Dr. Sabrina Pennington came back to her hometown to establish Elite Physical Therapy and Wellness Center, which opened in April.

Pennington left Troy to get degrees from Auburn and Alabama State, but returned to work as a physical therapist. Six years after coming back, she finally has her own practice.

“This is home,” she said. “It’s also an under-served community. Before this year, the only two places to get physical therapy in Troy were the hospital and Champion.”

Pennington added that it isn’t just Troy that was under-served, but surrounding communities such as Brundidge, Goshen, Elba and Luverne.

“This is really a rural area,” she said. “People from surrounding towns and even counties come to Troy for physical therapy.”

Pennington said the vision for the business is to be known as the provider of choice for all musculoskeletal disorders, health and fitness needs in the tri-county area, including Pike, Crenshaw, and Dale counties.

“All of our treatment programs are designed for individual patients,” she said. “We offer one-on-one care. We also take a holistic approach, evaluating the whole body and not just the injured area.”

Pennington said she and her staff also educate patients on ways to prevent future injuries. In addition to the company’s physical therapy services, Elite also offers a wellness component.

“Right now we’re working with Jessica Vinson of JTV Massage Therapy,” she said. “We’re working to begin offering fitness and wellness programs as well.”

Elite has a four-person staff, including Pennington and Vinson. The other two staff members are Amanda May, licensed physical therapist assistant, and Amanda Edwards, receptionist.

Jamal Conard was at the office Tuesday, working his foot on a wobble board to recover from surgery. Conard had surgery to remedy a bone spur and Plantar Fasciitis.

“This is my third week using Elite,” he said. “It’s very nice. I’d heard horror stories about physical therapy but this was the exact opposite.”

Kenneth Othiossinir was also getting therapy Tuesday, working on a lingering neck injury. Othiossinir said that he feels welcome at Elite because of the atmosphere and the personalities of the staff. “They really make an effort to make you better,” he said.

Elite Physical Therapy and Wellness Center, Inc. is located at 1404 South Brundidge Street just past the Bicentennial Park. It is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is open from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Fridays. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (334) 770-0649.