Overcoming an injury or problem is both the hardest and most rewarding part of physical therapy, both for the patient and the physical therapist themselves. Seeing patients succeed in therapy and experiencing their joy in knowing that they have overcome this obstacle in their life and can get back to doing what they want is the best part of the job for Jimmy Simmonds.
Many of the patients Jimmy works with are dealing with an injury for the first time and it can be a mentally and physically traumatic experience for them. Getting to see them smile and knowing they are getting back to being themself again is by far the most rewarding part of being a physical therapist for Jimmy.
Growing up, Jimmy played sports most of his life and he eventually ran track in college at Texas A&M University. During his sports career he dealt with multiple injuries and surgeries and worked constantly to overcome them. These experiences eventually helped guide his understanding of the physical and mental toll that an injury can have on a person, along with the process to overcome and recover from them. He knew then that he wanted to help others with the same journey and so he began his path towards a career in physical therapy.
Jimmy also has extensive experience on the other side of the table as a parent to two very active, injury-prone kids, so he has a deep understanding of the anxiety that occurs when your child is injured. He believes it's harder as the parent in these situations because no parent ever wants to see anything happen to their kids, least of all an injury that takes them away from the sport or activity they love.
But Jimmy loves to share the bright-side of these situations and let parents know how encouraging it will be to see them overcome an injury and be stronger mentally and be better equipped to handle setbacks in the future. He also takes the time to honestly assess his patients and give parents a clear understanding of the expectations for the recovery process.
The most heartwarming moments Jimmy experiences as a physical therapist are when a parent tells him how much of an impact he's had on their child after going through physical therapy. Occasionally parents reach out to him years later to share a college admissions or a scholarship essay a former patient has written about him as someone who has positively shaped their child's life. It's so wonderful to know that even though his time isn't long with his patients, the impact of that experience, relationship, and hard work is still felt years later.
When he's not working, Jimmy loves to spend time with his wife (who's also a physical therapist!) and 2 kids, whether that's a movie night at home or cheering on and watching his kids play sports and activities. He also enjoys skiing, playing golf, working out, watching any and all sports, trying as many new restaurants as possible, and fishing and hunting whenever he gets a chance!
We're so lucky to have an amazing physical therapist like Jimmy here at CTPO and can't thank him enough for all he's done for his patients and their families!