Physical therapist to open independent practice

The backbone of a physical therapy practice is client relationships, therapist Rajbir Kaur said.

That’s why she’s making building those relationships the number one priority of her south-side Port Washington practice, Arise Physical Therapy, which opens Monday.

“Building relationships with people — that’s the goal,” she said. 

  Kaur said she plans to build a client list primarily from word of mouth. Even though she takes insurance, she doesn’t think doctor’s prescriptions will be a major draw.

“We don’t have many independent physicians in the area,” she said. Arise will be the only independent physical therapy practice in Port Washington.

A significant portion of her business will likely come from people walking in to get help with a recurring pain, Kaur said.

“We see everybody,” she said, adding physical therapy can help people recover from sports injuries and debilitating diseases or simply treat age-related issues.

Physical therapy helps build muscle to improve balance, mobility and strength to recover from back problems or other issues causing pain.

Kaur said she specializes in treating issues stemming from strokes and Parkinson’s disease. She also provides dry needling treatments.

Part of physical therapy is creating confidence and strength through independent exercises, Kaur said.

“People have called and said they were older and afraid to get injured while exercising,” she said. “I can work with them to find out what their limitations are and build a plan.”

A personal trainer helps create workout regimes.

Kaur considered exclusively taking cash payments, which is simpler and cuts through the red tape and diminishing returns of accepting insurance.

But, she decided to accept insurance as it will let Arise tap into the area’s senior population, most of whom are insured for physical therapy treatments, and will help create a consistent revenue stream.

Kaur said she will host evening yoga sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting next year, along with weekend classes and chair yoga sessions. 

The yoga sessions will hopefully create a community around Arise, Kaur said.

“My goal is to get more people in the door,” she said. “This is a whole brand-new thing, and I want to let people know what I do.”

Kaur was educated in India and moved to the United States in 2012. 

It was difficult to transfer her physical therapy certification here, Kaur said.

“Looking back, it was quite a process,” she said. “It took altogether three years to do extra classes and to take my board exams.”

She worked at SPORT Clinic Physical Therapy and then Select Rehabilitation before starting at Aurora Grafton Medical Center in Grafton in 2020.

Kaur said starting an independent practice was her goal “from day one.” In July, she purchased the space in the strip mall off Port Washington Road.

“I said, ‘I just have to make it happen.”

Kaur said the strip mall has ample parking and good visibility from South Spring Street. She added that the soon-to-open Indian grocery store next door will also drive traffic.

Arise will open with Kaur and a part-time physical therapist as well as a receptionist. However, she hopes to grow to at least three full-time therapists.

Kaur said she spent about $55,000 on machines for Arise, all of which are new and top-of-the-line.

For insurance coverage, Arise is partnered with SPORT Clinic Physical Therapy, a Mequon-based physical therapy center that is opening a location in Port Washington next year.