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Ystaas takes ownership of Peak Performance

On Saturday, Oct. 1, Melissa Ystaas became the new owner of Peak Performance Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, PLLC - a staple in New Rockford since it was first founded by Jodi Tjelta in 2005.

After 17 years of excellent treatment and service to the New Rockford community, Tjelta is passing on her life's work to Ystaas, who intends to continue Peak Performance's good standing as a place where local residents can heal and rehabilitate.

"What I'm excited for is to continue offering the services that Jodi started here 17 years ago, and to continue serving the New Rockford community with their healthcare needs," said Ystaas.

Ystaas graduated from the University of Mary with her doctorate of physical therapy in 2014, and has since gained years of experience in outpatient orthopedics, pediatrics, skilled nursing and home health therapy.

Ystaas has also been working with patients at Peak Performance since 2020, and Tjelta, who is stepping down due to medical reasons, believes Ystaas is more than ready to take the reins.

"Melissa is an excellent clinician," said Tjelta. "She has been with me since 2020 and she is ready to step into an ownership role. It's an excellent opportunity for her ... and she's doing really well."

But despite the change in ownership, patients shouldn't expect much else to change. Ystaas made clear that she fully intends to continue and to build off the work Peak Performance has been doing for close to two decades.

"I really don't want anything to change," said Ystaas. "... I'm just excited to become a business owner in the community and to continue to provide excellent service."

When Tjelta first started Peak Performance in 2005, she said its purpose was to offer high quality physical therapy close to home.

And as Peak Performance helped residents through their medical needs in the years that followed, Tjelta said she's developed a great client base and excellent relationships, which she says she'll miss the most as she steps down from her ownership role.

She added, however, that she has every confidence in Ystaas to continue helping patients with their rehabilitation and physical therapy needs.

"I hired her in 2020," said Tjelta, "and since then she really has had a commitment to developing her clinical skills so that we can offer additional services - such as functional dry needling and parkinson's programming - and so she brings a unique skill set to her patient care, and that will be an asset to the community moving forward."

Peak Performance is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and they offer a variety of services for patients of all ages. Ystaas said they see patients for chronic pain, acute pain, sports injuries, post surgical, workforce injuries and more.

Those interested can schedule an appointment by calling (701) 947-2030.