is able to engage the correct muscles, then we transition into more traditional strength and functional exercises. Education is essential throughout this approach to improve efficiency and instill life long changes.
