When Greg Steil, founder and CEO, established the practice in 1996, he focused on
functional capacity evaluations and work conditioning/hardening for workers' compensation
patients. Steil is an exercise physiologist who holds a three time world record
in power lifting and excelled in collegiate football. Steil's background and ambition
found him rehabilitating patients in the basement of his home; early success allowed
him to open his first clinic in Willowbrook, IL. Steil quickly realized there was
a need in the field for services that would more effectively return those in need
of rehabilitation back to optimal health. His solution was developing customized
one-to-one physical therapy and research-based work/conditioning hardening programs.
The trademarked F.I.R.S.T. ™ (Functional Integration of Strength Training) work
conditioning/hardening program evolved from extensive research and input from orthopedic
surgeons, physical therapists, athletic trainers, exercise physiologists, and bio-mechanists.
The F.I.R.S.T. ™ program has gained international recognition for its success.
Steil brought on two partners: Dylan Bates, a licensed physical therapist, as Midwest
Division President; and Matthew Kruger, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist,
as Senior Vice President of Product Development. Bates and Kruger participated in
collegiate athletics and were coincidently graduate school classmates at the University
of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Kruger and Bates shared Steil's vision for aggressive rehabilitation
through strength training and conditioning; this fueled the development of treatment
protocols utilizing progressive and cutting-edge techniques. Together the trio created
a unique business that quickly began to expand; accommodating those in need of first-class
rehabilitation derived from research-based methods.
ATI has continued to flourish by distinguishing itself in the industry and taking
a proactive approach toward patient care. ATI is continually improving and expanding
its services. ATI has a specialty clinic for healthcare needs unique to women. ATI
provides on-site athletic training services for universities, high schools, clubs,
and professional athletic teams. Through the F.I.R.S.T™ program, ATI has successfully
returned more than 5,000 injured workers to their careers. ATI has a dedicated in-house
research department to improve rehabilitation outcomes through basic science, transitional
research, evidence-based medicine and cost-benefit analysis. ATI's Center for Excellence
is a state-of-the-art internal training center dedicated to continuing education,
training, and career advancement for all ATI employees. In 2003, ATI Physical Therapy
established the ATI Foundation, a non-profit organization benefiting children in
need of resources and funding due to medical complications and disabilities to give
back to the communities it serves. ATI owns and operates a van service to provide
patients who are unable to drive or are without transportation with a complimentary
commute to and from therapy sessions.
ATI's accomplishments can be attributed to its team of carefully assembled employees.
ATI's mission "to exceed customer expectations by providing the highest quality
care in a friendly and encouraging environment" is of utmost importance to ATI employees.
ATI provides one-to-one care for a variety of orthopedic rehabilitation needs; patients
are seen by a licensed provider at every appointment.
This employee dedication has resulted in ATI's reputation as the superior provider
of outpatient rehabilitation services. In 2006, ATI Therapy was awarded the Best
Physical Therapy Practice in the Nation recognition from ADVANCE Rehabilitation
Magazine at the APTA's (American Physical Therapy Association) annual conference.