By Michael Ryan
WINDHAM - There may come a day when a knock on your door means Barbara Wojaczek has arrived for her physical therapy appointment.
Wait. What? You aren’t a doctor so why would “Basia,” as she prefers to be called, be going to your house?
Believe it or not, she is tapping to help you heal what’s hurting, maybe not carrying a classic little black bag but absolutely bringing 32 years of experience and a Master’s Degree in her trade to your home.
Yes, it’s true. If you aren’t able to ambulate to her warm and welcoming PT center at the corner of Mill Street and Main Street in downtown Windham, Basia will do her best to come a knockin.’
The reason is a story that begins in her native country of Poland, growing up within the isolation of the Cold War, the looming presence of the Russian Bear and outreach from the United States.
“In my teenage years we had curfew hours and food coupons. Everything, like butter and cheese, we got though our church from America. I always felt grateful,” Basia says.
“Even back then, in my head, before I knew I would be in America, I wanted to know the people who were sending us these things. I wanted to somehow give back.”
The tale continues with a ski injury treated by a physical therapist who was effective although a tad, how shall we say, rough, leaving Basia thinking “there has to be a nicer way to do this.’
Another chapter includes her family emigrating to Germany but a still-young Basia not wanting to remain within the sphere of communism.
So, as she says in very understandable bi-lingual terms, “with only 400 bucks in my pocket,” Basia instead headed to the States.
Having to start from scratch, she was not otherwise empty-handed, armed with her Academy of Physical Education credentials and an impressive, ever-growing resume.
Over the ensuing years, Basia worked as the senior physical therapist at the Thompson House Residential & Rehabilitative Center in Rhinebeck, New York, and physical therapist at St. Francis Hospital in Manhasset.
Consistently deepening her techniques, Basia has built a strong foundation while saying, “I love to study everything that is new in this field.”
Areas of hands-on expertise include pain modalities, massage, myofascial release, manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, spinal decompression and traction bed therapy.
Basia says she has become familiar with, “a very diverse and challenging pool of patients of different cultural/ethnic backgrounds and age groups.”
While at the Thompson House, she worked, “ongoing rotations between hospital acute and subacute rehab.”
The job involved evaluating and treating multiple and complex diagnosis in neurology, orthopedic, medical surgery, sports injury, spinal dysfunctions, amputation, balance dysfunction, vestibular rehab and gait analysis.
Amidst all that, she got married, has a successful son, and fell in love with the town of Jewett, moving there and deciding to start her own business, beginning at home but quickly being too busy to stay in a small space.
Spreading her professional roots to Windham happened this past summer, receiving encouragement and true support from the owner of the building and Windham Chamber of Commerce president Lisa Jaeger.
Physical Therapy by Basia is equipped with the latest tools and equipment for reaching all those spots that want loosening and strengthening.
The center focuses on only one patient an hour, by appointment Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or evenings by special appointment). Call (631) 356-2412 for information.
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