September 2026
VOL. 55
BEYOND THE STRETCH A Therapy Partners Group Newsletter
25 Years Later: Remembering, Honoring, Moving Forward On September 11, 2001, I was just two months into my career as a physical therapist in Willowbrook, Illinois. Twenty-five years later, I can still remember how that day unfolded inside our clinic. Smartphones and instant alerts weren't part of our lives yet, and we had no TV in the clinic. Instead, the news walked through our door. With each patient who arrived for an appointment came another piece of the story — first, a plane had hit a building in New York. Then came word that a second plane had hit the World Trade Center. Next, the Pentagon. Together, our staff and patients realized that what we first thought was a terrible accident was something much more. I remember driving to work the next morning after a night of watching the images replay on television. Everyone seemed to be in a daze, but something else had changed, too. People were a little kinder to one another. There was an incredible sense of unity and a shared understanding that life could change in an instant. Today, that thought carries even more meaning to me as a clinician. Our profession often meets people after their lives have changed without warning — following an accident, an injury, a stroke, a diagnosis, or an unimaginable event. We may not be there for the moment itself, but we have the privilege of helping people rebuild, recover, and keep moving. In the aftermath of September 11, first responders and healthcare professionals answered that call in extraordinary ways. The work of healing and recovery continued long after the immediate crisis faded from the headlines.
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As we mark this anniversary, we remember those we lost, honor those who ran toward danger, and recognize those who helped people find their way forward. And 25 years later, that remains one of the greatest privileges of our profession: being there for what comes next. Careers with TPG
Chief Executive Officer
IN REMEMBRANCE
Lt. Timothy “Tim” Coyne NYPD | 1 st Precinct, Lower Manhattan
1965-2021
Five days after September 11, 2001, Kim Kollwelter, PT, DPT, now TPG's Chief Operations Officer, boarded a flight from Wisconsin back to New York. There were only three passengers on the plane. She remembers there being more flight attendants than travelers. Kim had moved to New York for her first physical therapy job about a year and a half earlier. She happened to be visiting family in Wisconsin when the attacks occurred and watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center on television. “It was surreal,” she remembers. When she returned to New York, the impact was everywhere. Kim lived in Millbrook, north of Manhattan, where many residents commuted into the city. “Most of my patients knew someone who lost their life,” she says.
REMEMBERING A FRIEND. HONORING A LEGACY Among those personally affected were two of Kim's friends who served as first responders. One was Timothy “Tim” Coyne, an NYPD sergeant assigned to the 1st Precinct in Lower Manhattan. “Timmy Coyne was literally one of the funniest guys I ever met… an amazing man,” Kim recalls. Tim responded on September 11 and spent months working at Ground Zero, including managing the makeshift morgue. Even amid unimaginable circumstances, he found ways to make Kim laugh, joking with his physical therapist friend that, after everything he had seen, he knew anatomy better than she did.
Another of Kim's close friends, an FDNY firefighter who later attended medical school, spent weeks searching Ground Zero for fellow firefighters. Twentyfive years later, Kim says, he still lives with a terrible cough. His experience, like Tim's, reminds us that the consequences of September 11 continued long after the attacks.
Sadly, Tim's service came at a tremendous personal cost. He developed a serious respiratory illness associated with his exposure at Ground Zero and died in 2021 at age 56 after years of 9/11-related health complications.
THE STRENGTH TO REBUILD
When we reached out to Tim's wife, Hilary Kramer Coyne, about honoring him in this article, she graciously shared photographs and memories of her husband, along with a heartfelt message about her family's appreciation for physical therapy.
Kim helped him rebuild his strength, mobility, and confidence through months of rehabilitation. On March 11, 2002, exactly six months after September 11, he brought her a gift: an FDNY hat.
In January 2002, Kim began treating an FDNY firefighter who had responded on September 11 and spent more than three months working at Ground Zero. After suffering a stroke while on the job, he came to physical therapy with one goal: return to the FDNY.
Kim still remembers that moment 25 years later, but what she remembers most is that her patient achieved his goal. He returned to work as a New York City firefighter. “I will never forget how happy he was when he was able to return to work,” Kim says. “What a great profession we are in.”
WHERE WHERERECOVERY RECOVERYBEGINS BEGINS
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Built for the call Physical Therapy for the Tactical Athlete
Twenty-five years after 9/11, we honor the heroes who ran in, and the clinicians who help today's responders stay ready.
Why does September matter to us? Twenty-five years ago this month, first responders ran toward danger when everyone else ran away. The efforts of the Port Authority police and their partners from the NYPD, FDNY, and other agencies reportedly saved about 25,000 people that day. We honor that courage by taking care of the people who answer the call now.
Occupational demands & injury patterns
Who is the tactical athlete? Tactical athletes are workers whose jobs demand athletic performance: high force output, prolonged load carriage, and rapid transitions from rest to maximal effort. This includes firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, corrections, and military personnel. They have no off-season, and their rehab should meet the standard of any elite athlete's.
Firefighters. NFPA estimates 63,175 on-duty firefighter injuries in 2023, with overexertion or strain causing 31 percent of fireground injuries. NFPA also identifies conditioning, sleep, diet, and hydration as modifiable factors in firefighter cardiac health. Law enforcement. In a NIOSH evaluation, 48 percent of officers reported low back pain in the previous three months. Body armor can weigh up to 18.8 pounds, and moving equipment from the duty belt to a load-bearing vest has been shown to reduce lower back discomfort.
Clinical considerations for the plan of care Job demands analysis. Identify essential tasks (hose advancement, ladder raises, victim drags, foot pursuit, prolonged vehicle sitting) and set functional goals around them. Load carriage capacity. Build trunk endurance, hip strength, and tolerance for sustained and asymmetric loads. Cardiovascular conditioning. Monitor vitals, screen risk factors, and include aerobic and anaerobic training. Criterion-based return to duty. Pain-free does not mean ready. Base discharge on performance of essential job tasks, in gear when feasible.
Clinical pearl: Test the job, not the joint
Where can I get trained?
Full range of motion and strength do not guarantee occupational readiness. Build final sessions around real job tasks and document performance against those demands.
TPG Sports Residency. A 12-month residency on full salary, with 50 hours of one-on-one mentorship and didactic learning in sports PT at ProSport, Bodycentral, and Golden Bear. Contact Tyler Goslinga, PT, DPT, SCS, Sports Residency Coordinator, at tgoslinga@goldenbearpt.com.
Sources: NFPA, U.S. Firefighter Injuries 2023; NFPA, firefighter cardiac health research; NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation 2017-0049-3367 (Ramsey and Eisenberg, 2020); Larsen, Ramstrand, and Tranberg, Applied Ergonomics (2019); Port Authority PBA; AASPT; NSCA.
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INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS NEWS GUEST BLOG ETHAN PASTER ETHAN PASTER PT, PT, DPT DPT Physical Therapist at Therapy Partners Group, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy, Sports Residency Coordinator, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a Crossfit Level 1 Trainer.
White Coat Ceremony
FROM STUDENT TO ALUMNA OF THE YEAR: C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S TO D R . FAT E M A G H A N I , P T, D P T
’ve u o y t a e wh z i the n g e o z i c e n r g o s ard s rec w r y. a e a h e t w m O e o . h t d lishe long p a m d o a c h c a you’ve t c a p im
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Today, we’re celebrating Dr. Fatema Ghani, PT, DPT, our Director of University Relations and the University of the Pacific Physical Therapy Department’s 2026 Alumna of the Year! Fatema’s impact reaches far beyond her title. She leads with purpose, invests in people, and helps strengthen the connection between education and clinical practice—managing clinical education across 150 TPG clinics in seven states. In true Fatema fashion, she shared the credit, saying: “The beauty of our profession lies in its versatility, its opportunities, and its spirit of collaboration. I accept this honor with profound gratitude— not only for the journey, but for the village that made it possible.”
And what a village it is! Adding a special full-circle moment to the celebration, the award was presented by our very own Tyler Goslinga, PT, DPT, President of Pacific’s Physical Therapy Alumni Association—and a previous recipient of the very same award! Talk about passing the torch. From Pacific student to alumna, from clinician to industry leader, and now Alumna of the Year, Fatema continues to show what it means to Connect, Empower, and Exceed. Congratulations, Fatema! We’re incredibly proud to have you on the TPG team and even prouder to see your impact on our profession recognized. And Tyler—thank you for helping make this unforgettable moment even more special!
Dr. Tyler G o s l i n g a , P T, D P T
D r . Fa t e m a G h a n i , P T, D P T
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LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY? TPG is a family of outpatient PT brands committed to advancing clinical excellence at every stage of your career. Whether you’re a student seeking a hands-on clinical rotation or an experienced clinician ready for your next growth opportunity, we provide the mentorship, leadership, and real-world experience to help you thrive.
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