Inspiring Conversations with Joseph Hanisko of Onward Grand Rapids

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Hanisko. 

Hi Joseph, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Onward Grand Rapids developed out of necessity. I was working in the typical medical outpatient physical therapy setting and I was sensing a huge void. My passion was working with goal-oriented individuals. Fit, active, passionate clients who truly wanted to get better and get back to what they love. The issue I was finding was the setting I was working in didn’t allow me to treat these clients the way I thought was needed. I wanted to give my time, my undivided attention to these clients. I wanted to hear their story, take time to watch them move, and give them highly skilled care all in one session but I wasn’t able to do that to my standards. Traditional physical therapy models are designed on often volume. This happens for understandable reasons, but I wasn’t having that. These are fast-paced clinics, with high numbers of clients which leads to a successful business but not always ideal care. In my eyes, there was a demand for a model that prioritized my clients’ time and goals. With this personal goal of mine, great mentors, and a direction Onward Grand Rapids was born. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Opening a business comes with inherent risks. I’m thankful for my team who guides me through hurdles I wasn’t expected to see. Ultimately, I have been focused on growing a product more than a business. Get good, then get busy. I have spent and continue to spend my time investing into my skills and my fitness community here in Grand Rapids. Working in these two areas has allowed my business to organically grow much faster than expected. Smooth, not always, but turbulence is part of the journey. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Onward Grand Rapids?
At Onward, we facilitate rapid recovery from activity-limiting aches and pains using precision rehabilitation: highly refined clinical reasoning supplemented by skilled exercise prescription and manual therapy. Our model is built around the consumer. Our priorities are in getting our clients back to what they love above all else. We specialize in fitness athletes, strength athletes, runners, and all active people. From head to toe, we feel confident in treating the individual along with their painful areas. We also have special considerations for headaches/neck pain as well as TMJ/jaw pain. 

Our three-step process would be as follows: put out the fire and eliminate the pain quickly, find and understand the root cause of the issues, and ultimately build a plan that keeps you out of pain for good. 

We value fitness above all else. Dialed in exercise, strength work, and mobility work is truly the route to success. Our clinicians walk the walk just as much as we talk the talk. Because of this, our clients and clinicians see eye to eye. We understand your passion because it is our passion too. 

Manual therapy and hands-on skill is crucial to our success as well. We use a combination of dry needling, spinal manipulation, and a host of other soft tissue techniques that allow us to change pain quickly. 

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
At Onward we believe our success is rooted in our understanding. Most of the clients we see are exactly like us. We don’t want to miss the gym, the next run/hike, or time spent moving with our family or friends either. We get it! We want what you want, so we understand what it takes to get people better. 

Pricing:

• 135$ / session

Contact Info:

• Email: info@onwardgrandrapids.com
• Website: onwardgrandrapids.com
• Instagram: @onwardgrandrapids
• Other: https://onwardgrandrapids.janeapp.com/

Image Credits
@jordanvanphoto