Van Dusen celebrates 10-year anniversary
Oct. 9—Locally owned and family operated, Van Dusen Physical Therapy celebrated its 10-year anniversary on Friday at its headquarters in Yuba City.
The business had its humble beginnings in a 500-square-foot corner of a warehouse owned by Fletcher's Plumbing. Over the last decade, owner Douglas Van Dusen has grown his empire 20 times over to include a majority share of the facilities located at 851 Gray Ave. in Yuba City.
Van Dusen's journey started in Eureka at College of the Redwoods with the idea that he might one day be a coach or athletic trainer. But life had other plans and Van Dusen later found himself returning to school at Sacramento State University to pursue a more prestigious career in physical therapy.
This is where he met his wife, Shawna Van Dusen, and the two obtained jobs at Adventist Health/Rideout Hospital in Marysville. Douglas Van Dusen worked in outpatient rehabilitation services for 14 years before leaving to establish his own clinic. He now has 24 years worth of experience under his belt, specializing in sports and orthopedic rehab.
"I like the complex stuff because it challenges me more," said Van Dusen. "We've expanded a lot in the last 10 years and we're still growing."
Friday's party introduced guests to some of the clinic's newest facilities, a wellness center complete with hairstyling, scalp massages, and alternative offerings such as cryotherapy, red light therapy, and IV therapy.
"We're really excited to offer wellness and these alternative kinds of things to Yuba City," said Shawna Van Dusen, who still works as a labor and delivery nurse at Rideout. "We've been getting a lot of feedback about the cryotherapy and IV therapy, there's just not a lot of these options locally available."
Cryotherapy is a kind of cryogenic therapy that exposes the body to very cold temperatures for a short period of time. The theory behind the treatment is that the cold will help with inflammation and reduce pain or other symptoms.
IV therapy, or intravenous therapy, is a medical technique that administers fluids, medications, and nutrients directly into a person's bloodstream. The Van Dusens' clinic offers various hydration drips focused on athletic recovery, general hydration, beauty, and immune system support. Red light therapy employs the use of low-level lasers to deliver red and near-infrared light to areas of the body. This method seeks to regenerate new cells, restore cell function, and trigger blood flow which in turn helps to heal and relieve pain.
With nearly 400 patients seen each week, the Van Dusen clinic has grown naturally. The owners said they have rarely had to advertise their services and primarily rely on their own reputation and word of mouth to garner new patients.
"He's really good at what he does. He fixes people and his patients don't want to quit working with him," said Shawna Van Dusen.
Douglas Van Dusen is also passionate about helping train and educate young physical therapists along their journey. His skill has warranted clients and staff to refer to his practices as the "Van Dusen Way" — a fitting title for a man with a physical therapy doctorate and ongoing training to become a master clinician.
To learn more about Van Dusen Physical Therapy, visit vandusenpt.com. For more on IV therapy and other wellness services, visit replenish-i-v.com or email Replenishi.v@outlook.com.
