About
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.