Amanda Swisher, DPT, Helps Patients Regain Independence Through Physical Therapy at the Jon & Helaine Ayers Rehabilitation Center

For someone going through physical therapy, change can be hard to see at first. It may be reaching for something on a high shelf, getting dressed without help or taking a few more steps than the day before. For someone recovering from a stroke, managing a neurological disorder or working to improve gait and balance, those changes can mean much more.

They can be signs that everyday activities are becoming easier and that independence is starting to feel within reach again.

For Amanda Swisher, DPT, CSCS, CLWT, CPT, one of the most memorable examples came years ago while she was working as a personal trainer. A patient told her she could finally reach into her kitchen cabinet for the first time in years.

“She nearly cried when she told me she could reach into her cabinet for the first time in years,” Amanda says. “That moment made me realize I wanted to help people in a deeper, more impactful way.”

The experience changed the direction of Amanda’s career and eventually brought her to the Jon & Helaine Ayers Rehabilitation Center, where she now helps patients work through a wide range of physical and neurological challenges.

Finding a New Path Through Physical Therapy

Amanda began her career in marine biology before becoming a personal trainer at the YMCA, where many of the people she worked with were older adults or individuals with disabilities. During her clinical rotation at Holy Cross Health, she found herself drawn to the therapists she worked alongside, the patients she cared for and the rehabilitation technology available.

Two years into her career at Ayers Rehab, Amanda continues to expand her skills. Her training includes lymphedema and wound care, PWR!Moves for Parkinson’s, strength and conditioning, vestibular rehabilitation and functional neurological disorders. She is also working toward becoming a neurological clinical specialist.

When Recovery Looks Different for Everyone

That experience comes into play when Amanda works with patients recovering from stroke or spinal cord injury, living with progressive neurological disorders or dealing with challenges related to movement and balance.

At Ayers Rehab, technology such as the C-Mill can support gait and balance training, giving therapists another tool to help patients work on movement and stability during recovery.

Still, Amanda says some of her most important lessons have come from the people she treats.

“Witnessing patients persevere through immense physical and emotional challenges has been deeply inspiring,” she says.

Their determination has taught her to be patient with the process and to recognize that progress will not look the same for everyone.

The People Behind the Care

Amanda says that spirit extends throughout the team at the Jon & Helaine Ayers Rehabilitation Center. She considers her colleagues family and appreciates the way therapists share their knowledge, encourage one another and continue learning.

That collaboration matters in physical therapy, where treatment can involve strength, mobility, gait and balance, neurological function and other challenges connected to a patient’s condition.

For Amanda, it all comes back to understanding what a person wants to regain and working with them to get there.

“Rehabilitation shows what’s possible when patients and clinicians work together toward goals that once seemed out of reach.”

That belief has stayed with Amanda since the patient who changed the course of her career. Today, she brings that same perspective to her work at Ayers Rehab, helping patients navigate recovery, build confidence and work toward greater independence.

This Rehab Week, Holy Cross Health celebrates Amanda and the entire Jon & Helaine Ayers Rehabilitation Center team for helping patients move better, regain abilities and get back to the parts of everyday life that matter most.

Ready to take the next step in your recovery? Learn more about physical therapy and outpatient rehabilitation services at the Jon & Helaine Ayers Rehabilitation Center or request an appointment.