Tom Crain is not a native of Tallassee but with 45 years of serving the community, he might as well be.
Crain grew up in Arkansas and Mississippi graduating in 1973 with a degree in physical therapy.
Now a business he started April 2, 1998, Tallassee Rehab is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
“The community has been good to us,” Crain said. “It has been great, wonderful. It has been a great ride. Hopefully it will be another 25 or 30 or 50 years.”
Crain has been serving the physical therapy needs of his patients but not just at Tallassee Rehab.
“We cover Elmore County and Tallassee high school sports,” Crain said. “We help them with athletic training. We started that Day 1.”
Tallassee Rehab and its staff have been providing more than physical therapy and athletic training for patients. There is EMG NBC studies.
“It is where we check for nerve and muscle dysfunction,” Crain said. “We also have a pool that we do water aerobics in.”
After a stint in Memphis making less than $5 per hour, Crain moved east to Tallassee in 1978 and has never left.
Crain worked at the Tallassee Community Hospital 1986 before going to Rehab Associates in Montgomery.
“I learned a little about outpatient from the Rehab Associates guys,” Crain said. “I decided it would be a good opportunity to open up an outpatient clinic in Tallassee.”
With the help of his son Justin since 2012, Crain has been easing into retirement but not fully.
“I consider myself semi-retired,” Crain said. “We contract with the hospital to do some inpatient rehab over there. I help over with some ENGs and stuff. I help out when needed.”
But Crain doesn’t have any plans of handing over the reigns fully — at least not until August.
“If I can make that long I can chalk up 50 years of physical therapy,” Crain said. “Regardless I’m confident Justin and the staff will continue to provide great service for the Tallassee community.”
