Alpine Physical Therapy is the largest free standing outpatient physical therapy service in Missoula. It’s success is largely due to the fact it ‘s south clinic is uniquely positioned within Missoula’s premier fitness facility, the Peak Health and Wellness Center.

When you put a rehab clinic like Alpine in a top-notch fitness facility, great things happen. First, you have a lot of active people who, when injured, are motivated to get help and get better faster. Second, you have a lot of people coming to Alpine who see others enjoying a fitness lifestyle in a marvelous environment. “Patients are often attracted to that,” says Alpine’s owner, Brent Dodge. “In fact, they start asking questions about their own health and wellness. And oftentimes, they conclude their PT experience by progressing to some form of a more active exercise and lifestyle.”

You don’t have to be a member of the Peak Health and Wellness Center in order to come to Alpine for physical therapy. And people who conclude their PT don’t have to join the Peak. They can do a home program, join a fitness class, or get started at a gym that’s convenient to them. Dodge adds, “We want to help our patients find a way to maximize their health in a setting that makes sense to them.”

Another benefit of housing a PT clinic in a fitness facility is that it fits a sport model. Many of the 10 physical therapists at Alpine have interests in the biomechanics of sport. So it made a lot of sense for us to put together sport-specific clinics, such as The Runner’s Clinic, The Golf Clinic, and The Court Sport Clinic at Alpine. We’re able to help people improve their body in ways that catapult their sport. . . while reducing the chance of injury when they play.

Patients who access our physical therapy services at our south location get access to the Peak Health and Wellness during and after the time they are a patient with us. In fact, patients who attend physical therapy at Alpine are offered a 30-day free pass to the Peak as part of their stay in physical therapy, and their initiation fee is waived if they choose to then join the Center (a $150.00 savings).
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For a list of reasons that answer the questions Why Us? Why Alpine? click here.

People who sit too long during the week increase their risk of dying young. Listen to the bottom line quoted from a recent research study on this topic:

In the article, epidemiologist Steven Blair, a professor of public health at the University of South Carolin, says “he found that men who reported more than 23 hours a week of sedentary activity had a 64 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease than those who reported less than 11 hours a week of sedentary activity. And many of these men routinely exercised.”

That conclusion alone is worth clicking through to the full article, especially if your work entails a lot of sitting. Check it out. . .

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Sitting All Day: Worse For You Than You Might Think
Yes, exercise is good for you. This we know. Heaps of evidence point to the countless benefits of regular physical activity. Federal health officials recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like brisk walking, every day.

Studies show that when you adhere to an exercise regimen, you can improve your cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure and improve metabolism and levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. You can reduce diabetes risk and the risk of certain cancers. And, finally, exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, which can boost all of these benefits even more.

But now, researchers are beginning to suspect that even if you engage in regular exercise daily, it may not be enough to counteract the effects of too much sitting during the rest of the day.

Click here for the rest of this breakthrough article and video.
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For additional ideas and resources, be sure to visit our clinic website at www.AlpinePTmissoula.com.

Alpine Physical Therapy will, for the 5th consecutive year, 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 10 therapists provides both pre- and 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, Angela Listug-Vap, DPT. Angela is the only Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy in the state Montana. As such, she is an expert diagnostician, particularly as it relates to sport biomechanics 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.

Gaining knowledge about your injury and what you can do to resolve it puts you ahead of the pack. We invite you to peruse the Runner’s Clinic section of our website for information on various injuries common to runners.  Gather additional information by clicking on the Patient Resources section of our website for news and information on these and other conditions runners face.

We have two locations in Missoula.

• Alpine Physical Therapy, North
  We are located at 2965 Stockyard Road in the North Reserve Business Center, just behind Carino’s.  406-541-2606.

• Alpine Physical Therapy, South
  We are located in the Peak Health & Wellness Center on the corner of Highway 93 South and Blue Mountain Road.  406-251-2323.

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All participants of the Missoula Marathon are provided free injury consultations with one of our physical therapists. Call to schedule a free injury consultation or to schedule for The Runner’s Clinic.

Exercise is one thing. Doing exercise on a CoreAlign is another. And advancing to Level III in the CoreAlign Method professional training is yet another.

Under the guidance of The Core Studio’s Director of Instruction Samantha Schoeneman, PT, CPI, CAMI/CAPT, seven people graduated during this weekend’s  seminar.

Of the course, Samantha states: “Core Align Level 3 certification is filled with high level, complex and challenging exercises like kitesurfing, twister, and half pipe. This is where the foundational components established in the fundamental exercises really allows CoreAlign to feel like a sport. This group took these advanced exercises on with enthusiasm and developed several new chains of challenging exercises that will keep the revolution that turns CoreAlign to sport! This is so inspiring and exciting to see this method evolve right here in Missoula, Montana, at The Core Studio!”
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Meet our graduates! From front to back: Meagan Auch, Pam Eppard, Neil Peck,  Samantha Glaes, Kristi Moore, Maer Siebert. (Not pictured: Lutoria “Tori” Riecher.)

In one of my posts last week, I outlined the differences between common types of headaches. Then I described effective treatments used by physical therapists to abolish headaches.

A number of you responded by asking whether physical therapists effectively treat migraine headaches. Some traditional physical therapy treatments are used with some utility for migraine headaches. Too often, however, traditional treatments don’t get the job done.

As a certified manual therapist, I apply many advanced techniques with good results for migraine sufferers, including upper cervical spinal manipulation.

When these approaches fall short, I apply a form of treatment called Primal Reflex Release Technique™ or PRRT™. Developed by physical therapist John Iams of Poway, California, PRRT™ adds a new dimension to the typical approaches used by physical therapists. Namely, PRRT™ works on specific reflexes, reflexes which originate in the primal portion of the brain, the brainstem.

Along with the gentle hands-on approach of PRRT™, there are a host of “dos and don’ts” that are included in this method: nutritional choices, use of specific supplements, and daily items to avoid.

With these approaches, I have had much greater results helping people who otherwise suffer with migraine headaches.
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For more information on the use of PRRT™, I invite you to watch my brief video on the topic.

Reading Sunday’s article on week 5 of this round of Fit to Fight will leave you greatly inspired. As participants gain strength and confidence through the structured Fit to Fight program, they describe the impact on their own health and well being. In turn these hard working participants inspire many others, including me.

I was feeling a little down today, thinking about my own limitations due to a recent onset of low back pain. But reading about the gains made in the past 5 weeks by these folks has me reconsidering my current challenges. If you need a little boost with a dose of inspiration, then read on.

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Fit to Fight exercise group sees results as they heal, strengthen after cancerMullein, the pesky weed in Dee Dee Gianchetta’s pasture, quakes these days when she picks up her hatchet.

Because unlike last spring, when Gianchetta couldn’t even lift the tool, the weeds this year know they’re doomed, cut down like the cancer that once occupied Gianchetta’s body.

“After the third week, I took the hatchet and got rid of them,” said the Missoula woman, who just two years ago went through a double mastectomy to get rid of her breast cancer. “I couldn’t have done that last year.”

For the rest of this inspiring article, click here.
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And for more information about the Fit to Fight program co-founded by Alpine’s Samantha Schoeneman, PT, click here.

Back in Part 1, I presented some of the more traditional functional strength assessments that are applicable to runners. I hit on ideas like the functional squat, forward lunge, balance, and jumping.

We use these and other tests to get an idea of functional strength. Results guide us in designing a preventive exercise program or in treating an existing injury.

In Part 2,  I introduced some specific strength drills and encouraged you to try then at home.

And today in Part 3 of this series, I’d like to outline dynamic tests and treatments that you may find helpful.

1. Soft strike – practice a soft strke to decrease impact forces.
2. Active heel rise – start with soft strike, and follow to toe off.
3. Retro running – use as a dynamic stretch after a static hip flexion stretch
4. Bounding – opens up your stride angle, helps to compare sides, and becomes a dynamic after static stretch to hamstrings and hip extensors
5. High knee skipping – use it as a dynamic stretch after a static hip extensor stretch, to increase calf propulsion, or to get your arms in sync if  their timing is off.
6. Side to side shuffles – these can improve trunk extensor strength, while also acting as a hip adductor dynamic stretch after a static stretch.
7. Carioca (braiding) – gives you a sense of trunk and pelvic rotational capabilities while also acting as a good rotational dynamic stretch after a static trunk rotational stretch.

Use these ideas to help you know what you need to train. With them, I hope you are able to “Get Your Run On!”
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Click here for more information about our Runner’s Clinic at Alpine Physical Therapy.

​You run, right? Then you absolutely need to know whether your core is strong. That’s what this segment is all about, measuring it so you know.

In Part 1, I posted some stats on injury incidence in runners. I then outlined some traditional strength tests.

Today, I’ve got some cool “core” stuff for you to try. By going through these 5 self-assessments, you’ll know right away if your core is strong. If it is, keep up the good work. If you find one or more tests that challenge you, the test itself becomes your exercise program, which you can swiftly carry out at home or at the gym.

I’ll list the test position, including a picture. If you find you are unable to complete the repetitions or you can’t keep your body aligned and your core muscles activated, you’ll need to get to work on strengthening your core.
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Here goes.

1. Sustained bridge with small marching quick steps (30 reps). Keep a straight line from your knees through your hips to your shoulders (notice that my hips have dropped a bit).

2. Prone on elbows with quick small toe taps (30 reps). Keep your body straight in line.

Remember, if you’re not able to maintain the position or you fatigue before completing the prescribed number of repetitions, use that particular test position as your new exercise. Consider doing the exercise daily during your training period, and keep up on it until you can pass the test with flying colors!

Good luck. Next time in Part 3 of this series, I’ll outline dynamic tests and treatments that you may find helpful.
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And for more information for area runners, be sure to click here to learn more about our Runner’s Clinic at Alpine Physical Therapy.

The annual incidence of injuries for runners varies in the literature. It’s estimated that between 24-55% of runners will experience an injury.  The main factors leading to injury are having a previous injury, increasing speed, and being a less experienced runner.

Nearly 80% of all running injuries involve structures from the waist down.  Sprinters tend to get muscle strains and problems with tendinitis. Middle distance runners generally have more low back and hip problems. And long distance runners tend to deal mainly with foot problems. Up to 60% of injuries are attributed to training errors and in particular a rapid increase in miles and intensity.

Muscle imbalances with flexibility and strength can be a key factor in injuries.  By doing the appropriate exercises, injuries can sometimes be prevented. Physical therapy can also help in dealing with a current injury and also with preventive treatment as you begin to train for an event.

Today, let’s hit on some of the more traditional functional strength assessments. I’ll list some of them here:

• Full squat (double leg squat &  partial single leg squat)
• Forward lunge at 45 degrees of knee flexion and to full at 90 degrees
• Balance in single leg stance with eyes open and with eyes closed
• Toe and heel walk
• Vertical jump
• Distance jump (single leg & double leg)
• Backward walk

We use these and other tests to get an idea of functional strength. Results guide us in designing a preventive exercise program or in treating an existing injury.

In Part 2, I’ll introduce some specific strength drills that you can try at home. Your results from that experiment will be used to establish a short routine that you can carry out at home or at the gym. And in part 3 of this series, I’ll outline dynamic tests and treatments that you may find helpful.

For now, Get Your Run On!
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Click here for more information about our Runner’s Clinic at Alpine Physical Therapy.