DMU Clinic - Physical Therapy

Through hands-on care and patient-focused movement assessment and treatment, DMU physical therapists optimize functional recovery and high-level performance and provide trauma-informed and equitable health care. For appointments call 515-271-1717.

An exercise class for all ages and abilities, focused on improving balance, strength and flexibility. Taught by Sharon Johansen, PTA, MS, ATC and Jane Solon. 

Des Moines University Clinic Physical Therapy is the exclusive provider of physical therapy and athletic training services for the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex.

Our therapists assess and treat injuries and conditions all over the body, including the back and neck, shoulder, arm and hand, hip, knee, ankle and foot. Learn More

Physical therapy can help address changes in balance, strengthen muscles, and improve your overall physical health to keep you active and well. Learn More

In addition to physical therapy, dry needling is a treatment option that promotes blood flow to underlying tissues to treat pain, muscle impairments and movement disability. Learn More

The musculoskeletal system changes significantly during and after pregnancy. Our therapists work with you to optimize function throughout your pregnancy and recover after your little one arrives. Common treatments include pelvic, back and hip pain along with urinary incontinence.

Pelvic health conditions, such as pain, incontinence, urinary urgency or frequency and constipation are all treatable with physical therapy and can improve quality of life. Our therapists are trained in biofeedback therapy to treat men, women and children with pelvic floor dysfunctions. Learn More

Our therapists can help you recover from and manage symptoms of neurological conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and others.

The concussion management program includes base line testing, community education, and post-concussive assessments. Once concussed, each individual receives a custom treatment plan to facilitate return to learn, sport, and other activities. Learn More

Through the use of manual, hands-on techniques, we will help you improve the mobility of your soft tissues and joints, decrease pain and sensitivity, and restore your ability to move and function at your best. Learn More

Physical therapy wellness examinations and personalized instruction and help ensure that you're strong, healthy and able to enjoy daily life. Learn More

If you are like most people, you’ve likely experienced pain at some point in your life. Maybe that pain lasted only for a day or two, or perhaps you have pain now and it has been lasting for a while. …

It is estimated that over 25% of cis-gendered women and 17% of cis-gendered men will experience pelvic pain at some point in their lives, and if you find yourself somewhere within that statistic, know that you are not alone. Pelvic …

As a mother, I know first-hand how awful it is when your child can’t poop. The struggle is real and is common in many households with kids holding their stool, for a variety of reasons. Connecting with the right professionals …

In the past year of COVID-19, health care teams around the world have provided care to many patients in various stages of the disease. But what is the role of a physical therapist in this health care crisis? Here, I …

Many of you have been working from home during this pandemic and whether you’ve returned to the office or you continue to work from your kitchen table, we wanted to give you a little refresher course on basic ergonomics. Here …

Consider this: Other than our feet, which support us in standing and walking during the day, the pelvic floor is the next most complex system in the human body that also runs parallel to the floor. The pelvic floor includes anything …

Whether you’re a seasoned runner or training seriously for the first time, the way you structure your workout regimen is important in protecting you from injury. Most running-related injuries occur at the knees, feet, shins, Achilles tendon and calves; hip, …

“Help, I’ve fallen and can’t get up.” Many of us have heard this catchphrase from the Life-Alert commercials, but for some older adults these commercials touch on a very real fear: falling. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and …

While concussions are often considered a sports injury, they can occur any time a force acts upon the head. Avoiding physical or mental exertion has historically been the prescribed treatment plan for individuals recovering from a concussion, but research has shown …

This article was co-authored by Des Moines University students Brittney England, D.P.T.’21 and Jordan Wachter, D.P.T.’21. Concussions are a hot topic in our society that affects children, athletes, and adults of all ages. Understanding the best care and treatment is …

Concussions are defined as a traumatic brain injury usually caused by a blow to the head, whiplash, or an abrupt stop of the head. What is a concussion? Contrary to what you may have heard, concussions are not “brain bleeds.” …

Sex. A topic that for myself, personally, growing up was not a topic of conversation in our house. Yes, I had sex education courses throughout school that taught basic anatomy and the general logistics of what sex is. My sex …

When you take a second to think about it, pain is truly quite the concept to wrap your brain around. Why does my shoulder hurt? Why can’t I move my back? When will this go away? As a third year …

Many of us have heard the common perception that running is hard on your knees and that runners will eventually “ruin” theirs if they keep it up. Or, when a runner suffers an injury, the simplistic solution of just stop …

When you are running, walking or just doing other daily movements, the pelvic floor plays a major yet often silent role. What is the pelvic floor? The pelvic floor consists of muscles at the bottom of your pelvis that help …

Some families pass down recipes, others pass down neurological disorders. On my maternal grandmother’s side, approximately 50% of people in the last five generations have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and/or a similar, but more rare and mild disease called …

As I get further into my twenties, it has been such a treat to be surrounded by more pregnant women than ever before. Having never been pregnant myself, I always have many questions about what it is like to carry …

No longer are patients waiting in waiting rooms, holding doors open, and shaking hands with their health care providers. Health care is no different than any other industry, and rapid changes have occurred in how patients are seen since the …

Summer sun is here, and as we lather on the sunscreen to keep our skin safe, we can also reap the benefits of giving ourselves a little more Vitamin D. Why is Vitamin D important for your health? Vitamin D …

“Following GCS my surgeon referred me to Kari Smith for pain that I was still experiencing six months after surgery. After the first couple sessions I realized that I wasn't going to have to live with the pain forever. From the very start she put me at ease and explained what was happening to my body, and gave me exercises that I could do at home. In less than two months I'm back to doing the activities, pain free, that I was doing before surgery. I cannot thank her enough!”