A stroke in 2015 left me with limited movement on my left side. Naseem was the first physical therapist I worked with after discharge from rehab and I have been fortunate to be able to continue with her. It is her belief that I could achieve my goal of riding a horse after my stroke. She has an outstanding ability to analyze movement and gait problems as well as particular challenges like getting in and out of a car or up and down steps, and makes perceptive suggestions on how to deal with them. On the occasions when I have fallen, she has analyzed what went wrong, and made helpful suggestions about avoiding a repetition. On top of that she has a bright, cheerful personality which makes her a pleasure to work with.

-Pepe Maynard
Groton, MA

I am a former NFL football player (New York Jets) who was found in 2017-18 to have deficient glucose uptake in my brain. This unusual brain problem has disrupted my autonomic nervous system, especially my heart rhythm, my blood pressure regulation, and my balance. Given the rarity and severity of my challenges, I was referred by NY doctors to Dr. Robert Cantu of the Cantu Concussion Center in Concord, MA. Dr. Cantu, in turn, referred me to master physical therapist Naseem Chatiwala. I began working weekly with Naseem in Concord in person in 2019. Naseem was sunshine to my then-gloom. From the beginning, Naseem assured me that it is possible to retrain my brain. As a lifelong athlete, I looked forward to every meeting with Naseem to see what new effort she could draw from me. I wanted to be out of a wheelchair, to walk again, to be able to balance when standing. Naseem trained me to walk, to walk singing, to count backwards by 3s from 100, to be distracted back into ability. When the COVID-19 closures meant we could no longer meet in person, we began equally effective weekly Zoom physical therapy sessions which we continue today. I am guessing that I have enjoyed over 100 physical therapy sessions to date with Naseem. When we began working together, I was having trouble walking any distance. Naseem worked with me to help re-build my capacity and my balance so that I am now able to walk outdoors 70-90 minutes in the morning at a rapid pace. Naseem is the avatar of neuroplasticity, that magical “can do” function of neurons learning their work-arounds. She has also helped me understand work-arounds for my brain’s limited bandwidth. Naseem is a critical member of my health team, and my NY neurologist and cardiologist are delighted that I am working with her. I still look forward to every one of our weekly sessions with positive anticipation because I know that it is through her belief in my ability to recover that I am successfully experiencing improvement. Naseem is, quite simply, the best. I am so grateful to be working with her.

-Hank Bjorklund, Sea Cliff, NY, December 4, 2021

Naseem is one of the best physical therapists I have ever worked with. Due to concussions, I was unsure if I would be able to live my life normally again, but through her advanced knowledge and expertise she was able to help me get back to my life through physical therapy.
-Andrew Miller

"Sometimes you need someone by your side on your journey. If you have neurological issues, it can seem like no one knows what to do or how to help. But Naseem understands "
-A.K., Watertown, MA

Naseem is a talented Physical Therapist. She has helped me get many aspects of my life back – some of which I didn’t think possible. I came to her with complex neurological issues. One of my challenges has been driving and tolerating being in the car. When my husband felt a family re-union with a 3- ½ hour drive each way was out of the question, Naseem told me she would get me there. She devised a training program to habituate my brain to driving and it worked! I tolerated the trip just fine. I was able to see my whole family after 5 years. Amazing.

But this is just one example. I couldn’t be more delighted with the many outcomes from working with Naseem: I have more freedom, more strength, and more ability to do things I couldn’t before. Sometimes you need someone by your side on your journey. If you have neurological issues, it can seem like no one knows what to do or how to help. But Naseem understands. She explains what is going on in the brain and she knows what to do to get you back. When there are bumps in the road, as can happen, she makes herself available, problem solves, and comes up with new strategies to help. She is supportive and optimistic.

Naseem has a gift, an incredible amount of expertise, and I cannot recommend her services enough.

A.K., Watertown MA

Over a decade ago, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. During the last several years I have begun to appreciate the benefits of physical therapy and working with Naseem has been a godsend. She has a deep knowledge of the physical problems caused by this disease. A session with Naseem helps me enormously. I highly recommend her for anyone afflicted with Parkinson’s disease. She is the best. -Phil L

"The thing that sets Naseem apart from other therapists in my mind is her creativity, the ability to think outside the box and try different approaches to my problem. "
-David Laighton

In 1987 I had a ruptured disc which left me with a significant limp caused by nerve damage in my spine. In 2001 I had a major stroke which added more damage to my neurological system. During and after these episodes I have been through many courses of PT with a number of different therapists. All of the therapists tried to help my mobility issues with varying degrees of success. The one who stood out the best in my mind was Naseem Chatiwala. The thing that sets Naseem apart from other therapists in my mind is her creativity, the ability to think outside the box and try different approaches to my problem. A case in point was a device she invented to help my problem. My neurological issues have left me with no ability to pick up and move my left foot forward to take a step .Naseem invented a device to use spring tension to get my left foot up and moving forward. She not only invented this but then managed to cobble together a device from Therabands, straps and belts she found in the rehab facility closet. The device worked and significantly improved my time to walk around the facilities track. All therapists recognize patients deficits, but Naseem is the only one I’ve met who actually invented a solution to fix mine.
-David Laighton

To me, Naseem is a magic worker! When I woke up with the room spinning around me- I had no idea what was going on. The discomfort of vertigo was so challenging for me but just one procedure with Naseem and I felt back to normal. Her attention to making me comfortable was so encouraging and gave me confidence there is a light at the end of this tunnel of pain. Her care and empathy along with her expertise was what truly helped me resolve my vertigo issue and also be mindful of how to take care of myself in the future. Thank you Naseem for making this process less painful.
-Mehjabin Kapasi