• Download our new Healthly Gardening Tips brochure.
• Carol Sweeney, PT is published in the local paper (see below).

• Free Health Seminar Schedule

• The Story Next Door: Carol Sweeney

Carol Sweeney RPT and
Kathy Moen PT, ATC
Timberhill Physical Therapy

Free 30 minute seminars

• On location in your office or home
• Appropriate for a small group or a large business organization
• Ideal for a lunchtime meeting
• Seminars are presented by licensed physical therapists.

Seminar topics include:

Is Your Computer Hurting You?

This presentation discusses proper ergonomic setup of the computer, body mechanics, and exercises which can be done while you're working.

Do You Have Shoulder Pain?

This presentation discusses shoulder impingement and includes tips and exercises to protect your shoulder health.

Walking Tall

This presentation discusses the importance of good walking posture and includes "posture cues" and exercises.

Shoulder Instability in Young Athletes

This presentation covers the nature, cause, and course of injury in young athletes involved in overhead sports such as volleyball and basketball.

Tips for Healthy Gardening

This presentation includes tips on proper body mechanics, exercises to protect the gardener's back and shoulders, and easy stretches to do while gardening.

The Story Next Door: Carol Sweeney
By THERESA HOGUE
Gazzette Times Reporter

For almost 30 years, Carol Sweeney has lived in a historic Tudor cottage in the College Hill neighborhood, a home she loves that is just a few minutes’ drive from the work she adores. For four decades, Sweeney has been a physical therapist, bringing healing and relief to her clients, and joy to her own heart.

“I literally love what I do,” she said. “I love working with people. I love being able to figure out their problems and how to correct them.”

Sweeney also spends her free time working with others through a variety of volunteer efforts. Whether she’s registering voters with the Benton County Democrats or holding a weekly free physical therapy clinic at Community Outreach, there aren’t enough hours in the day for everything she wants to do.

Sweeney found her dream career almost accidentally. She came home from her first year at Hanover College and told her father she was pursuing a general degree. He told her quite clearly that she needed to find a degree that would help land her a job.

Because she loved science and wanted a chance to help others, physical therapy became her focus. Four decades later, she still can’t imagine retiring.

“The exciting thing is, you can always improve your skills,” she said. “That’s a very nice thing — that you can learn after 43 years of working in the field.”

Sweeney has worked in hospitals, universities and even a clinic in Germany, but in 1985 she opened a private practice in Timberhill Athletic Club. Ten years later, it became Timberhill Physical Therapy and Sweeney said being connected with the club has benefited her practice.

She has shared her healing power outside of Corvallis as well.

Seven years ago, Sweeney and her husband, Dave Conklin, decided to sponsor a child at an Uzhgorod orphanage through the Corvallis Sister Cities organization’s TOUCH project. They decided that they wanted to meet their sponsor child in person, and to view the orphanage that their contributions helped to support.

Unfortunately, their first trip was scheduled for Sept. 11, 2001. They were in the airport when the terrorist attacks occurred. Of course, their trip was quickly cancelled. They rescheduled as soon as possible, however, and they have made since made seven trips to Uzhgorod.

During their first trip, they witnessed the austere conditions at the orphanages: cold concrete rooms, iron beds with thin mattresses. The only cheerful thing was the smiles on the children’s faces when they met their American guests.

“They were inspiring to me, how hopeful and happy they were,” she said.

Seven years later, each greeting is as enthusiastic, and the children have more to be happy about. Their circumstances have dramatically improved through the sponsorships. Whenever Sweeney visits, he’s swarmed by children asking “Do you know my sponsor? Is my sponsor coming to visit?”

“Their sponsors are a much bigger part of their life than the kid is in the life of the sponsor,” she said, which is why she thinks the program is so important. “It may be the first time these children have been chosen for anything.”

Homeless people who have little hope of affording the physical therapy also have a friend in Sweeney.

Each week, she holds a free clinic at Community Outreach. The healing is a two-way deal, she said. She is often inspired by how much can be accomplished.

“It’s been very rewarding,” she said. “I’ve been amazed. People are very grateful. With a little guidance and treatment, they’ll work hard to get better.”