Focus On Health:

When she arrived in Costa Mesa in 1983, Robinson went to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, was hired as a physical therapist, and remained there until she left to start her own practice in March 2007.

Two of the physicians there were her patients, and it was their encouragement and support that motivated her to go out on her own, Robinson said.

Today, she sees about 11 patients a day, many post-operative patients recovering from spinal and neck surgeries.

David Dittemore of Huntington Beach had neck surgery in October and again in December to remove pieces of bone from his cervical spine.

He sees Robinson twice a week for physical therapy and said the Redcord treatments have restored movement in his neck by 15 degrees in three weeks.

“She hangs me by this rope, to help get my shoulder muscles to loosen up. [With Kirsten] come prepared to do the work.”

Robinson’s approach to patient care is multidimensional. She needs patients to work with her, she said, to understand what has happened to them and what they can do to help her move them along on the road to recovery.

“I always look at why did you get this? Why did you need the hip replacement in the first place? I’m more direct, I get right to the issues and engage [patients] in what I need them to do.”

Robinson said she has enjoyed every minute she’s spent working in the United States, but she knows it’s becoming increasingly difficult for patients to afford quality health care.

“I have Medicare patients, and some people have good insurance, but I’m thinking of doing community service to help people who maybe can’t afford the health care they need,” she said.

SUE THOENSEN may be reached at (714) 966-4627 or at sue.thoensen@latimes.com.