New EPH Physical Therapy Assistant is an EPHS grad
Estes Park High School graduate Avery Tulley is the latest addition to the staff at EPH Outpatient Rehabilitation Services. Tulley is a certified Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) who started working at EPH on Dec. 30, 2024.
“I moved to Estes Park as a teenager,” Tulley said. “I graduated from Estes Park High School. I went to college at Colorado State University in Fort Collins where I earned my bachelor’s degree in neuroscience. I moved to Florida to get my master’s degree in medical sciences at the University of South Florida. I earned my physical therapy assistant certification from Rasmussen University.”
Tulley is looking forward to working with pediatric patients in a new area at EPH Rehab set aside for children. (Wendy Rigby/Estes Park Health)
Tulley got interested in physical therapy when she volunteered at a hippotherapy program. Hippotherapy uses horses to incorporate PT for children.
“I really loved that,” she noted. “I decided that was the avenue I wanted to take. I wanted to go into physical therapy.”
A Physical Therapy Assistant puts into practice the treatment plans that a Physical Therapist outlines for a patient. A PTA comes up with the exercises and treats the patient based on the plan.
Working as a PTA is a hands-on job.
“Each patient needs different therapies,” Tulley explained. “We do a lot of manual therapies like massaging and direct mobilizations. We do exercise prescription where we take what level they are now and get them back to their prior level of function as best we can. For shoulder therapy, patients may be guided to use pulleys, do strengthening exercises and stretching. Each body part has a lot of different exercises that will help with recovery and rehabilitation to generate balance and stability and strength.”
Tulley emphasized that she is grateful for the wonderful gym at the EPH Rehab Services at 420 Steamer Drive. The facility is filled with all the tools for rehabilitation: treadmills, stationary bicycles, parallel bars, benches, stairs, bands, weights, and therapy balls.
For Tulley, every day on the job is a unique experience.
“Every day, every hour is different,” she commented. “I really like this job because you get to know the patients. You are working with the same people multiple times a week.”
Her family and her husband’s family live in Estes Park. Now, she does, too.
“We were missing them and wanted to move back,” she said.
Tulley is looking forward to working with pediatric patients in a new area at EPH Rehab set aside for children.
“We all saw a need in the community for pediatric physical therapy,” she remarked. “A lot of families drive down to the valley several times a week for physical therapy. Now they have an option up here. Kate Jamis is EPH’s pediatric Physical Therapist. I am looking forward to working alongside her in treating children, too. We just got our toys last week. That was very exciting. There is a mirror at child level and a low bar for gait training.”
When she is not working, Tulley enjoys running. She has horses in Fort Collins and rides on the weekends. She spends a lot of time with family now that they all live in the same town.
She has enjoyed her new position.
“I like it a lot,” she noted. “Everyone’s really nice and my co-workers are super helpful. All the patients have been very welcoming. I’m enjoying it. Plus, you can’t beat this view. I don’t think you could find any other rehab facility with this kind of view.”