Testimonials

Derrick White

Athlete and Major League Scout

My name is Derrick White and I had a 20 year playing career in professional baseball. Currently I work as a major league scout.

I met Travis Duro in the 90's and he worked with me as a sprint coach. With his help I was able to attain a 4.4 second 40 yard dash, the fastest of my career.

More recently Travis helped me with a complex chest condition that others where unable to diagnose. Travis identified a number of issues, and set a course of rehabilitation for me. Throughout, Travis was there for me via phone or in person. It was great to have a knowledgeable professional at the ready to help.

The exclusive service that Travis is able to provide is second to none and I am very excited to recommend him and feel he is uniquely skilled and qualified as a physical therapist and as a strength and conditioning specialist.

David A. Kell
Computer Programmer/Analyst (Retired)

I retired early on disability from a 25+ year career as a programmer/analyst for the University of California. From birth, I was afflicted with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP) which caused me to have progressive weakness from the waist down. HSP impairs walking, where the knees and hips on each step are bent instead of straight and the feet land flat instead of the heel-toe standard gait. A lifetime of walking this way, combined with obesity, caused permanent disabilities in my spine and legs.

In the last seven years I have had the following issues:

implanted stent in coronary artery (after heart attack)
gastric bypass, followed by 50% weight loss
spinal fusion for the entire lower half of my back (T10 – S1)
opioid dependence and then withdrawal
recurring severe diarrhea (“C. Diff.”)
kidney infection leading to sepsis
two fractures of the left femur (thigh bone)

So, by April 2018, I was totally incapacitated; at best, I could stand (while clutching a grab bar) for only seven seconds before my knees would crumple and I would be on the floor. So, even if I was uninjured, I could not (from the floor) regain a sitting position and/or haul myself into bed. And, at that time I was exhausting my Physical Therapy services allotment from my insurance plan.

Dr. Travis Duro was recommended to me as an alternative to the physical therapy (PT) outpatient services which I had been seeing – only once weekly. After evaluation, Travis committed us to an intense program of thrice-weekly sessions designed to restore my abilities.

The key advantage here was the very specific (to me) therapies Travis developed. In each of our twelve sessions each month, we worked to solidify previous progress and then add another enhancement. For example, because my knees were a problem, I learned how to stand with my feet spread forward and backward for extra stability. This non-standard foot positioning -- tailored just for me -- put an end to the frequent (daily) falls I was plagued with. And, soon, my secure stance was a foundation for rapid progress: allowing me to master assisted walking up to 450 feet and even walking entirely unassisted.

My rapid progress over the past six months is concrete evidence that the hands-on individualized approach with Travis is the best way to reach your maximum potential.

Travis’ tightly focussed and progressive work with me has shown extraordinary results. I have progressed to standing — unsupported — for minutes, instead of the previous seven second limit. I have a daily pre-therapy stretching session (taking about one-half hour) preparing me for the day’s PT session. I am back to driving again. I regret now selling my car, because at the time it was doubtful that I could leave the house by myself ever again. My overall health has progressed rapidly as each of my muscle groups are being stretched and flexed every day.

Besides these remarkable results, I am also impressed with how Travis’ plans for me are fine-tuned and progressive. As I master each skill, he has an enhancement or refinement ready to build new progress at every step. When I’m up on my feet, we use a safety belt – just in case I might stumble.

When I met Travis, I was almost completely disabled from a complex combination of lifelong and recent issues. Now, six months later, I am close to being completely self-sufficient. I can heave my wheelchair or walker into the back of the car, run errands, and return home without anxiety. We have come to the point where the key remaining tasks include (with canes) walking a steep downgrade, safely ascending and descending a flight of stairs, and even walking without any assistive devices whatsoever.

I am grateful to have Travis as my guide towards regaining my health and mobility.

Mikyo Riggs

Owner and Head Instructor,
Marin Mixed Martial Arts

My name is Mikyo Riggs. I am the proprietor, owner, and head instructor of Marin Mixed Martial Arts in San Anselmo California. I hold a third degree black belt in Gracie Ju Jitsu and a second degree black belt in Mixed Martial Arts.

Over years of fighting competition and training I have sustained several serious injuries which became conditions of chronic pain. These injuries include herniated disks in my low back and neck, a torn labrum in my right hip and both shoulders. I have also torn ligaments and meniscus in my left knee.

I met Travis in 2003 and he became first my therapist and later my trainer and nutritionist. Travis first treated my injuries and over time he gave me the knowledge to self-manage my conditions. When I was well enough Travis trained me for competition and got me in the best shape of my life.

It was the opinion of my Doctors that I should give up my life in martial arts but with Travis's help I was able to compete at the highest level of Ju Jitsu. I not only won the competition he trained me for with an undefeated record but during the bouts themselves I had zero points scored against me. This feet is extremely rare in Ju Jitsu Competition.

The biggest thing that Travis instilled in me over my transformation from injured patient to Ju Jitsu Champion was the belief that if I approached my goals properly that I could go as far as my will could take me. He gave me guidance which lead to confidence and eventually the will to win.

Travis Duro is the finest physical therapist I have ever known. He has second to none skill knowledge and expertise. The fact that he is an outstanding personal trainer and nutritionist is certainly an added bonus.

Currently I still run my Mixed Martial Arts program and teach a range of beginners to high level competitors. I owe much of my ability to do this to my friend and mentor Travis Duro. I still utilize many of his principal teachings to this day.

Ken Bovero
Arborist

My name is Ken Bovero. I own Marin County Arborist Tree Service. I have been an active and athletic person my whole life with weight lifting, boxing, hunting and riding motorcycles.

Over the years I incurred several serious injuries including a badly crushed disk in my lower back. My worst injury occurred in a car accident and involved my neck, shoulder, arms, and hands. I would get pain, numbness and tingling down my arms and into my fingers, as well as headaches and neck immobility.

I came to Travis Duro for physical therapy initially as he has been a friend since high school. I was amazed at his abilities to relieve my symptoms. We had several private sessions a week which included manual therapy, ultra sound, and electrical stimulation. Eventually Travis developed a series of movements that I used for pain relief as well as exercises to maintain and progress my ability to move normally. Over a fairly short time my symptoms became manageable and I was able to carry on my daily life with normal function.

I told Travis that I dreamed of competing in the Dipsea Race even though I had never run competitively. I also told him that I wanted to earn a Black Shirt which is an honor given to the top 35 overall finishers in a race that typically has over 1400 participants. Not only that but my age at the time put me in the most competitive bracket.

This was a tall order and I asked Travis if he could train me knowing that he had been a track coach at San Francisco State University. Travis agreed to train me if I agreed to focus not on the end result of a Black Shirt finish, but on personal improvement and self discovery. He wanted me to compete against myself, focus on the process of making myself the best runner that I could be.

With this in mind very grueling and arduous training became more manageable. Travis pushed me to and past limits I definitely would not have been able to attain and overcome alone. All the while he kept emphasizing discipline, sacrifice, and consistency with hard training.

During the training process Travis discovered that my aggregate times on most sections of the course were on par or better than what elite runners were doing. We began to focus on my weaker points and they too came up to competitive levels. It became evident that I was a natural runner and I had never tapped into my true potential until I got help and guidance from Travis.

On the day of my race I was ready! About 4% body fat and 30 pounds under the weight I began training with. I finished the race 5th in my age group and 38th overall just narrowly missing a black shirt in a race with 1481 competitors. Following the Dipsea I went on to several other off road trail racing events placing in the top 5 in every race I entered. After suffering with chronic pain issues for many years I had become an Elite runner and I owe it all to Travis.

Seeing Travis privately gave him the ability to truly get to the root of my orthopedic problems, and later, the ability to unlock my athletic potential. Ultimately it gave us the ability to make breakthroughs, first in the areas of pain and everyday function, and later in high level physical performance.

Bob Reynolds

With regard to improving my physical ability, Travis Duro was positively, absolutely the best thing that ever happened to me after my accident.

But, before I go into the why of all this, let me explain a little about what caused me to meet Travis. In early April of 2012, while on my bi-weekly 20 mile bike ride. At one point I lost control of my bicycle, swerved diagonally across the road, went into a ditch and flipped over. I knew instantly on impact it was a serious accident, and in fact I was paralyzed.

I spent a week in Marin General Hospital recuperating from spinal surgery. I spent another two weeks in the Kaiser Hospital in Terra Linda. It’s there’re where I first received minimal physical therapy.

I spent another four weeks in the Kaiser Rehabilitation Hospital in Vallejo. There I got a little bit more PT, but nothing of significance. I was still mostly paralyzed and in dire straits. My next stop was The Rafael Convalescent Hospital, and into the hands of Travis Duro. He was the director of rehab at The Rafael and my primary physical therapist. I was with Travis and his therapy team for the next five months I went through vigorous rehab.

Incredibly, he not only got my legs to work again--but he got me standing and then walking with the help of a modified walker and two people. Eventually he had me walking the entire length of the corridor outside my room, a

distance of over a hundred and fifty feet. He really pushed me hard, and I think no one who was within ear shot on that corridor didn’t know the amount of pain I was experiencing. It was hell but Travis was a true inspiration on a daily basis which helped give me the strength to keep going.

When I first came into The Rafael Hospital, I couldn’t move my hands and arms at all let alone reach anything on the table next to my bed. With Travis's care plan the team of PT's, OT's, and aides worked me until I began gaining range of motion. By the time I left hospital, I could actually take hold of and operate the TV remote control. The other thing it helped me do was to operate my computer with just my left-hand.

Getting that function back in my life gave me some serious hope for my future quality of life.

Throughout all of this, Travis took precise documentation on my progress. I was told later that the progress reports gave Kaiser the ability to develop a case study about my recovery and the rehab I received through Travis's guidance at the Rafael.

Miraculously we figured out that it would be possible for me to go home, Travis’ focus expanded and getting me back to Mill Valley was now the goal. For the last month, we practiced going up and down a simulated staircase in the PT Gym.

Once again this was quite an accomplishment, given that 5 months earlier I was completely paralyzed.

Py Driscoll, MD

My name is Py Driscoll, MD. I am an Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine doctor. I work part-time at Alta Mira Recovery Program in Sausalito and Alameda Health System, Highland Hospital, in Oakland California.

I met Travis Duro at the Alta Mira Recovery Program which is a residential rehab program for the treatment of substance use disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Duro has helped me with several patients at Alta Mira. One young woman had a very abnormal gait but vague complaints. He was able to pinpoint three separate interacting musculo-skeletal problems and recommend specific exercises and stretches for her.

Not only is Travis technically skilled and savvy with respect to musculo-skeletal diagnoses he is also able to handle the sometimes co-occurring complex psychiatric overlay. He helped me with one patient in particular who had several body parts complaints each with severe pain but physically seemed well to me.

I highly recommend Dr. Duro as a physical therapist. He is kind gentle respectful and easy to talk to. He is very knowledgeable and meticulous.

Taylor Colverdale

Yoga Instructor and Nursing Student

My name is Taylor Coverdale and I am 18 years old. I am pursuing a career in nursing and I am a certified yoga instructor. My mother worked for Dr. Travis Duro so I was fortunate enough to meet him and volunteer in one of his physical therapy clinics. I began when I was very young and stopped when I was completing high school. In the rehab clinic there were sometimes 40 patients a day. I was fascinated in the way that Travis was able to stay so cool and mentally organized as he directed rehab for all the patient's and managed a staff of physical therapists and physical therapy aides.

Until I was about17, I had multiple injuries from playing soccer. Travis would spend his own time advising and treating me and his attention always seemed to result is a cure for my various conditions. At times I struggled with body image. Once again my mom suggested Travis as she felt he was the most knowledgeable person she knew. This was not that easy. Travis is a very busy and popular trainer. After a lot of convincing Travis agreed to help my prepare for my senior prom by giving me a diet and exercise plan. It was all on me to see it through. Travis was super strict and hard on me. He challenged me to follow his teachings to the letter. I was skeptical and having a really hard time but by the prom night I had lost 11 pounds and my body looked much leaner and tighter than it ever had before. After that I became very intrigued. I told Travis I really wanted to have 6 pack abs. Travis redirected me and challenged me to see the big picture. He taught me that truly learning about nutrition and exercise means "incorporating them into my lifestyle."

Travis agreed to teach me how to become proficient with my nutrition and exercise if I agreed to move from a level one (following his directions) to at least a level three (able to design and execute your own program with very little input from a master or level 4 instructor). This process was extremely difficult for me. I had to develop disciple in small things that make big differences over time such as the times I ate, the amount I ate, the kinds of foods I ate, how much sleep I got, as well as, the type and frequency of the exercise and activity I did.

I learned how to make exercise and nutrition not guess work and more of a precise science. I had my body fat calculated, as well as my fitness levels and my metabolic rate. Throughout the process Travis helped me to understand nutrition and exercise from a fundamental stand point. The knowledge base Travis gave me would take most people years of studying to acquire. Travis streamlined lessons for me and helped my make sense of a apply the complex in usable form.

Because I love cooking I began to apply the knowledge I was gaining. Travis helped me to remain disciplined and systematic in my approach. In 8 months I went from 126 pounds with 14% body fat to 117 pounds and 11.5% body fat and I now have a very defined 6 pack.

Travis is by far one of the smartest and most intelligent humans I know and never ceases to amaze me with his personal dedication and knowledge, but he doesn't just tell me what to do . He forces me to understand what I am doing and therefore "own my knowledge". Travis has helped me to everyday work on how I can become less dependent on his knowledge and become more able to use the knowledge I already have. This state of empowerment I am working toward isn't easy to achieve but having trust and faith in a mentor like Travis as well as making results happen first hand continues to inspire me to go further than I had ever imagined that I could.

Travis continues to be a strong force in the development of my knowledge nutrition, and my strength training. He has no doubt changed the course of my life for the better.