“What does Kau… uh, what does the name of your clinic mean?”

This is the number one question we are asked on a daily basis. Not “When will I be better?”, “What running shoe would work best for me?”, or “Can you do that cracking thing?”. No one seems confident in their pronunciation of this strange looking word. So, let’s see if we can clear this one up!

The original Kauno symbol makes up the right side of our “K”.

Kauno is a letter from the Runic Alphabet. The Runic Alphabet was utilized between the 3rd and 16th/17th centuries by the Germanic peoples of Northern Europe, Britain, Scandinavia and Iceland. Our logo actually incorporates the original Kauno symbol - which is essentially a “less than” symbol (<).

Pronunciation: caw-no

Translation: A torch or firebrand.

Meaning: Light, Enlightenment, Healing

Characteristics: This rune is related to light, warmth, fire, enlightenment and knowledge. It lightens the path, dispelling the dark shadows of ignorance. It suggests that understanding must lead you to take action. It also represents the pleasurable warmth of the home fire, implying good health. Kauno signifies a portal or doorway leading from darkness to light.

Long story short, Brendan and I wanted to differentiate ourselves from the common perception of what a physical therapy clinic should look like. We do things a bit differently than some other clinics and we thought our name should represent that.

We’re confident that over time, our actions as a clinic will add meaning to the name.

-Brian King PT, DPT, CSCS