Physical Therapy And Sports Rehab Center Opens On Church Hill Road

By Kaaren Valenta

Two physical therapists, Raymond Weitekamp and Thomas DiNicola, have opened an office, the Church Hill Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation Center, at 30 Church Hill Road.

The new facility offers the latest exercise machines and treatment modalities. Among the comprehensive range of therapies offered are orthopedics, sports and occupational medicine, athletic training, orthotics, pediatrics, balance/vestibular, and spine.

 There are three treatment rooms including a traction room for cervical or lumbar traction plus a spacious room filled with exercise equipment for physical therapy.

Ray Weitekamp, previously worked at Western Connecticut Physical Therapy in Danbury; Tom DiNicola was with Brookfield Physical Therapy.

“I became interested in the field when I was an athlete in high school in Pittsfield, Mass., who got hurt and ended up in physical therapy,” Mr DiNicola, 41, said. He got an associate’s degree in physical therapy at Becker College in Wooster, Mass., and a bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Bridgeport.

“I’ve been in the field for 20 years,” he said. “I worked in Westchester County, and lived in Rye, N.Y., then spent ten years with an orthopedic practice in Greenwich. I spent five years working in pain management, then five at Brookfield Physical Therapy.”

While in Greenwich, Mr DiNicola worked on members of the New York Mets baseball team and the World Wrestling Federation.

“I worked on Hulk Hogan for a few weeks. He’s a pretty nice guy,” Mr DiNicola said.

Almost eight years ago Tom DiNicola moved to Newtown with his wife Patti and their three sons, Kyle, now 12, Jeff, 10, and Devin, 7. He coaches Babe Ruth baseball and soccer.

Ray Weitekamp, 29, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Beaver College in Pennsylvania with a master’s in physical therapy. He worked for an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy practice in Chicago and also at Northwestern Hospital, where the focus was on work-related injuries, particularly spine-related injuries, often of the lower back, which range from construction injuries to those incurred by simply typing at a computer all day.

Three years ago he moved to Connecticut with his wife Colleen, who is originally from Ridgefield. The Weitekamps, who live in Southbury, have a son, Patrick, who is 1-year-old. “My wife is also a physical therapist. She works in the early intervention, birth to 3-year-old, program,” he said.

Church Hill Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation serves clients of all age groups –– persons injured in motor vehicles accidents, high school halfbacks with pulled muscles, over-40 weekend warriors, and seniors recovering from surgery, to name a few.

The center offers a comprehensive evaluation and a personal plan of hands-on treatment to meet each patient’s specific needs. Treatment plans are updated regularly, with the referring physician’s participation.

The staff also includes Deirdre Laverty, who has a master’s degree in health administration and is an American College of Sports Medicine-certified health fitness instructor. Also available is acupuncture therapy with licensed acupuncturist Jody Murray, and massage therapy services from Heidi Douglas.

The Church Hill Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation Center is open Monday through Thursday from 7 am to 7 pm and 7 to 5 on Friday. It is affiliated with the Carlson Therapy Network, Inc.; see the website www.carlsontherapy.com.

 There will be an open house on Friday, April 4, from 4 to 8 pm. The center is located between The Bagelman and Chase Bank at 30 Church Hill Road. For more information, call 426-8449.