Soul of 78- Amy Sanders
Physical Therapist, Encore Rehabilitation
Words by Cooper Kirkpatrick | Image by Ryan McGill
When you walk into Encore Rehabilitation in Jasper, chances are you’ll be greeted by the warm smile and encouraging words of Amy Sanders. As a physical therapist, Amy helps her patients reclaim independence, restore confidence, and celebrate victories both big and small.
Amy’s journey into the world of physical therapy began long before her professional career. At Walker High School, she broke new ground as the school’s very first student athletic trainer, working alongside longtime athletic trainer Bob White to start the student training program. That early spark of passion for movement, healing, and service eventually led her to Auburn University, where she earned her degree in exercise science, before completing her physical therapy degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2003.
Amy’s career in outpatient orthopedics took her across the state of Alabama, but in 2006, she felt the pull of home. After marrying realtor Jake Sanders, she returned to Jasper to serve the community that had shaped her and to reconnect with neighbors, classmates, teachers, and lifelong friends.
“I always wanted to come back home and work in the community I grew up in,” she says. “In a small town, patients aren’t just names on a chart. They are people you see at the grocery store, at church, or at the ball field. That makes it personal.”
At Encore, Amy treats patients of all ages, from energetic kids bouncing back from sports injuries to seniors determined to keep moving with confidence. Always eager to grow her skill set, she has pursued specialized training in dry needling and, more recently, cancer rehabilitation. What fuels her most, though, are the victories she shares with her patients.
“Being part of someone’s story is the best part of this job,” Amy says. “It might be a milestone like walking without assistance or something smaller like climbing stairs with less pain. Every win matters and meeting people where they are in their journey and healing process is essential in helping them get there. Celebrating those moments keeps me motivated.”
Her typical day involves seeing 10 to 15 patients, each with unique goals and challenges. Amy takes time to listen to their stories, their frustrations, and their goals. She believes that physical therapy isn’t just about exercises; it’s about understanding what matters most to the person in front of her.
“It’s about finding out what they want to get back to,” she explains. “Maybe it’s holding a grandchild, getting back on the golf course, or simply walking to the mailbox without pain. When you know the goal, you know what direction to take.”
Now more than two decades into her career, Amy remains passionate about her work. She blends expertise with empathy and pairs clinical skill with small-town heart. For Jasper, that means having a hometown therapist who not only treats injuries but also builds lasting connections, one patient at a time. 78