Star Physical Therapy and Fitness

• Post by: mcalibrary
• January 12, 2024
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SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT

It has always been the belief at Mount Carmel Area High School that, even though we are a small AA school with limited resources, we have been able to provide our athletes with the tools to be able to compete. From the support of our School administration to the community support of booster organizations and great fans, we are usually able to field teams that are competitive. This school has been fortunate enough to have Hall of Fame Coaches like Gerald Breslin, Mike Terry, Jazz Diminick, John McKay, Mike Woytowich, Charles Sacavage, Mike Trocki, Whitey Williams, Angela Farronato, and Carm DeFrancesco, and future hall of famers Mike Brennan and Lisa Varano. Their facilities are mostly second to none. But the secret to our success is keeping our athletes on the field, and to that end, Star Physical Therapy and Fitness ranks as one of our most important assets.

Established in 2003 by Tom and Lori Swaldi, Star’s facility is a 5,000 square feet facility and offers comprehensive physical therapy services delivered by top specialists in the field. They also offer a full service gym, aerobics programs, and athletic training services to area high schools.

Tom and Lori have completed their Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees through Temple University. Both licensed physical therapists since 1996, the Swaldis maintain the philosophy of experience, credentials, and compassion to ensure their patients have the most advanced treatment options available today. In addition to being Doctors of Physical Therapy, Tom is a Certified Athletic Trainer and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, providing Sports Medicine Services to both Mount Carmel Area and Shamokin Area High Schools. Tom is a former Red Tornado, graduating from MCA in 1990.

Lori is a Clinical Vestibular Specialist, specializing in the treatment of dizziness and balance disorders, the ONLY physical therapist in the area with those credentials. She has recently taught seminars at Kessler Rehabilitation in NJ and at Clemson University in SC. She also lectures nationally on the topics of dizziness and balance rehabilitation.

Lori has also participated in the lecture series at Neurocon, PSCC in Juniata, focusing on concussion management, balance and on field return to play decisions. She has also taken part in talks at Lancaster General, St Lukes, Reading Rehab Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Lankaneau Hospital in Philadelphia. Lori has taken part in a Successful Completion of Vestibular Competency Series at Emory University in Atlanta.

All of these credentials have allowed Tom and Lori to treat our athletes in the best way possible. The concussion studies they do enable our athletes to remain as safe as possible in the sometimes violent games of football and soccer. Their services were never as important as this past football season where our “30 for 30” football team had to stay in the field. They and athletic trainer Jeff Sluck played a vital role in the success of that team and its athletes.

Over the years, Star has treated a number of athletes with ACL, MCL, ankle sprains, shoulder separations, hip pointers, and many other injuries that in the past would have severely limited the athletes playing time and production. The fact that most have returned in shorter than normal time periods, has greatly allowed a small school like MCA to stay competitive. They have now become more involved with strength and conditioning. Many of our athletes continue to eek advice and counseling from Star well after graduation.