About Spinal Haven
Dr. Elizabeth Kingshott Cary, PT, DPT — specialized, one-on-one spinal physical therapy.
Meet Your Physical Therapist
Specialized Care From Someone Who Understands What Spinal Pain Can Take Away
Dr. Elizabeth Kingshott Cary, PT, DPT, Cert. MDT, is the owner and founder of Spinal Haven. A Metro Detroit native, she created the practice to provide her community with thoughtful, specialized spinal physical therapy in a calm, supportive environment.
Her commitment to this work is deeply personal. After experiencing persistent neck and back pain following an unexpected injury, Dr. Elizabeth struggled to find the specialized answers she needed. That journey gave her a firsthand understanding of the physical and emotional challenges of chronic pain and strengthened her passion for helping others regain their lives without unnecessary surgery or long-term dependence on medication.
Through advanced education in spinal care, Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (The McKenzie Method®), and functional movement assessment, Dr. Elizabeth has developed a highly specialized approach to identifying the root cause of pain. As the only clinician in the state of Michigan trained in the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and certified in the McKenzie Method®, she is uniquely qualified to evaluate how the body moves, determine the source of dysfunction, and create personalized treatment plans that address the cause—not just the symptoms.
Patients often tell Dr. Elizabeth that they feel truly seen and understood because she has walked a similar path herself. Her personal experience, combined with her advanced clinical training, allows her to guide patients with both expertise and genuine compassion as they work toward returning to the activities they love, being present with their families, and living without pain.
- Specialized Spinal Care
- Active, Individualized Treatment
- A Personal Understanding
- Education and Empowerment
At Our Clinic, We Utilize the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA)
Why We Use SFMA:
- Identifies the root cause of pain and movement limitations
- Detects mobility, stability, and movement pattern dysfunctions
- Helps guide individualized treatment plans
- Supports long-term recovery and injury prevention
- Focuses on improving overall movement, not just symptom relief
Our Specialized Method
A Movement-Based Assessment Designed to Explain How Your Pain Behaves
The Two Assessment Systems Behind Our Approach
At Spinal Haven, we combine the principles of The McKenzie Method® with the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) to provide a comprehensive, movement-based approach to evaluation and treatment. Together, these evidence-based systems allow us to assess how repeated movements, posture, mobility, stability, and movement control contribute to your symptoms. By identifying the true source of pain and dysfunction—not just where it hurts—we create personalized treatment plans that emphasize active recovery, patient education, long-term self-management, and lasting results.
McKenzie Method®
The McKenzie Method® (Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy®) is an evidence-based assessment and treatment approach designed to evaluate and manage spine and joint pain. Through a series of repeated movements and posture assessments, we identify how your symptoms respond to movement, allowing us to determine the most effective treatment strategy. This method emphasizes patient education and individualized exercises, empowering you to manage your symptoms, improve function, and achieve long-term relief with greater independence.
How we use the McKenzie Method®
Selective Functional Movement Assessment
The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is a comprehensive movement-based evaluation system used to identify the underlying cause of pain and movement dysfunction. Rather than focusing solely on the area where symptoms occur, SFMA analyzes how your entire body moves to uncover limitations in mobility, stability, and motor control. This allows us to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses the root cause of your condition, helping you move better, recover faster, and reduce the likelihood of future injuries.
How we use the Selective Functional Movement Assessment
Who we help
Care built for adults who refuse to let pain run their life
Working professionals
Desk hours, commutes and travel leave your back or neck stiff and sore by the end of the day.
Move and sit comfortably, and keep pain from pulling focus from your work.
Active seniors
Back pain or sciatica is making walks, gardening or time with the grandkids harder than it should be.
Stay strong, steady and independent in the activities you enjoy.
Athletes & lifters
A nagging back, neck or hip issue keeps interrupting your training, runs or game days.
Find the movement problem behind it and return to training with confidence.
Schedule Your One-On-One Evaluation
One-on-One Spinal Physical Therapy in Royal Oak
Understand Your Pain. Restore Your Movement. Take Back Your Life.
Spinal Haven provides personalized physical therapy for people struggling with neck pain, back pain, sciatica, stiffness, weakness, and movement limitations. Through specialized movement assessment and one-on-one care, we help you understand what influences your symptoms and build a practical path toward lasting progress.
Movement-Based Assessment
Discover what the cause of your symptoms are and which directions/ positions are going to help you specifically improve
Tools You Can Use for Life
Learn personalized strategies that help you manage your movement with greater confidence.
One Therapist. One Patient. One Plan Built Around Your Response.
A More Focused Physical Therapy Experience
Spinal Haven was designed for people who want more than a generic exercise sheet or a few minutes with their provider. Your appointments are focused on understanding your symptoms, assessing your movement, tracking your response, and teaching you what to do outside the clinic.