When I start to feel my age, do I accept it? Heck no! I get scheduled with Mary Mischke, DPT, at Alpine Physical Therapy.  You see I am over 70 now (yeah, that sounds weird to me too), but I refuse to stop going.  I  won't stop playing, working, relaxing, traveling, or learning.  

I had to call Mary recently after going through the summer full force; my body was needing a tune up.  The Downtown Alpine PT crew got me set up, and in no time I learned about how to best keep my body going (I think this time it was my knee).  

This past weekend I was able to spread two full truck beds of gravel by myself and had time to get in my first stand up paddle board lesson (the proof is in the pictures below)!  

Thanks to Mary and the folks at Alpine PT for keeping me young because I just won't stop, especially to just get old!

Ruby Kikkert
70-year-old Alpine PT patient 

Thanks to Alpine superstar Jeff Soulia for putting together the Alpine PT Commuter Challenge. Here's the gist of the challenge. Throughout the month of June, we were all encouraged to find alternative “green” forms of travel on our commute to and from work. The contest portion of the challenge was judged based on:

1.  total number of commutes per person
2. total number of commutes per clinic
3.  total mileage 
4.  most expressive photo submission

Overall Winner:  Way to go Codi Brisco who commuted 16 times, and the majority of those were split shifts riding to work, then school, then back to work. Great work, Codi!

Top Clinic:  South by a landslide with 64 commutes and over 700 miles.

Total Mileage:  Brace Hayden who tallied 299 miles, which is commuter--crazy!

Best Photo: Erin Williams won best pic. Here's just one of several she submitted.

Alpine Physical Therapy welcomes Kim Mize, DPT, CSCS to our North location.

Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kim spent seven years there directing a women’s health program, while focusing her interests on runners and pelvic health needs. After settling in Missoula, Kim began working as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Montana. Along with instructing PT students in women’s health and orthopedic courses at the U of M, she coordinated and supervised clinical internships for PT students. She continues to teach Pelvic Health and Obstetrics at the U. 

Kim has over 18 years of experience treating patients with pregnancy-related musculoskeletal conditions, urinary incontinence, and pelvic pain. 
She recently received her Certificate of Academic Proficiency Achievement in Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Treatment from the prestigious Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. 

Kim’s clinical interests include evidence based practice, pain science, and pelvic floor dysfunction. She is passionate about helping people return to full movement using various manual therapy approaches and therapeutic exercises. 

In her free time, Kim attempts to keep up with her young son and enjoys cooking, traveling, and Montana’s outdoor activities with her husband, along with mountain biking, trail running, hiking, alpine and Nordic skiing , and lakeside fun. 

I invited my colleague and friend, Cheyenne Doss to share about her experience with the damaging effects of overuse from computer use. It's been my pleasure to be a part of creating a resource for others with the hope of helping them avoid the challenges Cheyenne faced over nine years of help and healing. Thanks for sharing this vital information, Cheyenne!
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If you are experiencing any type of pain or discomfort while working at the computer, please keep reading! I am Cheyenne R. Doss. I was a graphic designer for 18 years; however, due to over using the computer combined with other key factors, my body was overtaken with an extreme case of what is called repetitive strain injury or RSI.

Resultantly, I collaborated with two other healthcare professionals, Brent Dodge, PT of Alpine Physical Therapy, and Anthony Lambert, DC of Lambert Family Chiropractic, to bring the vital and important  information you needed to help others be proactive in maintaining their health while using a computer. 
 
I've spent over 9 years researching RSI and have gathered clear and applicable information that applies to anyone using the computer, keyboard, and mouse on a daily basis. As a certified ergonomics specialist, I'm able to share why ergonomics are only a small facet of how to help people stay healthy while using a computer.
 
It is my hope that by sharing this knowledge, you will be have the tools to be proactive in maintaining a healthy work and life balance. 
 
Please find an overview of the course, Smart Computing Solutions for a Health and Comfortable Life, in this brief and informative PDF file. My hope is that this course will help people save thousands in doctor bills, potential career loss, and have immediate support for vital health and strength. 

Join the course at your leisure and enjoy one hour of on-demand video and includes supplemental pro-active informational materials and resources.  

For the first 50 participants, use the code HEALTHY_COMPUTING  to get 15% off of the course price of $25. 

Click here for more information and to sign up:
https://www.udemy.com/smart-computing-solutions-for-a-healthy-and-comfortable-life/ 

One of our star PT Aides, Erin Williams took the Alpine Commuter Challenge seriously. We set the month of June and challenged our entire staff to find alternative ways to commute to work. We awarded individual total distance, the clinic with the most miles tallied, and the best photo op. It looks like Erin is going to be in on all three awards! Here's her take on this challenge.

​I LOVED this challenge! It was just the right amount of push I needed. Biking to work has set the tone for my day, and it's been so helpful getting my mind on a good positive track. It's made me have to prioritize myself.

Every ride has rocked, even through the pouring rain at 6 AM. So fun!! Especially helpful during the transition to our new EMR system. I am going to continue to bike through the summer and fall.

I biked everyday that I worked in June ( a total of nine days), and each round trip totaled 14.4 miles. In the end, I rode a total of 129.6 miles of sweet morning June air and brain recharge.

Here are some of the amazing pics of her various commutes! I'm diggin' the drone effect in the 3rd image.

For the 11th consecutive year,  Alpine Physical Therapy will be the exclusive physical therapy sponsor of the Missoula Marathon.  This prestigious sponsorship puts us face-to-face with runners of all skill levels, giving us opportunities to provide consultation to all participants and to present numerous training seminars for area marathoners.

Our team of 19 physical therapists provides post-race massages for all Missoula Marathoners. In addition, we offer free injury consultations both before and after the race.

We offer a unique service for all runners called The Runner’s Clinic, which is overseen by expert physical therapist, Matthew Schweitzer, DPT, CSCS. Matt is our sport biomechanics expert associated with high-mileage running.

Participants entering The Runner’s Clinic undergo 2-D video analysis of their stride, along with a comprehensive body and movement examination.  Integrating the 2-D video analysis with the clinical exam provides an exacting assessment for identifying running faults that can contribute to injury and impact performance.  The results of the examination form the basis of specific corrective exercises that you’ll begin learning and doing on day one!  For more information on The Runner’s Clinic, be sure to visit our website by clicking here.

Alpine Physical Therapy had a great weekend staffing the first aide and sports injury consult tent at the Intermountain Champions Cup at the new Fort Missoula's Regional Park on June 9-11th, 2017. \

There was a whole lot of high-action, youth soccer competition among teams from all over the Northwest. The boys’ and girls’ teams ranged in age from 10 to 19 years old with a total of 75 teams and over 1,000 soccer athletes converging to compete in Missoula over the weekend. 

The top picture is the exciting finish of a tie game between the Missoula Strikers U16 and a Seattle team that finished with a penalty kick shoot out. The second picture is Alpine's Emily Jones, ATC in action with some abrasion cleaning first aide.

We support our community in partnership with Missoula Strikers and provide sideline athletic training and physical therapy services. Present throughout the weekend were Emily Jones, ATC and PT's: Matt Schweitzer, Leah Versteegen, Dennis McCrea, Jess Kehoe, and Brace Hayden. We provided injury consults, taping services, emergency on field care, concussion evaluations, and a few coach consults for orthopedic concerns.  

We had a great weekend watching, helping and interacting with local and regional athletes and are always happy to give back to our community.  We look forward to our next community outreach event collaborating with the upcoming Missoula marathon!

For more information on our work with soccer athletes, visit our website by clicking here. ​

Sometimes, basic treatments aren’t adequate for some types of headaches. That’s when advanced physical therapy approaches should be considered.
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Although not all headaches are created equal, many are successfully treated in physical therapy. In the video that follows, Brent Dodge, PT, describes the characteristics of migraine headaches, tension and cluster headaches, and cervicogenic (originating in the neck) headaches. Specific types of physical therapy treatments used to abolish these headaches are detailed.

Gone are the days when playing various court sports, like tennis, squash, and handball, was simply a matter of fun. These days, it’s a matter of playing your best . . . and staying free of injuries. Enter sport biomechanics.
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That was the approach taken by sport specialist and physical therapist, Leah Versteegen. She created Alpine’s new Court Sport Clinic on the basis that improved mobility, flexibility, and strength, combined with fine-tuned biomechanics improvements are key in optimizing performance on the courts while reducing the risk of aches, pain, and injuries.