Local office provides physical therapy with personal attention

Preston and his wife Sarah on a recent trip to Europe.

“I got into physical therapy to make a difference in the community by encouraging and assisting active lifestyles,” said Preston Buckholz, who founded and opened North Harbor Physical Therapy in 2005.

The clinic specializes in rehabilitation and physical therapy as used in part of the treatment plans for sports medicine, post-injury, pre- and post-surgical care, headaches, pain related to pregnancy, osteoporosis and more.

For Buckholz, it is a short commute to the clinic in Lakewood from Steilacoom where he lives with his wife, Sarah, and their two daughters, Ruby and Sydney.

When he is not pushing his patients towards healing and garnering good-natured laughs throughout the office, he can be found cooking, hiking, backpacking, camping or just being a dad and rooting for his girls at various competitions, from swim meets to triathlons. However, more often than not, you might just see him running along any road or trail in the area, as running is his true passion. In fact, Buckholz completed the Boston Marathon last year and makes a point to get in many miles each and every week, regardless of weather.

He is also an active member of the Oberlin Church, a member of both the Steilacoom and Lakewood Chambers of Commerce and active in state- and national-level physical therapists’ associations.

Buckholz and his staff consistently provide attentive care and an intimate level of interaction with each patient who begins treatment, no matter how crowded the clinic can get during certain times of year. It is the reason that so many former and current patients are inclined to recommend North Harbor, since many other offices are unable to provide such a comfortable, yet productive atmosphere.

“As a patient at North Harbor, you will see the same therapists every appointment and we will work with everyone separately to accomplish their goals,” he said.

Though Buckholz himself is not always on site (he does not work Fridays), the clinic’s second therapist, Keith Lohmann, and its office manager, Theresa Benton, are both always on hand to continue providing detailed, personal care to each and every one of North Harbor’s patients.

North Harbor Physical Therapy is located at 8509 Steilacoom Blvd., Suite C, in Lakewood. Regular business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, though they will stay as late as 7 p.m. those days to accommodate clients with extenuating circumstances and then 8 a.m. to noon on Friday. The office is closed on most major holidays.

North Harbor is a preferred provider with most major insurances, to include TriCare and Medicare. For more information, call (253) 722-5511.