Aubrey Bailey thought that when she went to college, she’d study piano.

“As I was preparing for my high school recital, I developed severe carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists. Ironically, I never had therapy for it.”

Ironic because today Aubrey, a New York native who earned Bachelor’s Degrees in Physical Therapy and Psychology from the University at Buffalo and Doctor of Physical Therapy from Utica College (spring of 2012), is the Clinical Director of the West Point location.

Aubrey also performs total body Functional Capacity Evaluations.

When that carpal tunnel surfaced years ago, Aubrey’s hand surgeon told her that based on her playing technique, she’d need surgery every five years.

“I decided to change my major. My youth pastor at the time suggested physical therapy. He thought it fit my personality well.”

Her caring personality, coupled with dual degrees, have served Aubrey well in the physical therapy clinic.

“My passion is post-trauma patients,” said Aubrey of both the adult and pediatric patients she works with. “Their injuries affect them on a much more than a physical level.”

Some major impact hand injuries affect basic every day functions like eating, dressing and hygiene. It can be a lot for people to tackle all at once. But once they do, it can be very rewarding. Aubrey once treated a patient who crushed his forearm under the roll bar of an ATV. Fractures, dislocations and significant muscle loss led to nine surgeries.

“He had a skin graft applied and I started seeing him as soon as his wound vac was removed. We spent a lot of time together – me debriding his wound several times each week in a private room in the beginning. He said he would never wear short sleeves again.”

As he worked through the trauma, he moved out of a private treatment room and into the gym. Aubrey watched as he “ultimately became a huge encouragement to the other patients who came in. He discussed his injury with other people and found it very amusing when another patient asked him if he had been bitten by a shark. He worked very hard, followed his program diligently and re-gained full motion in his forearm – something the surgeon had said would not occur. It was a huge privilege to be able to impact someone’s life to such a big extent.”

As a mother of three, Aubrey understands tough love and the value of helping patients reach new goals and see the improvements they’re making, even when they can’t see beyond their hurt.

With patients Aubrey has gotten to know and enjoys a good relationship with, “I tell (them) that their pain isn’t hurting me at all. I say this because often, when I point out improvements they are making, they come back with, ‘yeah, but it still hurts,” not really acknowledging the good things. They laugh at my response!”

When Aubrey’s not in the clinic, you can find her spending time with her three children, serving as worship director at Kentwood Heights Baptist Church, where her husband is the Associate Pastor, and regularly playing the piano. With the leftover time, Aubrey enjoys freelance writing for various publications and running.