Genevieve Pfister, Staff Writer—

On Feb. 6, a new on-campus Physical Therapy Clinic opened its doors to Denison students, faculty, staff, and members of the Granville community.

The clinic, located in Room 136 of the Mitchell Center, is part of Denison’s larger partnership with the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, which was announced in April of 2022, and aims to improve and promote wellness across Denison’s campus.

The physical therapy clinic offers access to therapists “specializing in the comprehensive care of musculoskeletal conditions involving bones, muscles, and joints, including orthopedic and sports medicine injuries,” according to the program announcement.

The clinic is managed by Joann Walker, a practicing physical therapist at OSU, and staffed by herself and fellow OSU physical therapist Lei Zhang, with a third therapist, Zach Webster, scheduled to start later on.

All have doctorates in physical therapy and experience in strength, conditioning, and physical therapy practice.

“[The clinic] can treat any and every kind of musculoskeletal condition that’s necessary,” Walker said.

“So that’s anything where you might have a muscle strain, or back pain or knee surgery, anything along that scope [and]. . . far beyond that scope.”

She explained that the use of the term musculoskeletal in this context refers to conditions relating to the human movement system and human movement and function in general. This is slightly different to the area of expertise offered through Denison’s Sports Medicine services, though the two are complementary and work in tandem with one another.

Services at the clinic are generally geared toward healthy, physically active community members who are experiencing musculoskeletal issues and are eager to improve their strength and range of motion.

Appointments at the clinic typically last between 45 minutes to an hour and include an initial evaluation appointment, during which therapists conduct a head-to-toe examination to determine the source of the pain. Then, therapists will work with patients to develop a treatment plan, including a schedule of additional appointments and exercises to do at home.

During each subsequent appointment, therapists will check in with patients to evaluate progress and determine what parts of the plan need adjustment.

Amy Ehrlich, Program Manager for the Denison- Ohio State Relationship, explained that the idea for the physical therapy clinic came up early in discussions between the two universities about what the partnership would look like.

Both colleges, she said, had shared interests in promoting community wellness, and were eager to work together to identify resources that OSU could provide to meet the needs of the Denison community.

Physical therapy, alongside behavioral therapy and other wellness services, was identified as one of these key resources. In an email from April 13, 2022, President Weinberg cited physical therapy as “one of the services most requested by our students.”

Both Ehrlich and Walker stressed that the program is designed to serve both athletes and non-athletes; anyone experiencing musculoskeletal issues or pain is welcome to come for evaluation, and therapists are happy to work with patients in whatever way they feel comfortable.

Ehrlich and Walker also emphasized the value of taking a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach to the program, with Denison and OSU staff across different areas coming together to make the program a reality.

“We would also be remiss if we did not thank Denison for the privilege and honor to be on campus and to deliver this care, and to get the clinic set up,” Ehrlich added. “It was a real team effort… We had lots of folks on the Denison campus that helped us do that… and it’s just been amazing from start to finish.”

The clinic is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., and Fridays from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M.

Appointments can be booked by calling 614-814-8658. Fees for therapy will be charged to each patient’s insurance provider, and patients should check with their providers for questions about cost and what is covered.