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Struggling with Knee or Shoulder Pain that won't improve?
From serious sports injuries causing tissue damage to bone issues and stiffness that comes with age, living with pain is, well, a pain. But it's more than that - it's a stressful, often upsetting way to get through your day, month, and year. Have you ever tried to get out of bed with sore, stiff knees? Most folks would rather just get back in bed. Think you might try exercising with plantar fasciitis? Don't plan on running far or doing cardio for very long. Torn rotator cuff? Without proper treatment, your life might not ever be the same.
Living with pain and the inevitable issues that come with age can seriously affect your wellbeing and happiness. Sure, you could wake up every morning and rely on addicting medications to help you move. Or, you could risk further injury and damage with invasive surgeries that require long periods of recovery and downtime. But those can't be the only two options for treatment, can they?
Fortunately, a new, natural, non-invasive treatment for pain is revolutionizing the medical industry and transforming people's lives. It's giving athletes, average folks, and people of a certain age a reason to be hopeful. It's called Softwave therapy, and unlike many fly-by-night medications and sketchy treatments, it's backed by science and provided by Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine.
If you're barely making it through the day suffering from chronic pain, this FDA-approved drug-free treatment may be for you. Softwave therapy has already been used by thousands of people around the country living with issues like shoulder pain, knee pain, and plantar fasciitis. You could be next.
Though its popularity has only grown in recent years, Softwave therapy - also known as shockwave therapy - has been around for years. In fact, the first systematic study into the benefits of shockwave therapy took place way back in 1950. So, what is Softwave therapy?
Softwave therapy is a method of treatment that works incredibly well for mobility rehab, pain relief, and full-body recovery, usually from chronic pain or injuries. Softwave therapy uses a device emitting low-energy soundwaves that target a patient's injured area. These low-intensity waves boost blood flow and kickstart your body's natural healing processes, relieving long-term pain and helping your body to heal a wide range of injuries and conditions.
The main targets in the body include bones, tendons, and other soft tissues, which are encouraged to regenerate and repair via the shockwaves. Often, shockwave therapy is used in conjunction with other non-invasive treatments like chiropractic care, which we offer at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. The results are often incredible, leaving patients wondering why they never tried Softwave therapy before.
Softwave therapy works especially well for:
Better Blood Flow
Collagen Stimulation
Reducing Inflammation
Kickstarting cell growth and healing factors
Breaking down build-ups of calcium
With FDA clearance, little-to-no side effects, and quick application time, Softwave therapy is a welcome alternative for people suffering from pain. Who wants to spend weeks or months recovering from a surgery that might not even work? Likewise, who would want to become dependent on over-the-counter or, even worse, prescription pain meds? Living a life of addiction is a road nobody wants to go down.
Softwave therapy represents a revolution in non-invasive pain treatment; best of all, it's highly effective. Independent studies prove that shockwave therapy helps with pain. 65-91% of patients using shockwave therapy experienced real-deal improvements in damaged muscle and bone tissue, solving their mobility problems and drastically reducing pain. It almost sounds too good to be true, but as many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine will tell you - it isn't.
Book AppointmentSome of the most common conditions that Softwave therapy treats include:
When you get up in the morning and go to the bathroom to brush your teeth, do you notice a stabbing, sharp pain near your heel? Does the pain go away once you have a chance to walk around? If so, you could have plantar fasciitis. According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, this painful condition is quite common. About two million people suffer from plantar fasciitis every year, and almost 10% of all people will experience the condition at least once in their life.
This common foot issue happens when the plantar fascia - a fan-shaped tissue near your heel - gets inflamed. The plantar fascia is a thick strip of connective tissue that links your toes to your heel bone, helping to preserve the arch of your foot. When this band is strained, it causes intensely sharp pain, usually in the morning when you wake up and plant your feet on the floor.
Most folks ignore plantar fasciitis because the pain eventually goes away throughout the day. However, if left untreated, plantar fasciitis can lead to weakness and chronic pain, which may affect daily walking.
Some causes of plantar fasciitis include:
The short answer to this question is not really. Patients with plantar fasciitis will ice the affected area with little-to-no relief since they spend so much time on their feet. It's hard to rest an achy heel if you've got a job that requires you to be on your feet. Anti-inflammatory meds like Advil don't work all that well, either. They may provide temporary pain relief, but in terms of a long-term solution, taking these drugs will cause major side effects.
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When more conservative treatment options like ice and over-the-counter meds don't work, most doctors turn to ultra-expensive orthotics, steroid injections, or invasive surgery. For the average person, those options fail on all fronts, as they carry risks for side effects and may even cause the issue to worsen.
Instead of going under the knife or changing their daily routines, many people suffering from plantar fasciitis are turning to Softwave therapy for relief.
During a shockwave therapy session, our expert providers use a special probe to deliver pressure waves to inflamed tissue. These waves trigger natural healing processes causing new blood vessels to form. In turn, oxygen is supplied to the affected area, reducing inflammation and causing healthy cells to regenerate. Shockwave therapy also produces collagen, which is crucial for connective tissue health.
With just a few visits, many patients find long-term relief from plantar fasciitis without relying on strange drugs or harmful surgeries.
Living with knee pain is just miserable. From knee tendonitis to osteoarthritis, knee pain can prevent you from enjoying activities and affect your day-to-day life. Your knee is a joint comprised of cartilage, bone, ligaments, and fluids. Tendons and muscles within the knee help the joint move. When one of these crucial knee structures is hurt or compromised, it results in knee pain and long-lasting knee problems. This, in turn, leads to difficulty walking at best and debilitating knee issues at worse.
If you're an active person or somebody who plays sports often, you're probably all too familiar with knee pain - especially common conditions like patellar tendinopathy. Also called "jumpers knee," this issue happens at the patellar tendon, which is found on the front of the knee just under the knee cap. When living with this condition, most patients experience pain around the kneecap or lower down on the leg around the tibia.
In addition to injuries and issues like jumper's knee, everyday wear and tear will cause knee pain over time. With time, this knee pain can develop into arthritis. If your knees are swollen, painful, or stiff, you may have arthritis in your knees. Regardless of the kind of knee pain you're experiencing, treatment options have been limited to agonizing surgeries and addicting pain medications. But that all changes with shockwave therapy for knee pain in Pawley's Island, SC.
Though no two knee pain problems are exactly the same, shockwave therapy has been shown to be highly effective for knee pain. In fact, many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine find relief after just one session. Many times, sessions can be completed in as little as 30 minutes. So if you want to find relief for knee pain on your lunch break, that's definitely possible.
As is the case with plantar fasciitis, Softwave therapy works by sending sound wave and low-energy impulses to the affected area of your knee. These pulses stimulate your body's healing factors, which can help regenerate and repair damaged tendons and tissues. Softwave therapy for knee pain is especially promising for people who have tried other treatments - like surgery and pain meds - with disappointing results.
Benefits include:
Several studies and reviews prove that Softwave therapy can be very beneficial for people suffering from knee pain problems like jumper's knee. A study involving 66 patients with knee pain found that they enjoyed a significant improvement in their reported pain levels with Softwave therapy. In fact, knee pain was reduced by nearly 50% after a single month. When combined with other regenerative and physical therapy treatments at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, your days of living with knee pain are numbered.
Book AppointmentHere's a fact for you to consider: Every joint that you have in your body plays a part in your day-to-day life. But when we think of joint issues, we typically jump to knee issues. However, your knees aren't the only joints in your body to go through wear and tear. Your shoulders experience just as much, if not more, wear and tear than your knees. We put a strain on our shoulders just about every time we use or move our arms. Our shoulders play a pivotal part in living a normal life. When they begin to deteriorate over time due to age or overuse, it creates a litany of painful problems.
There are many causes of shoulder pain, like deterioration, inflammation, and trauma. Of the many painful shoulder conditions affecting Americans yearly, rotator cuff tendonitis and arthritis are very common. Also called calcific tendinitis, rotator cuff pain is caused by built-up calcium deposits on the shoulder's tendons, which connect your rotator cuff to nearby muscles and bones. This painful condition is usually linked to sports, like basketball and volleyball, or in professions requiring repetitive movements, like in the plumbing industry.
Some common symptoms of shoulder pain and rotator cuff tendinitis include:
Though strengthening exercises and some medications provide temporary relief for shoulder pain, they're not meant as long-term solutions. Luckily, Softwave therapy for rotator cuff pain in Pawley's Island, SC, can help.
Shockwave therapy has been shown to work wonders for shoulder pain. Low-intensity shockwaves break up calcium deposits and jumpstart your body's healing processes, stimulating blood flow and healthy cell growth. Shockwave treatment is especially effective for long-term shoulder pain since it releases stem cells, sends growth factors to the affected area, and boosts capillary production. Shockwave therapy has also been shown to break down scar tissue and eliminate trigger points, all of which decrease shoulder pain. This relief is most often long-lasting, unlike other treatments like medications and injections.
Many studies support the efficacy of Softwave therapy for shoulder conditions like rotator cuff pain and calcific tendonitis of the shoulder. In a study of 84 patients living with long-term rotator cuff tendonitis, participants in the treatment group saw a significant decrease in the intensity of their shoulder pain. Another study related to shockwave therapy for calcific tendonitis found that 86.6% of patients experienced fewer calcifications.
If you're having to live with rotator cuff pain or another type of shoulder issue, choosing Softwave therapy may be your best course of action.
Book AppointmentWhether you're sick of living with intense heel pain from plantar fasciitis, the mobility issues associated with knee pain, or the day-to-day struggles of rotator cuff degeneration, you'll find hope at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. Unlike some medical clinics, our team of doctors and specialists focus on an integrative, multidisciplinary approach to healing. Instead of relying on addictive medications and invasive surgeries, we prefer to address the underlying causes that our patients face.
We combine several all-natural pain relief therapies so that your shoulder pain, knee pain, joint pain, and foot pain go away for good. We resolve pain by using healing treatments that restore function and improve mobility for the long term. Our state-of-the-art regenerative medicine treatments, used hand-in-hand with proven chiropractic techniques, will stimulate your body's healing power from within. If your pain is related to muscles, nerves, and bones, our doctors can help you overcome discomfort, injury, or medical conditions affecting these systems.
If you've been unable to resolve your pain or have become dependent on painkillers to cope, Softwave therapy may be the natural solution you need. It all starts with a quick call to our office, so we can begin to understand your needs. When you come for your first visit, our doctors will find the personalized treatment you need so that you can manage your pain in a non-invasive and drug-free environment manner.
Book AppointmentSouth Carolina is a southeastern state featuring miles of subtropical coastline. The area is a perfect getaway for families wanting fun in the sun or anyone who loves a good pastel-colored house. And the state has so much to offer when it comes to beaches, whether you are looking for luxury resorts on the water or a laid-back beach-bum vibe. Your perfect summer spot may be one of these top...
South Carolina is a southeastern state featuring miles of subtropical coastline. The area is a perfect getaway for families wanting fun in the sun or anyone who loves a good pastel-colored house. And the state has so much to offer when it comes to beaches, whether you are looking for luxury resorts on the water or a laid-back beach-bum vibe. Your perfect summer spot may be one of these top 10 best beaches in South Carolina. Find out where they’re located, what they offer, and the activities nearby.
Hilton Head Island offers some of the best beaches on the East Coast. Plus, it’s a recreator’s paradise, from hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding, golfing, paddling, and more. But, most importantly, Hilton Head offers a year-round paradise for beachgoers. The Hilton Head Island Beach offers swimming, fishing, and water sports. And there are lifeguards on duty from April through September. If you’re looking for a more secluded spot with fewer tourists, check out Driessen Beach. When you’re not sunning in the sand or splashing in the water, you can schedule a sunset dolphin cruise, visit a coastal museum, or eat delicious seafood on the docks.
Located south of Charleston on Folly Island, this beach offers miles of sandy beaches, charming shops and restaurants, picnic areas, plentiful wildlife, and historic places. Folly Beach is also known for its pier that stretches over 1,000 feet into the ocean, giving you an excellent view. Swimming is allowed at the beach, with access down every block. There are multiple beaches on the island, but Folly Beach County Park is a favorite. You will find many amenities for your vacation, such as boogie boards, umbrella rentals, and places to ride your bike along the beach. There are also boardwalks, shopping pavilions, eateries, and hotels.
Kiawah Island is a golf resort and beach destination near Charleston. The area is known for its luxury resorts and beach homes for Hollywood celebrities, such as George Clooney and Reese Witherspoon. The beaches on Kiawah Island aren’t as open and accessible as Folly Beach, but they are definitely worth the visit. The public access beach is at Beachwalker County Park on the island’s west end. And if you stay at one of the resorts or rental properties, you will have access to the private beaches. The area is a natural paradise, featuring many parks for recreation and wildlife viewing. And, of course, a plethora of golf courses.
Myrtle Beach is easily one of the most popular and well-known beaches in South Carolina. But after one visit, you’ll see why. There is nothing quite like a summer vacation to Myrtle Beach. You can chill near the ocean, hang out at the resorts, dine at delicious restaurants, attend an annual event, or play at an amusement park. While summers are crowded, it is still an excellent time of year to visit if you want the full experience. All of the beach access areas are perfect for swimming, sunning, and water sports. However, the city has strict rules about swimming too far out. If you visit during the summer, you will experience fireworks on the water, fair rides, and plenty of fun events.
At the entrance of Charleston Harbor lies a long barrier island called Sullivan’s Island. While the beaches at Sullivan’s Island are smaller than Folly Beach, there are also less crowded and feature more natural unspoiled beauty. It is home to over two thousand residents who enjoy the area with fewer tourists than other South Carolina beaches. Stay at one of the nearby hotels and take a sunrise stroll along the beach. Or visit the Spoleto Festival and eat delicious food. If you’re looking for a popular swimming spot, check out the Cove behind the island. There are also plentiful public beach access points throughout the island.
Located in Murrells Inlet, Huntington Beach State Park is the perfect destination for nature and wildlife lovers. Along with the beach, the area has numerous wetlands housing birds, turtles, and alligators. You can hike along trails that feature boardwalks over a lagoon or hang out at one of the many beaches. It offers preserved beaches, where you can really take in the beauty and rich wildlife of the area. But the state park also offers the usual vacation activities, such as swimming, fishing, surfing, boating, and camping. You can swim at your own risk throughout the park. But there is also a designated swimming area at South Beach with lifeguards on duty.
The Isle of Palms is a quaint yet lively resort community. There are miles of beaches, parks, trails, restaurants, and live music venues. The area has an upscale vibe, perfect for families or couples looking for a relaxing and quiet getaway without all of the partying teenagers. It offers world-class resorts and spas and clean, pristine beaches. You can spend the day shopping, dining, and enjoying the wildlife. Or lay in the sand and splash in the water. It’s a place where you can golf, visit a farmer’s market, and listen to live music near the water, all on the same day.
Edisto Beach is in Coleston County and is known for its gently developed beaches. The area is also very family-oriented, so it’s an excellent spot for those who prefer a more quiet, laid-back setting. However, swimming is at your own risk, as there are no lifeguards on duty. But the beaches are famous for their sea shells, which you can collect as you stroll along the sand. There are also plenty of areas for hiking and biking, with some trails crossing over boardwalks in the marshes. These trails are perfect for viewing wildlife, such as herons and egrets.
25 miles south of Myrtle Beach is a barrier island known as Pawleys Island. The island is four miles long and known for its pristine beaches, sand dunes, wetlands, historical areas, and gardens. This is another area that has a very laid-back vibe. You will find people walking barefoot, lounging in hammocks, and catching crabs in the creeks. There are also casual eaters with twinkling outdoor lights, featuring cuisines like shrimp creole, fried seafood, and oysters on the half shell. Pawleys Island is great for families, couples, and singles who want a fun, casual beach experience.
Nicknamed “the family beach,” Surfside offers two miles of coastline, hotels, restaurants, and a popular fishing pier. The area features family fun events all year, and their beach hotels have swimming pools and water parks right by the ocean. Ocean swimming is allowed in designated areas, and you can participate in water sports. It’s a short drive from Myrtle Beach but offers a quieter, family-oriented vibe. The beaches are also less crowded, giving you more space for your family to enjoy.
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About the Author
Niccoy is a professional writer and content creator focusing on nature, wildlife, food, and travel. She graduated Kappa Beta Delta from Florida State College with a business degree before realizing writing was her true passion. She lives in the Triangle area and enjoys hiking, reading, and cooking!
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PAWLEYS ISLAND — More than two months after Hurricane Ian swept along the South Carolina coast, the beach of the tiny Georgetown County tourist island has been cleared of the remains of Pawleys Island Pier, but plenty of storm-related work is still to be done.The town has already removed enough debris from the beach to fill about 70 garbage trucks but still needs to clean Pawleys Creek, littered with damaged docks, and replace a sizable amount of sand fencing washed away in the Category 1 storm.Town Administrator Daniel N...
PAWLEYS ISLAND — More than two months after Hurricane Ian swept along the South Carolina coast, the beach of the tiny Georgetown County tourist island has been cleared of the remains of Pawleys Island Pier, but plenty of storm-related work is still to be done.
The town has already removed enough debris from the beach to fill about 70 garbage trucks but still needs to clean Pawleys Creek, littered with damaged docks, and replace a sizable amount of sand fencing washed away in the Category 1 storm.
Town Administrator Daniel Newquist said he doesn’t know yet how much Pawleys Island will request from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the island’s recovery from Hurricane Ian. He said the town has spent $69,000 on sand dune repair and beach cleanup, for which it should be eligible for 75 percent reimbursement from the federal relief money.
Ian took nearly direct aim at Pawleys Island on Sept. 30, collapsing a privately owned pier and washing sand and water beneath the raised houses that make the island a popular spot for rental and vacation homes.
“I don’t want to speak too soon, but I think we’ll get it back sooner than we have in years past,” Newquist told the Pawleys Island Town Council on Dec. 12.
Removal of creek debris also is eligible for federal reimbursement, Newquist said, but will require some coordination with other government agencies. FEMA will only reimburse “the entity, the town, the agency” that is legally responsible for work in a particular location, Newquist said, and some creek debris fell on Georgetown County’s side of the island’s north causeway.
Discussions with the county on creek debris cleanup are preliminary, Newquist said.
Though homes and businesses in various unincorporated areas south of Murrells Inlet and north of Georgetown have Pawleys Island postal addresses, Pawleys Creek comprises most of the town’s western boundary. In some cases, the boundary crosses though the marsh that docks fell into on Sept. 30.
FEMA also indicated debris that fell into navigable channel of Pawleys Creek, which Newquist said is of main concern to the town, should be the responsibility of a state agency. Newquist said he is not sure if this would fall to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control or Department of Natural Resources.
In this case, Newquist said, FEMA would be willing to accept an agreement for the state to allow the town to do the work itself, which would allow the town to be reimbursed directly.
“We wouldn’t have to wait until the state actually mobilizes and performs that work,” Newquist said.
Finding a contractor for creek cleanup is still another matter, however. Newquist told the council that correspondence with contractors resulted in only one response.
“Based on what they were telling me, it’d probably take them within three or four days to complete the work,” Newquist said, adding that he hopes to have the work completed within a month.
Newquist said he’s also hoping for clarity from FEMA as to the town’s eligibility for reimbursement of work on sand fencing and dune vegetation that was damaged by the storm on the town’s beach. He told Town Council in November that about 7 percent of beach debris hauled off the island derived from sand fencing.
“I think it makes a lot of sense to get our beach, as much as possible, back to kind of a pre-storm state,” Newquist said.
But the town also has to be mindful of working with other federal agencies in the area, such as the Army Corps of Engineers, which received a town request for emergency beach rehabilitation assistance. An October assessment by Columbia-based engineering consultant Coastal Science and Engineering found that dunes near the island’s south end “completely eroded” during Ian.
The assessment also suggested that beach renourishment undertaken on the island in 2020 limited damage to area homes from Ian.
When it comes to sand fencing, though, some property boundaries extend into the beach, Newquist said, and the town can’t be reimbursed for work on private property.
Ultimately, Newquist said, he plans to solicit interest from property owners and contractors for sand fencing work before going forward in later winter or spring.
“I think a lot of people would just go ahead and do it (themselves),” Town Councilman Guerry Green said Dec. 12 of sand fencing repair.
For individual assistance from FEMA, property owners can visit the agency’s Disaster Recovery Assistance center at Waccamaw Regional Recreation Center in Pawleys Island. The center is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-noon Saturday.
Push and pull. Ebb and flow. These are the cadences of the ocean — and the rhythms that have governed Brian Henry’s life. The boy who grew up in southern Louisiana’s Cajun country before relocating to bustling Atlanta, now lives in the heart of the “Hammock Coast” that his efforts helped nickname so appropriately.What started as a call from a tiny rustic inn on the ocean, luring in a couple looking for something more and less at once, has now become a lifelong legacy in the making for Brian Henry and his ...
Push and pull. Ebb and flow. These are the cadences of the ocean — and the rhythms that have governed Brian Henry’s life. The boy who grew up in southern Louisiana’s Cajun country before relocating to bustling Atlanta, now lives in the heart of the “Hammock Coast” that his efforts helped nickname so appropriately.
What started as a call from a tiny rustic inn on the ocean, luring in a couple looking for something more and less at once, has now become a lifelong legacy in the making for Brian Henry and his bride, Sassy. A leap of faith has led to thriving businesses, a mayoral seat and advocacy for an unspoiled oasis along a pristine coastline.
When people meet the Henry’s now, they see success. They see a power couple with political clout, they see one of the most famous pimento cheese companies in the U.S. (Palmetto Cheese) and they see owners of a thriving beachside bed and breakfast. What they don’t see, however, is the journey past and the future ahead.
The story starts for the Henry’s when each were born with a little something extra that made the go-getters want to better the world around them. That sauce is more secret and steeped in mystery than whatever makes that famous cheese sing so well (my mouth waters thinking about it).
The story that affects us, the fellow coastal South Carolina residents, begins at the Seaview Inn some 20 years ago when the Henry’s decided to leave the corporate cityscape to nurture a charming inn with no air conditioning, no television and perfect ambiance.
“We took over the Seaview Inn, and it was all slamming screen doors, rocking chairs and good Southern food,” Brian Henry reminisced. “That’s where the pimento cheese started. It was served as an app there.”
What he didn’t say yet was that everything actually began at that little inn. However, as the delightful recalling of his path to becoming mayor of Pawleys Island progressed, he realized just that.
After the Seaview was sailing smooth seas and their two small children were attending school, the Henry’s found themselves looking for their next opportunity to grow. That’s when Brian Henry asked Sassy, “What are you passionate about?”
“I’m passionate about my cheese,” she answered.
Sassy Henry, who revolutionized the Southern classic pimento cheese with flavors of cayenne pepper, draws from a traditional Georgian holiday cheese and whole shreds of textured cheddar. She teamed up with her husband to market the Pawleys Island vacationer’s favorite, which now rests on shelves in 9,500 stores in 40 states.
About a decade after the commercial birth of the South’s favorite cheese, Brian Henry felt what he calls “a pull, not a push” to become mayor. A respected town business owner and family man who was known to care about the future of the island, he decided to run for the seat at the urging of other townspeople who hoped to keep Pawleys Island the wonderful hideaway it is. He won.
“I was never interested in politics,” he remembered, “I’ve just always been involved. If you care about something being better, you can’t just sit on the sidelines and watch. You have to get in there.”
So, he got in there. He now speaks with pride about the amazing Fourth of July celebration that is “true Americans,” and about the founding of organizations that can keep big box stores and over-development out of Pawleys Island.
“The goal for the island is to maintain,” Henry offered. “Like the bumper sticker on my truck says, ‘love it and leave it alone.”’
Though sameness is the path to success for the island itself, the Henry’s still strive for more growth on the business front. The two are in the process of expanding their small Pawleys Island business Get Carried Away Southern Market into Mount Pleasant, where they hope to establish a flagship store for a future franchise. The business currently focuses on scrumptious Southern catering and take-out made easy. The Henry’s aren’t sure what the future holds for this venture, but once again, they are doing it together under a sky, not a ceiling.
Reflecting on all the accomplishments, Brian Henry recounted with a nostalgic tone, “Seaview was the genesis. This all happened because we bought that inn 20 years ago.”
Perhaps the inn is the energy source, embodying the soul of Pawleys Island itself. That is a soul of humility, simplicity and staying power. Just never forget, it is a soul powered by the force of all the Atlantic, which comes in and fades back every single day.
By Lorna Hollifield
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When Linwood Altman opened Pawleys Island Realty in 1962, the number of island residents was so small, it didn’t warrant a mention in the South Carolina census. The population remains small, hovering around 130-150, but the 60-year-old real estate company is still thriving. It’s still family-owned and has been instrumental in making Pawleys Island and the surrounding stretch of the “Hammock Coast” a premier place for vacationers.“We just celebrated our 60th anniversary,” said Betsy Altman, owner and...
When Linwood Altman opened Pawleys Island Realty in 1962, the number of island residents was so small, it didn’t warrant a mention in the South Carolina census. The population remains small, hovering around 130-150, but the 60-year-old real estate company is still thriving. It’s still family-owned and has been instrumental in making Pawleys Island and the surrounding stretch of the “Hammock Coast” a premier place for vacationers.
“We just celebrated our 60th anniversary,” said Betsy Altman, owner and broker-in-charge with Pawleys Island Realty. “While the majority of our guests are still from the Southeast, as they have been since 1962, there are a lot more of them now — and a lot more homes for them to buy or rent.”
Pawleys Island Realty has the lion’s share of that choice. When Linwood Altman started PIR, he took over 50 rentals from another company and rented them for $500 per week. Now, of the island’s 450 total rentals, PIR manages 240 of them — and the price tags keep growing.
“Some homes here now rent for $10,000 per week,” Altman said. “And during the height of the vacation season in June, July and August each year, our three-mile-long island community grows to 5,000 people. We still have some homes that rent for $1,500 and up, so there is still a home for everyone.”
While island prices have skyrocketed recently, Altman added that one element has remained the same. Since the company’s beginning, customer commitment has been key. It’s the main reason for the company’s longevity.
“We believe building long-term relationships is the most important part of our business,” she said. “We try to provide a high level of service and rely on our knowledge of our community and the market.”
If trends are any indication, that market will be thriving for a long time to come. PIR’s client list now includes people from New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, California and Canada in addition to the most popular states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. Since 2018, the company’s home sales have risen 4% per year — which means current annual sales of around $28 million.
“Pawleys Island is home to the oldest coastal community in the South,” Altman said. “Second homes, vacation homes and investment homes comprise a huge part of our annual sales.”
Regardless of the market, Altman said her PIR team will deliver the best possible option for each client.
“Our agents are trained in all sales areas, with expertise and specialty training in resort property,” she said. “We listen closely to the goals of our clients and then guide them through the process.”
It’s a lot to look forward to if you’re in the market for a Pawleys Island getaway —especially with the real estate company that helped put this stretch on the map.
“Coastal real estate is attractive to most buyers,” Altman said. “And maintaining close relationships with our owners and clients for over 60 years has allowed us to become a trusted name.”
By L.C. Leach III
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PAWLEYS ISLAND — A mat designed for beach accessibility is planned as a replacement for the wooden walkway at Pawleys Island’s First Street beach access which was damaged by Hurricane Ian in September.Dubbed Mobi-Mats, the polyester mats have been used by other coastal South Carolina towns, including Surfside Beach and Hilton Head Island, to allow better beach access for the disabled.The First Street access is one of nine on the barrier island and the only one yet to recover from Ian, which made landfall near George...
PAWLEYS ISLAND — A mat designed for beach accessibility is planned as a replacement for the wooden walkway at Pawleys Island’s First Street beach access which was damaged by Hurricane Ian in September.
Dubbed Mobi-Mats, the polyester mats have been used by other coastal South Carolina towns, including Surfside Beach and Hilton Head Island, to allow better beach access for the disabled.
The First Street access is one of nine on the barrier island and the only one yet to recover from Ian, which made landfall near Georgetown and caused millions of dollars of damage along the Georgetown County coast.
“The thought process is, ‘Hey, these types of (mats) do not generate debris, necessarily,’ ” Pawleys Island Town Administrator Dan Newquist said. “You can actually take them up if a storm is going to be bad enough.”
The mats also can be on standby if another beach access is damaged, he said.
The mat that Newquist was authorized to order by the Town Council spans 50 feet by 10 feet and is expected to cost about $6,000.
“The goal is, as long as it’s functioning properly and lasts in terms of weathering and everything else, and indications are that they do, then yeah, our long-term plan is to have one installed there,” Newquist said.
The wooden walkway at the First Street access is no longer in place, since being removed to allow equipment to reach the island’s northern end for debris removal following Ian. There is now only a direct walkway to the beach through the sand, Newquist said.
“We want some type of system in there because over time, more foot traffic, the foot traffic will start eroding that section of the beach,” Newquist said. “So these systems kind of dissipate the foot traffic energy. It kind of keeps the dimensions of the dune itself intact.”
The mat also allows easier emergency access to the northern section of the island, he said.
“It’s not like we can get a fire truck onto the beach or anything like that, but they can get a four-wheeler, a vehicle onto the beach, some of the (John Deere) Gators they have,” Newquist said.
Police Chief Mike Fanning said his department is open to the mat as a long-term solution, though he’s not yet sure of its durability.
At the very least, Fanning said, the mat will better accommodate the stretcher-carrying rescue vehicles used by Midway Fire Rescue.
“They were not able to get over any of our ramps because of the way they just either eroded away from storms or the way they were rebuilt, they had steps on them, so they couldn’t get up and down,” Fanning said. “So this will really accommodate them well.”
Elsewhere on the island, Georgetown County is pursuing a federal grant to renovate the parking lot at the island’s south end, which was used as a staging area for debris removed from the beach following Ian.
Much of that debris derived from the private Pawleys Island Pier, which collapsed the same day Ian made landfall in South Carolina.
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