Fountain Hills Physical Therapy’s team is growing, with physical therapist Caleb Badder recently joining the staff.

Working at FHPT is actually a homecoming for Badder, who grew up in Fountain Hills. He attended Notre Dame Prep before going on to complete his undergraduate at Azusa Pacific University. Graduate school for physical therapy took Badder to Texas, where he continued his education at University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.

Badder, now 27, said he wanted to go out of state for his education, but he always planned to return home once he entered the field.

“My parents still live here, my brother is a PT in Mesa and my grandparents are here,” Badder said. “So, I knew I would want to be back home and around everyone.”

Badder said he dealt with injuries himself when younger and playing sports, which introduced him to physical therapy. He said he grew to respect what his own physical therapist did for a living, as well as the technicians and support staff working to keep him healthy.

Badder said that, if he had a personal mission statement, it would be “helping people get back to whatever event, recreational activity or whatever it is that contributes to their overall quality of life and happiness.”

He said his work helps folks get back to a normal life, whatever “normal” may mean for each patient.

“One of the things I enjoy most since completing school is the diversity of the patients you get to work with,” Badder said. “One half hour you may be working with a geriatric patient and then the next you’re helping a high school athlete get back to the sport they love. They all present their own challenges, which keeps things interesting.”

Badder said one of the things he enjoys most about being a physical therapist is the amount of time he gets to spend with his patients, really working with them to address their health issues.

“That was one of my biggest draws to this field, compared to other areas of medicine,” he said. “It’s rewarding, getting to help them while also getting to know them as an individual. It's fun.”

Badder has been working professionally for about two and a half years at this point, but he said he’ll never stop learning. He said he takes pride in continuing his education, knowing everything he learns about PT will eventually let him help a patient improve their health.

“I think that’s the mentality a PT should have,” he added. “How can I take my skillset and help this individual who is putting themselves in a vulnerable position by coming in and talking about their issues? How can I help them improve their quality of life?”

Fountain Hills Physical Therapy is located at 16650 E. Palisades Blvd. #109. The office can be reached at 480-404-6775 and more information can be found online at fountainhillsphysicaltherapy.com.