SOUTH POINT — It was the help he got as a teen for a sports injury that inspired Scott Coffman’s career choice as a physical therapy assistant.

Now at the newly opened Riverside Physical Therapy in South Point Coffman continues to pursue the career he got interested in during high school.

Trained at Shawnee State University, Coffman enjoys the one-on-one association he has with the patients at Riverside.

“It is rewarding to see the improvement when they are finished,” Coffman said. “I enjoy doing a lot of hands-on treatment.”

Both the South Point clinic and a Riverside office in Proctorville are owned by Joe Lambiotte, a physical therapist based in Proctorville. Lambiotte also spends several hours a week at the South Point office.

Riverside offers outpatient orthopedic physical therapy for such ailments and injuries as neck pain, back pain, sports injuries and injuries to feet, ankles and knees. A patient needs a referral from a physician and then can make an appointment for an evaluation.

“We determine what needs to be done so each patient has an individualized plan set up,” Coffman said. “We may do a few exercises (on the first visit).”

Another feature of Riverside is the individualized home exercises program.

“Let’s say you are in our office for 45 minutes or so three times a week. That’s not much to be concentrating on a injury,” he said. “You need to be working on it at home. Patient education is very important. We’re making sure you are doing everything correctly.”