Our Clinic

Ashworth Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, and Acupuncture operates a single, integrated clinic at 5504 Ashworth Rd in West Des Moines, combining chiropractic care, physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage therapy under one roof and one coordinated treatment plan.

Clinical Philosophy

The clinic’s treatment approach follows a defined hierarchy: the least invasive intervention, the quickest realistic path to resolution, and the least expensive option that will effectively address the condition — applied in that order, with escalation only when clinically indicated. A thorough history and examination precede treatment in every case, establishing whether a condition can be appropriately managed at this clinic before care begins. When it cannot, a specific referral is made rather than initiating treatment outside the clinic’s scope.

Outcomes are tracked, not assumed. Across 4,443 patient reports collected, patients at this clinic report an average improvement of 80.8%, resolve their condition in an average of 6.3 visits, and report a 97.3% likelihood of referring others. The clinic holds a Net Promoter Score of 91, with 92% of patients rating their experience as excellent, across more than 120 treated conditions. Discharge — the point at which a patient no longer requires care — is treated as the intended outcome of treatment, not an interruption to it.

Chiropractic evaluation at this clinic incorporates a chiropractic Postural Restoration Institute (PRI)-based examination, assessing breathing mechanics, stance, and whole-body postural patterns rather than isolating the site of a patient’s pain. Human anatomy is not bilaterally symmetrical, and compensatory movement patterns — in stance, gait, or spinal loading — frequently originate at a distance from the reported symptom. Identifying these patterns is used to inform both the treatment approach and the home-based exercises assigned from the first visit.

Integrated, Multidisciplinary Care

Musculoskeletal conditions frequently involve more than one system, and treatment is structured accordingly. A patient presenting with a herniated disc may require both chiropractic adjustment and physical therapy; a chronic tendon injury may respond more effectively to shockwave therapy than to manual treatment alone. Rather than referring patients externally between disciplines, the clinic’s chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage therapy providers coordinate care within a single case record and a single treatment plan.

Clinical Team and Capabilities

Kelly Brown Gross, PT, WCS, holds Women’s Health Certified Specialist certification — one of approximately five physical therapists with this credential in Iowa, and the only one practicing in the Des Moines metro. She receives patient referrals from Mayo Clinic and the University of Iowa, and maintains a one-provider, one-patient treatment model with a daily patient cap of eight, in contrast to the 17-or-more patient loads common in hospital-system physical therapy settings.

The clinic’s shockwave therapy program utilizes a Storz Duolith SD1 Ultra device — one of two units in the state of Iowa and the only unit in the Des Moines metro — used in the treatment of chronic tendinopathy, calcific shoulder, and plantar fasciitis unresponsive to conservative care.

The clinic’s functional medicine program uses a lab-based diagnostic approach used to evaluate gastrointestinal function, hormonal status, and inflammatory markers in patients whose symptoms lack a clear mechanical origin.

Providers

• Matt Wilson, DC, FIACA — Chiropractic
• Kelly Brown Gross, PT, WCS — Physical Therapy, Pelvic Health
• Naomi Hooper, LMT — Massage Therapy
• Shannon Barnes, LMT — Massage Therapy

Location and Hours

5504 Ashworth Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50266 (515) 225-4002 Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM

Schedule an appointment or review available services to determine the appropriate discipline for a given condition.