
January 13, 2025
OSHKOSH/APPLETON – A venture that started more than 20 years ago focused solely on Robert Runge – a doctor of physical therapy – has since grown to encompass six providers across two locations.
“I knew from the start that if I was going to open a private practice, I wanted it to be more than just about me,” Runge, president and clinic owner of Excel Physical Therapy, said.
Where it began
Now decades in, Runge said he couldn’t imagine working in any other field, though a career in physical therapy wasn’t necessarily where he thought he’d end up.
“My initial plan was to go into engineering – I was always interested in science and engineering,” he said. “I got into college, and I went to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I was in track, and I got injured, so I was working with the athletic trainer.”
During those sessions, Runge said the athletic trainer asked him if he ever thought about a career in physical therapy.
“He was listening to the things that I was interested in and he said, ‘Have you ever thought of physical therapy?’” he said. “I think physical therapy really captured or encompassed many of the things that I like, both from the science side – understanding anatomy and physiology – as well as the mechanical piece that is in physical therapy. We have to be able to analyze movement.”
Those interests, combined with his experience as an athlete who went through physical therapy himself, Runge said it became more and more clear that physical therapy was the right path for him.
With the decision made, Runge said he pivoted and obtained a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and later earned his clinical doctorate in physical therapy from EIM – specializing in the treatment of muscular and joint injuries with an emphasis on rehabilitation of shoulder and lower extremities.
After working in a nursing home setting for a handful of years, Runge said he contemplated starting a private practice as patients sought him out for outpatient physical therapy.
“I started as a sole practitioner in a very small office, working part-time in a nursing home as I built the practice up,” he said. “My wife and I also had four small children at the time.”
Runge said he went with Excel for his practice’s name because that is what he aspires to do for his patients.
“My goal as a physical therapist was really to help people not only to recover but to excel in their recovery, excel in their ability to do things and function again,” he said. “I think that was really the root of how I came up with that name.”
Services
Runge said Excel offers a variety of outpatient orthopedic physical therapy services.
“So we treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, spine problems, neck and back problems,” he said. “We treat a lot of shoulder problems, a lot of hip and knee problems. Many common injuries that people experience, whether they’re sports- or work-related injuries, wear and tear – things that have occurred with time – as well as pain that has come on, sometimes, for no apparent reason.”
Excel Physical Therapy, Runge said, has several staff who are board-certified clinical specialists.

“We have therapists that are board-certified specialists in orthopedic physical therapy,” he said. “We also have therapists that are certified in manual therapy, which is a hands-on evaluation and treatment approach, so we have a high level of skill in evaluating orthopedic conditions.”
Runge said Excel providers also treat a lot of vestibular problems, “which is treatment for vertigo and dizziness” – an offering that he said sets the practice apart from others.
“Treating vertigo and dizziness was kind of a core of our practice, as well as the treatment of joint spine problems,” he said. “We specialize in treating the full continuum of people – from young kids to athletes to people who are in their 90s.”
Another unique aspect of Excel Physical Therapy, Runge said, is the fact that all patients see their doctors of physical therapy at every visit.
“They’re not seeing aids or assistants – they’re seeing their doctor of physical therapy,” he said. “And they have one-on-one time with their doctor of physical therapy every single visit, which, I think, is a differentiator in our market now, because many clinics are going to aids and assistants.”
Continued growth
Over the years, Runge said as the business grew – both in patients and providers – Excel Physical Therapy moved into larger facilities.
“Each time we grew, we approximately doubled our size,” he said.
The hiring of Excel’s most recent provider, Runge said, partly prompted the opening of the practice’s Appleton location at 924 N Westhill Blvd.
“We have patients that have come to us from Appleton, and we had a therapist that was interested in developing a clinic in Appleton – so for both of those reasons, we decided to open the Appleton location,” he said.
Runge said the plan is to continue to grow the newly opened Appleton location – both in services and providers.
“(We plan to have) multiple therapists in that location,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons we chose it because it has adequate space where we can add additional providers. So, we’re definitely looking to expand that location.”
With a limited number of physical therapy providers on Appleton’s west side, Runge said “we’re really hitting our target market.”
“Whether it’s that northwest side of Appleton and we also have easy access to folks in Neenah,” he said.
At some point, Runge said he may look to expand to other locations in Appleton.
“But at this point, our only immediate plan is to continue to grow that current location in Appleton and the existing one in Oshkosh (480 N. Koeller St.),” he said.
A growing team
Looking back, Runge said what he’s enjoyed the most since opening Excel Physical Therapy is watching his team grow.
“I think we have an amazing team, to see how other staff members have grown and watching people take leadership roles (has been gratifying),” he said. “They’ve grown in their skills, and they’ve grown as a person as well – their lives have changed.”
Runge said many of Excel’s staff have gone through different phases of their lives while working at the practice.
“We’ve seen people grow and develop from both a professional side, as well as a personal side – and I think that’s another thing that makes our group unique,” he said. “We truly care for each other as a team, and I think that our patients really see that in how we interact with each other.”
When you’re working with the same people for a long time, Runge said “you’ve walked through the hard days with each other as well.”
“We’ve seen the deaths of parents,” he said. “We’ve seen kids diagnosed with cancer. We’ve seen a lot of different things, and we’ve walked through that with each other, and I think that that creates a special bond.”
Runge said he’s also enjoyed seeing the impact he has on his patients as a physical therapist.
“I enjoy helping people heal and recover,” he said. “Seeing the fear and pain of a physical problem be replaced with hope and strength as they get back to normal life is very rewarding.”