Physical Therapist Lives out Childhood Dream with the Iowa Barnstormers
July 24, 2024 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Iowa Barnstormers News Release
DES MOINES, IA - Dr. Bryan Ladd starts by winding athletic tape around each leg of a football player. He then proceeds to use his resistance band to stretch the player's hamstrings and hips. It's game day for the "modern day gladiators' of the Iowa Barnstormers.
When the sound of the referee's whistle fills Wells Fargo Arena, Dr. Ladd patiently waits. Always prepared with bandages and plenty of electrolytes, he is ready for whatever injury occurs on the field of the sport he grew up loving.
Dr. Ladd's desire to train and heal people made him destined to become a medical professional. Exposed to the profession at an early age from shadowing healthcare providers at different offices, he was determined to combine these passions and pursue a career in physical therapy.
"I realized I can do the strength and conditioning aspect that I love, but also this rehab aspect," Dr. Ladd said. "You help injured athletes and help people in a lot of different ways and make a big impact."
Dr. Ladd was a small town kid, growing up in Aurora, Nebraska with its 4,000 residents. He studied Exercise Science and played football 40 minutes down the road at Hastings College before serving in the United States Navy as one of its head physical therapists.
"I did five years in the Navy; two years in Washington State and three years in Okinawa, Japan," Dr. Ladd said. "I was the department head for three years and I ran a clinic that had 30 or so staff members under me."
Knowing that his position in the Navy would not be his permanent job, Dr. Ladd wanted to do something that combined his passion and an entrepreneurial spirit by starting his own physical therapy practice. He and his wife, Deana, opened Kaizen Health and Wellness in 2019 and since then, it has become one of Iowa's premier physical therapy providers.
"I never really had any plans of starting my own business at all ever," Dr. Ladd said. "I started looking at my options, and the more I looked, I realized to do what I want to do, I got to start my own thing and that's how Kaizen was born."
Years after opening Kaizen Health and Wellness, Dr. Ladd realized that he truly missed being part of a team. He explained that the camaraderie and tight-knit culture he experienced in the Navy was something he wanted to recapture in some capacity.
"In the Navy, we had our own team there and then you're also part of a bigger team," Dr. Ladd said. "So for me, it was a hard transition because I wanted to get involved again and be a part of a team and help out a bigger cause."
Dr. Ladd would have the chance to fulfill this objective when he found out that the Iowa Barnstormers were searching for a trainer and physical therapist to work with the team for the upcoming season.
Although there were many other physical therapists in the Des Moines area, Dr. Ladd decided to reach out to the team to express his interest in the opportunity anyway.
Dr. Ladd met with Barnstormers General Manager Juli Pettit and Head Coach Dave Mogensen to explain Kaizen's capabilities and in September, Dr. Ladd and the team agreed to a partnership for the 2024 season.
"I talked with Juli and coach just to talk through what they were looking for and what we were looking for, and just roles and expectations," Dr. Ladd said. "That's how a partnership was born."
Currently, Dr. Ladd attends all home and road games and provides personalized treatment plans to Barnstormers players who choose to use the Kaizen Health and Wellness facilities. From taping ankles to rehabbing torn ACLs, Dr. Ladd and his team are available to assess and treat the players' injuries when duty calls.
"Some guys come in just lifting weights and I think some had some cupping done earlier," Dr. Ladd said. "They've been using the facility long enough that they know they just come in and we stay out of their way."
Dr. Ladd mentioned that getting to be involved with football again and working with all the players are what he enjoys the most about his partnership with the Barnstormers.
"They have a really solid group of people in their organization," Dr. Ladd said. "It's been a lot of fun just to hang out with them and get to know them better."
More information about Dr. Ladd and the physical therapy services Kaizen Health and Wellness offers can be found on Kaizen's website, kaizendsm.com and on social media @kaizendsm. Dr. Ladd or a member of his team can also be reached by phone at 515-207-2450.
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