1 / 4
Active-duty Soldiers participate in Martin Army Community Hospital's Physical Therapy Bridge Program at Fort Benning, Georgia. The referral-based program helps Soldiers transition from clinical rehabilitation to the physical demands of military service through progressive exercises designed to restore strength, mobility and functional capabilities. For seven years, the program has supported Soldier recovery and the Army's operational readiness mission.
(Photo Credit: Jessie Hudson)View original2 / 4
Active-duty Soldiers participate in Martin Army Community Hospital's Physical Therapy Bridge Program at Fort Benning, Georgia. The referral-based program helps Soldiers transition from clinical rehabilitation to the physical demands of military service through progressive exercises designed to restore strength, mobility and functional capabilities. For seven years, the program has supported Soldier recovery and the Army's operational readiness mission.
(Photo Credit: Jessie Hudson)View original3 / 4
Active-duty Soldiers participate in Martin Army Community Hospital's Physical Therapy Bridge Program at Fort Benning, Georgia. The referral-based program helps Soldiers transition from clinical rehabilitation to the physical demands of military service through progressive exercises designed to restore strength, mobility and functional capabilities. For seven years, the program has supported Soldier recovery and the Army's operational readiness mission.
(Photo Credit: Jessie Hudson)View original4 / 4
Active-duty Soldiers participate in Martin Army Community Hospital's Physical Therapy Bridge Program at Fort Benning, Georgia. The referral-based program helps Soldiers transition from clinical rehabilitation to the physical demands of military service through progressive exercises designed to restore strength, mobility and functional capabilities. For seven years, the program has supported Soldier recovery and the Army's operational readiness mission.
(Photo Credit: Jessie Hudson)View original
Completing physical therapy does not always mean a Soldier is ready to resume the physical demands of military service. At Martin Army Community Hospital, a specialized rehabilitation program helps close that gap.
For seven years, the hospital's Physical Therapy Bridge Program has provided active-duty Soldiers with structured, progressive training designed to help them regain the strength, mobility and functional capabilities needed to return to duty.
Nearly 500 Soldiers have participated in the referral-based program since its inception. Held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the program accommodates up to 20 service members at a time, with 15 currently enrolled.
Under the direction of Capt. Houtchens, a physical therapist, participants undergo an initial evaluation to assess their physical limitations and establish an individualized progression plan.
Soldiers recovering from upper-extremity injuries work through three phases, while those with lower-extremity injuries follow a seven-phase progression. Each phase builds on the previous one, allowing participants to gradually increase physical activity based on their capabilities.
Houtchens evaluates participants at the beginning, midpoint and conclusion of the program, determining when they are ready to advance. Physical therapy assistants Nicole Gaylor and Spc. Olinde assist with program operations and guide Soldiers through their prescribed activities.
The program addresses a critical transition in military health care. Although traditional physical therapy focuses on restoring function following injury, Soldiers may require additional conditioning before resuming physically demanding military tasks.
By connecting clinical treatment with progressive physical training, the Bridge Program supports the Army's efforts to reduce injury-related limitations and sustain an operationally capable force.
Seven years after its establishment, the program remains an integral part of Martin Army's rehabilitation services, providing Soldiers with a structured path from recovery toward returning to their military duties.
Social Sharing