Dance Medicine

Dancers use their bodies to create extraordinary movements with control. Understanding the range of motion and strength required to make these movements takes special training. Each of the various dance styles from Ballet to Modern places different demands on the body.

Physical therapists who specialize in dance medicine address rehabilitation for dance injuries, while also providing expertise to help dancers perform better. When injured, it is vital for dancers to have a provider who understands what movements are needed in order to return to dance. For improving performance, dance medicine specialists know what to look for, what to treat, and how to apply principles of advanced rehabilitation and movement science to maximize performance.

Kristi Moore, MSPT, describes what it means to be a physical therapist who has attained full certification as a Dance Medicine Specialist. She describes the role of Alpine’s Dance Medicine Program and the impact this outreach is having in Missoula and western Montana.

Specialized Training

Alpine’s Kristi Moore completed her certification in Dance Medicine Rehabilitation through Westside Dance Physical Therapy.  The training has been exclusively in New York City with the physical therapists who work with many of New York’s premier dance companies, including the New York City Ballet, School of American Ballet, and NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Along with specific modules covering key anatomical areas, specific course work during the practicum includes observation of professional dance, which is a critical component of specialization. Expert observation yields a greater understanding of the physical demands required of dancers to achieve the goal of graceful and beautiful movement.

Our Dance Medicine Team also includes Antara Quiñones, DPT, CLT-LANA.  Antara was a dancer for 16 years, and she is a certified Core Align instructor and a Pilates Reformer instructor.

Dance Medicine is a specialty that requires a unique understanding of how each part of the body moves separately and in concert with the rest of the body to make dance look effortless to the observer. Alpine’s Dance Medicine Team has extensive history working with movement specifics in a variety of patient populations.  They are excited to use past knowledge incorporated with dance specific knowledge to educate dancers on injury prevention, to rehabilitate injuries, and to improve dance performance.
Clinic Model
Our Dance Medicine outreach is headquartered in our north location on Stockyard Road. However, we have physical therapists available at each of our locations who work with dancers. Kristi is available at our north and south clinics, and Ana works in our downtown office.

All of our clinics maximize exercise and treatment options, our north clinic has Pilates equipment that includes Reformers, Cadillac, Chair, Barrel, and CoreAlign.

At our north location, however, we’ve taken Dance Medicine to a new level by including a barre, proper flooring, and mirrors, enabling us to fully analyze your movements and exercises.
What to Expect
On your first visit, we’ll ask you in detail about the history of your injury and your goals for improving your performance. We’ll then go through a dance-specific physical therapy evaluation by testing mobility, strength, agility, and dance motions that may help define movement faults or imbalances. Based on your history and the results of the evaluation, we’ll create an individualized treatment plan to address your injuries and goals for improving performance.
Additional Resources
Get Started
1.  To schedule, please call our Alpine North Clinic at 406-541-2606.
2.  Arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment.