Opal Movement Therapy in Pflugerville helping adults improve their movement

OPAL Movement Therapy in Pflugerville is helping athletes improve their movements through physical and educational training.

The clinic works mostly with physically active adults between the ages of 30 and 60. Morgan Riggins, owner and founder of the clinic, said most of her patients are looking to enhance their performance, prevent injury or relieve pain.

She said her goal is to teach patients how to move better by themselves. Riggins said that involves a three-step process where she and the patient figure out the best solution for the problem, work to optimize performance and create a plan to achieve longevity. She said the process inspired the clinic's name: Optimized Performance, Achieve Longevity.

Riggins said Opal differs from other physical therapists as it provides hands-on treatments, education on the muscles and performance training so patients can understand why they are moving the way they are and how to improve.

During appointments, Riggins will show patients how to properly do exercises. As patients do squats, lunges or calf raises, she will talk them through what muscles they should be feeling and why.

"This is not the kind of clinic where you are going to come and you are just going to get a massage," Riggins said. "We think that the value we provide is helping you understand how to do the movement optimally. And that requires you and I working one-on-one to kind of understand it."

The clinic opened in June 2022 and is inside the Bodies by Design gym at 15635 Vision Dr., Unit 103. Riggins said the clinic provides a free consultation to those who use the gym, but it is open to everyone in the community. She said she also offers virtual movement coaching. On average, she sees about 30 clients a week.

Riggins said she hopes to expand her business to have a bigger team of physical therapists. Currently, she is the only one. As an out-of-network provider, patients have to pay upfront, anywhere between $199 to $249, she said. The clinic accepts FSA/HSA and also provides itemized receipts so patients can submit a claim to their insurance company.

"We're really working with people who are super active, very motivated to get better and want that one-on-one physical therapy experience that you get when you pay out of pocket for it," she said.

More: Small businesses chip in to grant holiday wishes to families in need

Riggins also joined a coalition of local businesses that raise funds to alleviate financial worries for Central Texas families during the holiday season by granting their wishes.

Last Christmas, Opal Movement Therapy helped donate gifts to one family with four children. The donations were given to the Communities in Schools of Central Texas' care coordination program, which finds needy families outside of the reach of school programs and gives them resources to help achieve their goals. During the holidays, gifts and donations to families are from businesses in the community.

"I just think it's a really cool cause, especially with what some of those families are dealing with," Riggins said. "It's something small that I can do to get Christmas gifts for everybody. But it is huge, especially for the family I adopted, who had two boys and two girls."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Opal Movement Therapy in Pflugerville helping adults improve their movement