Erik Nieuwenhuis

Erik graduated from Des Moines University in May of 1998 with his Master of Science in Physical Therapy degree. Erik became interested in physical therapy as a career after he had suffered with musculoskeletal pain and headaches after a motor vehicle accident (MVA) after his sophomore year in college during the summer of 1992, and his lifestyle challenges managing juvenile diabetes (T1D) since his diagnosis in December of 1989. Erik has worn an insulin pump since 2001, and loves to educate his patients on making wise daily choices to care for their body that he has learned managing his blood sugar and MSD stiffness/ pain for the last 29 years.

He has a passion to encourage and inspire others to improve their daily posture habits, learn dynamic stretches which he leads through his LLC, 3D Lifestyle Athlete, functional strengthening exercises, and self-care techniques to reverse and treat headaches, lower back pain, shoulder pain, hip and knee pain, tendonitis pain, trigger finger, and carpal tunnel syndrome. He also loves to encourage others to improve their daily lifestyle habits to improve their daily quality of life and well-being.

Erik has worked 20 years as a Physical Therapist at UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s for 19+ years and Tri- State Specialists, LLP in Sioux City, IA and now joins the Impact Physical Therapy staff. Erik completed his Certification of Applied Functional Science (CAFS) in February of 2016 and he received his 3DMAPS certification from the Gray institute in May of 2018, and has completed over 174+ hours in continuing education from the Gray Institute led by Gary Gray PT, FAFS. Erik loves to use his manual therapy skills learned from Des Moines University, and his Gray Institute CAFS skills to evaluate, encourage, and lead patients in the restoration of their physical health and well-being, to speed return to work and improve their daily movement and well-being so they may be their best self daily!

Erik also uses his extensive ergonomics and work smarter posture habits and body mechanics education and training that he learned while working at UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s to further improve patient outcomes in a timely fashion, with reduced costs for each patient out of pocket, and improved quality of life at work, home, play, and improving patients ability to properly recover their daily rest/ recovery too!

Erik and his wife Jenilyn live in Sioux City, IA and have 4 children Abbigail, Maelynne, Hunter and Brady. Erik, loves to lead others in taking care of their body, and helping them become their best-self daily. When away from work he enjoys circuit training and lifting weights at 4 Seasons health club, going to the park or playing outside with his children, working in his garden, watching movies, or attending his children’s sporting events at school, across the Siouxland Community, or at Sunnybrook Community Church. He also enjoy’s watching and playing sports with his children and wife and rooting for his favorite teams the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, UNI Panthers, Iowa Hawkeyes, KU Jayhawks, and his favorite superhero “Captain America”!