Physical Therapy plus Chiropractic Care - HOW INTEGRATING CARE LEADS TO LASTING RECOVERY
03/13/2025 03:32PM ● By ANTHONY BROGNA
What if real, lasting relief wasn’t about choosing between treatments, but combining the best of both worlds?
Chiropractic care and physical therapy are often seen as separate paths—but when combined, they create a powerful synergy that helps patients heal more completely, move more freely, and build long-term resilience.
At Wayfinder Wellness and Physical Therapy and Compass Chiropractic , our practices are built around this philosophy: The best results come when experts work together.
The doctors work
together to assess and diagnose injuries, then develop
personalized treatment plans that address mobility,
stability, and long-term function.
MOBILITY, STABILITY, AND THE SCIENCE OF HEALING
For chiropractic physician Dr. Sarah Paquette, owner of Compass Chiropractic, movement is everything. “Chiropractic care optimizes mobility by restoring joint function and recalibrating how the brain and body communicate through the nervous system,” she explains.
But mobility alone isn’t enough. Dr. Emelia Brogna, PT, DPT, founder of Wayfinder Wellness and Physical Therapy, sees what happens when unstable movement leads to injury. “Physical therapy reinforces and sustains those gains,” she says. “It strengthens the body’s support system, retrains movement patterns, and enhances stability so that progress lasts.”
It’s the difference between unlocking a door and making sure it stays open. Chiropractic removes the barriers restricting movement, while physical therapy builds the strength and control needed to maintain those improvements over time.
Beyond pain relief, this partnership also enhances overall health. Chiropractic care has been shown to support reflexes, nervous system function, and even immune response, while physical therapy strengthens muscles, prevents injury, and retrains movement to keep the body resilient.
“The body already knows how to heal itself,” says Dr. Paquette. “Our job is to give it the right support, removing obstacles and reinforcing what works so that healing happens faster and more completely.”
Dr. Brogna works
with a patient to strengthen and improve balance at
Wayfinder Wellness and PT in South Burlington.WHY THIS PARTNERSHIP WORKS
Dr. Paquette and Dr. Brogna have seen firsthand how collaboration leads to better results, especially for complex cases where one approach alone isn’t enough.
“There’s a misconception that physical
therapists and chiropractors compete,” says
Dr. Paquette, “but structure and function are
inseparable. Chiropractic care restores alignment
and optimizes joint function, while physical
therapy reinforces those changes by strengthening
movement patterns, improving stability, and
building resilience.”
Dr. Brogna guides a patient
through a targeted exercise to build strength and im-
prove movement patternsDr. Brogna expands on this. “Physical therapy is more than movement; it’s about teaching the nervous system, refining motor control, and restoring efficient biomechanics for long-term health. I look at how a patient’s body adapts to stress, compensates for dysfunction, and integrates complex movement patterns. Dr. Paquette focuses on structural integrity and alignment, identifying joint restrictions or neurological barriers that may limit recovery. Together, we take a comprehensive approach, not only restoring movement but optimizing it for lasting strength and function.”
The best part? Their patients don’t just get better. They stay better.
Dr. Paquette performs a spi-
nal adjustment at Compass Chiropractic in Richmond to
restore proper alignment and enhance nervous system
function.A SHARED PHILOSOPHY, A SHARED PURPOSE
What makes this partnership different isn’t just the treatments, it’s the shared philosophy that drives them. At Wayfinder and Compass, they believe in more than just fixing what’s broken. Their focus is on restoring strength, resilience, and long-term well-being, in addition to teaching patients how to optimize their bodies for the long run.Both doctors specialize in neurology. Their expertise, in everything from concussion recovery to chronic pain conditions, goes beyond basic musculoskeletal care.
Both doctors treat complicated cases. Many of their patients come in struggling with pain or dysfunction that has persisted for years. They need a team—not just one provider—to rebuild their function.
Both doctors value honesty, authenticity, and humor. Healing is serious work, but it doesn’t have to feel clinical or cold. “We meet people where they are, and we walk with them through their recovery,” says Dr. Brogna.
This level of trust and collaboration makes a difference, not just in treatment, but in the patient experience. “When Dr. Brogna asks me to check something, I listen. When I suggest a stability plan for a patient, I know she’s factoring it into their rehab. That kind of mutual respect means our patients get the best of both worlds,” says Dr. Paquette.
Dr. Paquette explains spinal anatomy, helping
a young patient understand how posture and movement
impact her body.WHAT’S NEXT? A NEW STANDARD OF CARE
For years, healthcare has struggled with siloed care, where providers work separately instead of together. But at Wayfinder and Compass, collaboration isn’t just encouraged—it’s the standard.
“We’d love to see more providers build
networks like ours,” says Dr. Brogna.
“Not just where co-treatment is possible,
but where it’s second nature, seamless,
collaborative, and enjoyable. A place
where patients don’t feel like they’re being
passed around but instead experience truly
integrated care designed around their
progress and long-term health.”
At the end of the day, the patients are the real winners. Many arrive unable to stand long enough to make coffee, and a few months later, they are hiking, golfing, gardening, or playing with their kids pain-free. That’s why this work matters.
This isn’t about choosing between PT or chiropractic care, it’s about harnessing the best of both worlds. Because when movement, strength, and structure come together, patients don’t just recover, they thrive.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANTHONY BROGNA
Wayfinder Wellness and Physical Therapy
56 West Twin Oaks Terrace, Suite 4
South Burlington, VT
Compass Chiropractic
1151 Main Street Richmond, VT
