By Heather Clower
The Parsons Advocate
Up until the last few months, most people needing physical therapy services had to travel to Elkins or Philippi for their appointments. In late 2019 Elkins Physical Therapy made arrangements with the City of Parsons to utilize the Wellness 24 Center to bring their services to Tucker County.
Elkins Physical Therapy was founded in 1991 by David Lee. Three years ago, David Lee’s son, Matt Lee, took over the business and has been determined to branch out and cover a larger area for those in need. Lee, a Physical Therapist, and local Chris Davis, a PT Assistant, frequent the area twice a week with a desire to offer even more. “We want to offer services closer to home,” said Davis. “This (Wellness 24 in Parsons) is a nice, centralized location.” In addition to Parsons and Elkins, the business is also set up in Belington and the Valley Bend area. “We’re hoping to be full time here within a few months,” added Davis. Lee said they are on the search for a full time physical therapist to join their team and will join Davis in the Parsons facility five days a week as the other locations are.
“The reason we expanded is because we are excited for what physical therapy can do in this area and it is underutilized,” stated Lee. “We can offer any type of outpatient PT that one should need from a physician,” he added. Some areas of expertise offered by the staff include general strength and balance programs for geriatrics, addressing sports and work related injuries, spinal and joint issues, dry needling to reduce muscle tension, cupping and taping, and tool assisted soft tissue therapy. Being located within a fitness facility is advantageous. Lee stated, “This allows us to transition people into community based fitness routines.”
Elkins Physical Therapy works closely with most insurance companies, some of which require a referral. If you are interested in taking advantage of this service in the Parsons area and are unsure if your insurance requires prior authorization, Lee and Davis welcome you to call their hub in Elkins for further information.
The real secret to their success stated Lee is, “The individual care and the quality staff and therapy.” Their facility focuses on one on one, undivided attention and care which has shown to make a difference in their patients progress. “We’re learning that this model is the best,” Lee concluded.
If you are unsure if an injury or ailment could benefit from physical therapy, Elkins Physical Therapy offers free screenings to assist their patients in knowing if it is a route to pursue. Services such as this could greatly benefit our local athletes as they exert themselves on the field, court, or track.
