Our Physical Therapy Staff

We'd like to focus on the qualifications of our Physical Therapists, as these are the people who will be personally handling you during your term of care with Excel Physical Therapy.

Joe Michaelis, PT, MOMT, FAOOMPT

Joe Michaelis has been practicing Physical Therapy for 21 years. He has dedicated himself to advancing his clinical abilities, and teaching his colleagues, for the benefit of the patient. His clinical background enables him to find the source of the dysfunction and treat it, not just the pain, for a return to full function.

Joe sought further education early in his career when he realized he was primarily treating symptoms. He pursued an education that provided advanced methods of assessment of the spine and extremities. Once the source of the problem is identified, exact treatment is applied to the soft-tissue and joints. Specific exercises are applied both in the clinic, and at home to restore the injured tissues and restore function. The goal of treatment is to bring the patient to a higher level of function after the injury than existed before. This will minimize the chance of re-injury.

This system of treatment originated in Norway, and is now taught throughout the United States, and around the world. It is supported by clinical research to prove its effectiveness for long-term results. This approach is effectively applied to athletic, and work injuries as well.

Joe received his bachelor of arts in physical therapy from the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN, and Master’s of Orthopedic Manual Therapy degree from the Ola Grimsby Institute, San Diego, CA. He taught the Ola Grimsby Institute’s orthopedic manual therapy program in Denver, and Minneapolis. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists. He founded Excel Physical Therapy in 1993.

He and his staff have treated thousands of patients with spinal, extremity, work-injury, women’s health, athletic, and post-operative conditions.

Rhonda Krug, PTA

In 1990 Rhonda received her Physical Therapy Assistant degree from Anoka Ramsey Community College. Rhonda has been participating in physical therapy since 1990 and joined Excel Physical Therapy in October of 2004.

Rhonda has always worked in outpatient physical therapy where she enjoys the variety of patients she meets daily. She enjoys helping people to meet their functional goals and return to their hobbies and activiies of daily living pain free.