About Your Physical Therapist
Carol Grgic, PT, OCS, is the owner and founder of Elite Bodyworks, Milwaukee's newest direct-pay Physical Therapy and Wellness clinic.
Experience
Carol has over 25 years of experience in Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Physical Therapy. Her work in various clinical sites and with thousands of amazing clients led to the creation of Elite Bodyworks in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.
Carol has been the primary Physical Therapist for the Milwaukee Admirals professional hockey team for the past eight seasons, and has worked with Marquette University athletics for the past 15 years. While she enjoys working with these high-level athletes, she also gets great satisfaction from helping clients of all ages and abilities.
Education
Carol received her Physical Therapy degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She immediately recognized the importance of life-long learning through continuing education and skill development. After all, Physical Therapy is an ever-changing and evolving field. This led her to complete advanced training in neurological dry needling, myofascial and joint mobilization, functional assessment and movement analysis, neuromuscular reeducation and therapeutic exercise, TMJ and headache treatment, and lymphedema/swelling management, to name a few.
Professional Activities and Achievements
Carol has been a clinical Physical Therapy educator for numerous universities, helping young therapists develop their skills during internships and fieldwork. In 2010, she developed the Dry Needling program at Aurora Health Care and led the Dry Needling Clinical Expert team at Aurora. She continues to mentor other therapists to ensure safety and technique efficacy. Carol has been part of the Sports Specialist and Concussion Management groups at Aurora, helping develop effective programs based on the latest medical evidence.
In 2020, Carol became a Board-Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists. This program recognizes physical therapist practitioners’ advanced knowledge, skills, and experience through specialist credentialing. Since earning this credential, Carol has developed training tools for other therapists studying to earn their Board-Certification.
Carol has been a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association, and the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy throughout her entire career. She earned her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) in 2004 and remains a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Miscellaneous
Outside of the Physical Therapy world, Carol enjoys remaining active and loves exploring her home neighborhood of the Historic Third Ward in Downtown Milwaukee. You can often find her walking her Labradoodle puppy, “Copper” along the river walk, kayaking in the Milwaukee river and Lake Michigan, or enjoying her love of cycling on one of the great bike paths in the area. She prioritizes an active lifestyle and loves helping others achieve their fitness and activity goals.
Mission of Elite Bodyworks
To provide expert, individualized, one-on-one Physical Therapy care without insurance limitations and constraints, helping clients reach their fitness and activity goals quickly and effectively.
FAQ - Elite Bodyworks
This FAQ section will help answer your questions regarding Physical Therapy services at Elite Bodyworks. Please utilize the contact us page to answer any further questions.
Does Elite Bodyworks take my insurance?
Elite Bodyworks is an out-of-network provider, meaning we do not contract with any specific insurance companies. This therapy delivery model is known as “self-pay” or “direct-pay.”
Elite Bodyworks always offers one-on-one care provided by a Physical Therapist, never an aide or assistant. You and your therapist develop your treatment plan without common insurance company limitations on the number of visits or the types of services. Most insurance companies do not cover services that focus on performance or higher-level activities such as running or working out at the gym. At Elite Bodyworks, the focus is on helping you get back to the activities you love without pain!
Elite Bodyworks accepts HSA or FSA cards, cash, checks, credit, or Venmo. We can provide a receipt upon request, which you can submit to any insurance besides Medicare.
What does a therapy session entail?
Each Physical Therapy session is one hour long and can incorporate any variety of treatments, including manual therapy, dry needling, neuromuscular reeducation, or recovery services.
Your first visit will be a comprehensive evaluation and movement assessment to determine your current status and how therapy can help you improve functionally. In most cases, there is also time for treatment at the first session. Follow-up visits always include a reassessment of impairments but will focus on appropriate therapies to help you reach your goals.
What are the costs at Elite Bodyworks?
A one-hour Physical Therapy session costs $170, with discounts provided for Vitality members or Marine Terminal Loft residents. Additional discounts are available with the purchase of a visit package. This hourly charge is lower than the rate at a typical insurance-based clinic. As noted above, you can submit your receipt to your insurance provider for out-of-network reimbursement.
Many patients we work with have high-deductible insurance plans. If you have not met your deductible for the year, you will have to pay out-of-pocket, regardless of the cost. Unfortunately, many people end up getting bills for several hundred dollars or more for therapy after the fact. You will always know upfront what the cost of your session is and be comforted that no surprise bills are on the way!
Do I need a Physician prescription for Physical Therapy?
Wisconsin is a Direct Access state, meaning you do not need a prescription for Physical Therapy services. By getting PT first, you can save thousands of dollars on costly doctor’s appointments and unnecessary imaging. Having a Physical Therapist with years of experience evaluating and treating patients and who is Board-Certified in Orthopedics is vital to rule out red flags and ensure that Physical Therapy is an indicated treatment.
Following your evaluation, your therapist will let you know if an MD visit is warranted. Carol has working relationships and is highly respected among many different primary care, orthopedic, and neurology physicians in the Milwaukee area and can help steer you in the right direction as needed.
How many therapy sessions will I need?
Your therapist will be able to give you an idea of the amount of therapy you will need after your evaluation. Still, we cannot provide an exact timeframe because all people and injuries are unique.
Clients receiving one-on-one, personalized care from an expert level therapist can progress faster. Your therapist has helped thousands of people return to the activities they love without pain and can help you do the same!
