ABOUT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Maksim Birikov
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I have been interested in physical activity, balance and the human body since I was young. Growing up in Eastern Europe, Southwestern Asia and North America, I spent a lot of time playing sports in unique conditions and environments. Thanks to my love and exposure to the outdoors, I decided to pursue a degree in Biology. I studied the basic foundations of life and how movement and homeostasis plays a vital role in the growth of a healthy living cell. After receiving my doctorate in physical therapy, I understood better how efficient movement can help the living organism adapt to the natural environment quicker. A faster adaptation allows us to maintain a better balance in our cellular system, which helps prevent onset of pain, disease processes, and decay.
As I continued to expand my practice, I worked alongside acupuncturists, chiropractors, neurologists, posturologists, master fitness coaches, yoga instructors, and mindfulness experts. Being surrounded by talented practitioners of these disciplines allowed me to be versatile; these experiences helped me craft a personalized approach to each one of my patients.
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Approach
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The body is an incredible machine that is designed to compensate under stressful situations. Compensation is an important mechanism which allows living things to accomplish the task at hand through means other than those the body would normally employ. Although useful in the moment, this act of compensation inevitably causes uneven wear and tear on the body. This in turn breaks down our posture and morphs our bodies into strange and unhealthy shapes, which we see all too frequently.
Physica Medica is a Physical therapy & postural correction studio specializing in treatments for new and chronic pain using physical medicine and corrective exercises. Serving Harbor East and Inner Harbor in the Baltimore area. I believe that a holistic combination of eastern and western philosophies builds the most direct path to a healthy lifestyle. My approach focuses on restoring freedom to the deep fascial chains, re-educating towards proper functional movement, breaking down muscle knots, improving joint mobility, strengthening the muscle tissue, and re-training the diaphragm to maximize cellular oxygen intake. To prevent regression and the return of compensation patterns, I create an exercise and stretch protocol to complement the one-on-one, hands-on treatment. ​
