Former GCU Athlete Running FYZICAL Therapy Location In Phoenix

PHOENIX, AZ — The desire to help heal the human body has always motivated Phoenix resident Sandi Salazar.

Salazar's lifelong journey began in 1988, when she stepped onto the campus of Grand Canyon University to play basketball, then volleyball for the Antelopes.

Her career in volleyball ran through her graduation in 1991, but introduced her to the world of sports medicine and a litany of other related fields over the years.

For the last several years, that journey has led her into the realm of physical therapy, with Salazar running her own private practice thanks to her entrepreneurial streak until she decided to join nationwide physical therapy franchise, FYZICAL Therapy & Balance.

Salazar's latest step in her lifelong dedication to healing the human body has direct ties to her playing days at GCU, however.

"I just always loved the training aspect of it and was driven by figuring out and finding anything that could help me be better help me play better," Salazar told Patch. "[From my] first introduction in college to strength training and the impact that had on my life. But then, just the confidence that [my playing career] instilled as a female athlete that I could do anything I wanted."

Her path included stops as a club volleyball coach, as well as teaching, before choosing physical therapy around five years ago.

In particular, Salazar has focused her physical therapy career around balance and vestibular diseases, such as vertigo and neuroma.

She decided to become the owner of FYZICAL Therapy & Balance's northeast Phoenix location, which opened in 2016, to serve a wider clientele.

"I loved working independently for myself. I'm pretty self-motivated, I'm definitely a self-starter, so I don't need somebody telling me what to do," Salazar said.

"But the market was changing so much here I kind of wanted to be a part of something bigger rather than just completely on my own."

Part of Salazar's motivation for joining the team at FYZICAL was her father's issues with balance after suffering a minor stroke, which led her to wanting to help others with the same issue.

While joining FYZICAL would help her reach more people, she could still keep the autonomy she wanted.

"Their model allows us to be completely independent, and continue to do things the way we see fit for our individual market," Salazar said. "So it's up to me on many levels."

Salazar attributes much of the success she's experienced in her professional career to the life lessons she learned in athletics.

"So I just love the impact that sports has on [your professional life]," Salazar said. "But sports also speak to the just how much girls participating in sports affects their career and professional development and their success later in life."