Physical therapists are the reason why Olympians are able to do what they do.
“I mean it’s been incredible the support that we’ve gotten from them," U.S. men's gymnastics' Brody Malone said.
“I work with them daily," Olympic pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik added.
Malone suffered a knee injury just a year ago. Many people thought it was career-ending, Brody even questioned if he would make it back at times. However, less than a year later he was back on the bars and mat. Now, he's headed to his second straight Olympic games all thanks to his physical therapist.
“He’s the one who put me back together," Malone said. "I just have so much gratitude for him.”
So, picking the right physical therapist for the Olympics is a major decision. That is why the U.S. men's gymnastics team selected Steve Przechera.
“Steve is just amazing," Nedoroscik said.
“It’s been incredible what he’s done for me," Malone added.
“[It's] game-changing having Steve here," EVO Gymnastics head coach and USA Gymnastics assistant coach Syque Caesar said. "He’s been absolutely critical in getting them back into competition shape.”
Steve works for Apex Physical Therapy. The company has locations in both Fort Myers and Cape Coral. However, Przechera is mostly centered at EVO Gymnastics in Sarasota, where three Olympians — Malone, Nedoroscik and Shane Wiskus — train.
Besides Przechera's decades of experience and world-renowned techniques, Steve offers cutting-edge treatments for the athletes, which are also provided at the Apex Physical Therapy locations in Southwest Florida. One of the most helpful treatments that Nedoroscik receives is dry needling.
“[You] insert the pin into whatever area of dysfunction," Apex Physical Therapy co-founder and CEO Angie McGilvrey said. "It allows our body to go into an accelerated form of recovery.”
Another treatment that Malone credits for his quick recovery from his knee injury is the addition of the Neufit machine.
“It allows us to look at the body through the neurological system," McGilvrey explained. "So we can fix the hardware, like the muscles and the tendons. Then also through the use of Neufit, we can fix the software or the nerves that go behind it.”
Those techniques, plus Steve's track record, have earned him the title of the U.S. men's gymnastics' official physical therapist for the 2024 Olympics. He also went during the 2020 Tokyo Games as an assistant and has been to numerous other national and international competitions. This time, Przechera is in charge of all of the male gymnasts and will represent Southwest Florida in Paris.
“Having that little piece of impact to be able to change lives hopefully on a bigger spectrum, it's absolutely amazing," McGilvery said.
Przechera and the U.S. men's gymnastics team begin competition on Saturday, July 27.