Meet The Team

What Makes Gray Duck Different?

1-On-1 For 1

One on One For A Full Hour With Your Doctor, Every Visit

To ensure that you receive the highest level of care possible, each treatment you will spend one hour of high quality, individualized, 1 on 1 care from your designated doctor of physical therapy. You will never be treated by a rehab aid or assistant. This allows us to limit how often you have to come into the office.

Accessibility

24 Hour Response Time

When we say we’re 100% committed to your entire rehab process, we mean it. During your rehab process and in between visits you will have direct access to your physical therapists if you have questions.

Wholistic Care

You're More Than A Diagnosis or Injury

At Gray Duck Physical Therapy we treat people not body parts. Through our extensive training and experience, we are aware that the location of your pain may not reflect the actual cause of your discomfort. Not only that, but we want to identify and target any weak areas to help bullet proof the rest of the body and decrease the likelihood of sustaining injuries in the future.

Cost Transparency

You'll Never Get a Bill From Us Months Later After Your Visit

Many physical therapy clinics will send out a bill months after your rehabilitation is complete. With Gray Duck Physical Therapy you will never be surprised by a bill you were not anticipating.

Relatability

We Understand the Demands of Your Life and/or Sport

We walk the talk! We are physical therapists that exercise and participate in a large variety of activities/sports ourselves we understand what it takes. While many physicians and physical therapists will simply tell you to stop your desired activity we understand that avoiding the things that you enjoy most because of an injury is no way to live. Because of our background, many times we are able to find ways and make modifications to allow you to continue to participate in your desired activity without having to take time off while we help you rehabilitate from your injury.

Our Team

Dr. Nick Manning, PT, DPT, CF-L1 - Owner

While still in highschool, Dr. Nick discovered the immense positive impact physical therapy can have on quality of life. He experienced his own rehabilitation from a football knee injury as well as watched his father rehab from an extended illness. The Physical Therapist’s Nick met helped his father relearn how to walk, restoring his dad to the life he had before. That experience will always stay with him, driving his desire to impact others’ lives in the same profound way.

Dr. Nick attended the University of MN - Twin Cities, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology - Clinical Movement in 2012. In 2016 he earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN. Wanting to incorporate true strength and conditioning principles into his practice, he has also earned his CrossFit Level 1 Certificate.

A firm believer that there is always a way to help someone get better faster, he continues to keep up with research and the most modern Physical Therapy and strength training techniques. When people go to a doctor, they expect answers, they expect an expert, Dr. Nick strives for this for every single patient.

Dr. Nick quickly experienced and was frustrated by the red tape in the mainstream healthcare system. It created gross limitations for the care he wanted to give. His patients were being charged inflated rates for shorter and shorter appointments that never got patients truly back to full involvement in their life.

Dr. Nick founded Gray Duck to fill a glaring hole in the management of pain in the healthcare system. The gap between becoming pain free and preventing the next instance of pain.

Using his specialty in helping athletes and active individuals find ways to continue to workout while rehabbing from injury Dr. Nick enjoys helping people see what they’re truly capable of; whether coming back from an injury that they thought they’d have forever, or setting their next personal best in a run or lift. 

Ariel Manning, Patient Specialist - Owner

Ariel has an unquestionable enthusiasm for sharing the truth about movement medicine. Her empathy for those in pain knows no bounds and it is her mission to support anyone who needs guidance.

With a personal story of injury and recovery and ten plus years of professional customer service experience she is the perfect advocate for you and your needs.

Ariel studied Business at the University of Northwestern, St Paul. Before Gray Duck, she worked in retail, finance, technical support, schedule management, and forecasting all of which required and built her uncommon customer service skills. She is also CF-L1 certified and has a passion for helping people move well so they can continue to become stronger and healthier, and happier with their life.

In January 2021 she left a favorite job of almost nine years, to join Dr. Nick in growing Gray Duck. She is dedicated to spreading the word that physical therapy WORKS when it’s practiced without limits with people who are driven to pursue doing what they love.

Want To Start Getting Relief?