Athletico Physical Therapy opens doors in Creston

Creston residents and visitors have one more option for physical therapy services to choose from, as Athletico Physical Therapy opened a new location Monday, Nov. 30, at 600 W. Taylor St.

Athletico Physical Therapy is a company based out of Oak Brook, Illinois, and has more than 400 clinics in states throughout the Midwest. The Creston location offers free injury screenings, work comp services and a variety of types of physical therapy.

“We provide physical therapy to all ages, from the youngest patients to the oldest,” said Creston Facility Manager Laura Walter, DPT. “We do everything from providing services to athletic teams like the Iowa Hawkeyes or the St. Louis Cardinals to all other kinds of physical therapies.

“And in Creston, we hope to provide for all types of patients, including Medicare patients, people who are working in some of the companies and factories around here, as well as all types of athletes.”

Walter has been a physical therapist for 22 years. She attended the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, before earning her master’s and then doctorate degree in physical therapy from Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Walter served as a physical therapist in the Air Force, and was stationed overseas while treating patients for a variety of injuries.

Walter then moved back to Iowa to raise her family. Ever since, she’s worked in a variety of settings, including hospitals, home-health and the last eight years in private practice.

“And then when Athletico wanted to open a new location in Creston, I live in Afton and it was just a great fit for me to be in this community,” said Walter.

One area Walter specializes in is a physical therapy technique called “dry needling,” which is the use of needles to treat muscle pain.

“It’s the use of acupuncture-type needles to help release muscle-tension and muscle-dysfunction,” said Walter. “And that’s a little unique — a lot of therapists don’t do that.”

Walter is also certified in vestibular rehabilitation, which is a type of therapy concerned with the body’s system of balance. She can treat for things like dizziness and vertigo.

Common reasons for visiting a physical therapist might be those seeking treatment after a joint-replacement surgery, sports injuries, balance training, manual therapy for back pain and just about any kind of injury.

“One of the things with a growing, aging population, as people get older, there’s more and more of a need for physical therapy to keep people functional and active,” said Walter “And we feel like we can provide services to keep people on their feet.

“And Creston is a big sports town, with the college and the school, and we provide rehab services to those individuals as well.”

Walter emphasized that Athletico offers free injury screenings.

“So, people can come in,” said Walter, “say their son in daughter may have been injured in a ball game or some kind of sporting event — or even they might have an injury at their home, they can come in and we can take a look at it, and we, along with the patient, can decide whether or not they need to be referred to a doctor and maybe get some X-rays or other tests.”

Walter said that one unique service Athletico offers is being a liaison between patients and doctors. Walter can communicate with doctors, visit patients and sit-in during doctor-patient visits.

Athletico in Creston accepts appointments from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays on an as-needed basis, and will get all patients in within 24 hours.

They may be reached by phone at 641-316-2089, and appointments may be requested online at athletico.com/locations/creston/.