They say the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, and this couldn’t be more appropriate than in the Threadgill bloodline. Patriarch Henry Threadgill – the international jazz and style icon – earlier this year, scored a Pulitzer Prize for his seminal 2-CD recording ‘In for a Penny, In for a Pound’ released on PI records, in 2015.
Equally impressive, his progeny Melin Threadgill has taken his God-given talents and applied them to the ancient art of bodywork. Melin specializes in neuromuscular performance therapy (NPT) an intense therapy that accelerates healing in muscle tissues and has been called to the rescue of many top NBA and NFL athletes as well as corporate professionals when traditional medical modalities have failed.
“With multi-million dollar contracts and careers on the line, high-profile athletes can’t afford to sit on the sidelines too long as it jeopardizes their standing with the team,” says a top executive with the NBA who wished to remain anonymous.
“These guys have access to the best medicine and rehab that money can buy, but sometimes that’s not enough.” says the insider. “No disrespect, but they have the team’s sports doctors and injury experts on call, but when they’ve exhausted all of the protocols and there’s no overall improvements; hey – you gotta do something,” he says.
“This guy Melin – man, he’s got it. It’s hard to explain what he does, but his intensive therapy, it works magic when everything else has failed.”
Such is the case with Drew Gooden who played for the LA Clippers (2010), Milwaukee Bucks (2010 – 2013), and the Washington Wizards (2014 – 2016). After suffering an injury to his left foot – plantar fasciitis – Gooden sought out the services of Melin and his groundbreaking NPT bodywork therapy.
“I went to all the doctors around the country, did all the treatments and physical therapy possible and couldn’t get back on the court at all,” he says. “Once I got with Melin Threadgill, I put the time in and he’s done a tremendous job getting me back healthy and back to playing again.”
The difference, Gooden says in describing NPT’s results “is night and day.” Articulating the agonizing aches and pains typically associated with sports injuries – now a thing of the past – Gooden expresses his gratitude for Melin and his healing bodywork that helped him continue playing.
Joakim Noah, the two-time NBA, All-Star, champion says he felt his game was “elevated” due to the training and bodywork of NPT. “His [Melin’s] approach is different and he’s really passionate about what he does. I feel as though it’s helped out my game a lot,” he states.
The services aren’t just for pro-athletes and celebrity clients. North Shore resident Julia Magnus, who was involved in a horrific car accident which can only be described as cinematic. Her car rolled over three times and luckily, she survived.
Magnus suffered debilitating fractures to her neck and vertebrae, was given three options, and ended up wearing an upper-body, stabilizing device that resembled something out of a sci-fi movie. “There’s not a whole lot of medical consensus on how to deal with that (her injuries) she said in a taped interview.”
One option, according to Magnus was to install a brace on the head with screws in the skull and shoulders for stabilization. Another option was surgery to fuse her vertebrae back together. Yet, she opted for the third option which was to wear the sci-fi looking device for 3.5 months. “It was not my favorite experience in my life,” she said.
Fortunately, a friend heard about NPT and recommended she make an appointment. Characterized by stiffness, pain, and lots of scar tissue, Magnus, after 6 months under doctor’s care and CAT scans that said she was okay, noticed that her condition had actually grown worse. She made an appointment and “By the time Melin was done the first time; I could move my head,” she said. “It was dramatic.”
Magnus says she could move her head better than before the accident and describes the experience as “remarkable.”
Although “magical,” “elevated,” and “remarkable” may be descriptive of the entrepreneur’s techniques; Melin is gearing up for what he says will be more innovation in 2017 and beyond.
Humbled by his gift of healing and his passion for helping people, Melin says: “Healing is a divine right and I’m fortunate to understand the spiritual and physical relationship between the mind, body, and spirit. Knowing how to activate and apply this healing energy that is available to us all, is truly sublime, especially for the clients.”
About Post Author
