Physical Therapy Patient Stories

When Rick’s knee pain started to slow him down, he opted for a total knee replacement. Then, he trusted the team at UPMC Rehabilitation Institute: Allison Park to get him back to his long morning walks.

Read Rick's story

Sam’s first varsity hockey game left him with a severed hamstring. But with help from orthopaedic surgery and physical therapy at UPMC, he returned to the varsity lineup 18 weeks later.

Read Sam's story

Juan lived for more than 30 years with the lingering effects of a hip injury he suffered in a car accident. He finally got hip replacement surgery in October 2023. After that, he came to UPMC Rehabilitation Institute: Uniontown for outpatient physical therapy.

Read Juan's story

After living with back pain for more than 30 years, Bill decided to deal with it once and for all. His primary care physician recommended outpatient rehab at UPMC. Bill worked with physical therapist Scott Wozniak, who was quick to pinpoint and explain the reason for Bill’s back pain.

Read Bill's story

While crossing the street to get to class one day, Cara, a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh, was struck by a car in the crosswalk. Although she was disoriented at first, she shook it off thinking she was fine. When she stood up, she had severe pain shooting through her foot and ankle. Thankfully her roommate was nearby and was able to help her.

Read Cara's story

Migraines are not new for Carole H. — she’s dealt with them for decades. After trying many different therapies, she turned to UPMC Rehabilitation Institute in Mars, Pa., for instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, manual therapy, posture and core retraining, and functional strengthening. Learn how physical therapy helped Carole find relief.

Read Carole's story

For three years, Butler resident Doug, 54, was plagued by knee problems. He tried conservative treatments like anti-inflammatories and steroid injections. He also sought physical therapy from a local provider.

Read Doug's story

After hurting his right hip playing recreational ice hockey, Joseph's pain lingered for months. Learn how outpatient rehabilitation at UPMC helped alleviate his pain and return to the ice.

Read Joseph's story

After having surgery to repair her torn rotator cuff and address her biceps tendonitis, Karen’s orthopaedic surgeon referred her to UPMC Rehabilitation Institute, where she became a patient at our Allison Park location. Karen worked with physical therapist Brian Caricato, who her personal training students recommended. Brian prescribed functional exercises to help her ride her motorcycle again.

Read Karen's story

After living with chronic pain for more than two decades, Kim finally found relief with the help of outpatient rehabilitation at the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute’s Penn Hills location. Learn about her journey in PT with Emily, plus her continued success with targeted exercises at home.

Read Kim's story

Matt lives an active life – running marathons, snowboarding, and coaching cross country. So, when the 45-year-old began experiencing unbearable pain in his left hip and leg, he found care at the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute in Erie. Learn more about how he got back to living an active lifestyle.

Read Matt Boyd's story

Matt loves to run – so much so that in August of 2020 he ran 21 marathons in 21 days. While the challenge was a success, he came out of it having injured his right Achilles tendon. A neighbor recommended that he see Brian Caricato, PT, DPT, OCS, at our outpatient clinic in Allison Park. Find out how Matt and Brian worked together to get Matt running again.

Read Matt's story

After a motorcycle accident, hospital physicians gave Melinda a 5% chance of walking again. With help from the physical therapists at the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute in Seneca, Melinda can now walk with straight leg braces for over 200 feet.

Read Melinda's story

After a fractured back left him unable to do yardwork or play with his grandchildren, Vincent decided it was time to do something about his pain. Vincent heard about outpatient rehabilitation at UPMC from his physician and soon after, became a patient. Vincent worked with physical therapist Chris Payne, who was always diligent to find the right program specific to Vincent’s back issues.

Read Vincent's story