The practice started in June 1978 in a second floor office above a pharmacy in Jeannette. Two physical therapists worked full-time in a hospital and operated their own practice on the side for two years. The early goal of the company was to specialize in providing services to patients with neck and back problems.

"We wanted to focus on that group of patients because they seemed to get lost or ignored," they explain. "Neck and back injuries are harder to prove, especially in industrial cases. We wanted to give patients a higher level of care so that they could return to work much quicker."

In 1980, the therapists devoted their efforts to their side business on a full-time basis and opened an office in Greensburg. From that point on growth was constant. Between 1984 and 1988, THE pt GROUP, expanded to include practices in Mount Pleasant, New Alexandria, Irwin, Penn Hills and McKeesport.

During that time, the group added several partners: Steven J. Teitel, John J. Sirianni, Robert E. Brett and Jamie P. DiAndreth all joined the practice in 1989.

THE pt GROUP developed some of the first work hardening facilities and still specializes in return-to-work services. Functional Capacity Evaluations are conducted to determine safe work levels to help the treating and evaluating physicians get clients back to work as quickly and safely as possible.

THE pt GROUP also provides individualized, on-site training. On-site safety and wellness centers can be set up as well as individually designed education programs for industries.

Balance Therapy is the most recent addition to the group's family of products. Balance Therapy involves physical therapy where specially trained therapists evaluate and treat individuals with dizziness, balance, or other neurological problems. State-of-the-art evaluation techniques help the therapist design an individual program to address each client's specific needs.

Balance Therapy is currently located in Greensburg, Harrison City, Irwin, Jeannette, Latrobe, McKeesport, Monroeville, Moon and Penn Hills.

Walter L. Henry, marketing director for THE pt GROUP, says that the company is very active in other areas of the health care field and is involved in the communities in which it has offices through the Arthritis Foundation, MS Society and American Heart Association. He points out THE pt GROUP is very active in workers' compensation reform and that the practice belongs to many separate chambers of commerce.