ALPINE's Therapists specialize in many techniques TO GET YOU BACK TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.

Our clients have many options for maximizing their health. We serve people of all ages and have the locations, space, equipment, personnel, and expertise to meet all your orthopedic physical therapy needs.

We have the largest and most experienced group of physical therapists in Missoula, giving you access to professionals with breadth and depth in the field of physical therapy. From youth to aging adults, from sports injuries to work injuries, from headaches to back pain, our therapy programs will meet your needs and exceed your expectations.

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Benefits of aquatic therapy

Pool exercises put less stress on your joints than weight-bearing exercises on land. The warmth helps relax muscles, and the buoyancy allows for easier movement during exercise. The pressure of the water around your joints can help reduce swelling, particularly in the joints of the legs and feet.

A supportive, warm-water environment is sometimes the best place to start for people with pain, as it allows them to begin moving and exercising without aggravating their symptoms.

Our location within the  Peak Health and Wellness Center on Blue Mountain Road gives Alpine’s physical therapists the opportunity to work with our patients in the Olympic-sized pool. When needed, patients access the pool with a conveniently located patient lift chair. A large and comfortable therapeutic hot pool is also available to help calm sore joints, perform stretches, and do relaxation exercises.

When you are scheduled for the aquatic therapy program, be sure to bring a bathing suit with you to your session. Know that you can opt to wear a t-shirt and shorts while exercising. As an Alpine client, you’ll receive a towel and locker to use during your aquatic therapy sessions.

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What is 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.

Alpine PT is a continued sponsor for Bare Bait Dance and are continuing to offer in-clinic consults for free to dancers in the Missoula Community.

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Functional dry needling

Functional Dry Needling (FDN) uses thin filament needles to treat symptoms stemming from a variety of conditions. Our physical therapists and patients have found this approach to be powerfully effective, often providing immediate improvement in muscle function and pain reduction.

FDN is a treatment for muscular tightness, pain, and spasm that can happen from an injury or simply from the changes our bodies undergo over the life span. This muscular tightness and spams may put pressure on the nervous system and impair normal movement of the joints. In turn causing pain, loss of function, and contributing to conditions such as,  carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and osteoarthritis . . . along with a loss of mobility and heightened pain.

Know that only small, thin needles are used. In fact, most people are unaware when the needle actually goes into the muscle. Thereafter, you may experience a sensation that feels like a low-grade cramp. It may feel unusual because it’s a new sensation, one you haven’t had before. In muscles that are sensitive or have trigger points, you might even feel the muscle twitch, which is a normal response of dysfunctional muscle tissue. The “twitch” is a signal that the muscle has tried to release and is ready to be trained to function properly.

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Lymphedema Management

Lymphatic vessels closely mirror the venous system and pick up “lymph fluid,” a clear fluid full of proteins, waste, fats, and water that your veins cannot or do not absorb. These vessels eventually drain the fluid back into your circulatory system near the base of your neck. In a healthy system, one to two liters of fluid is picked up by the lymphatic system each day. Lymphedema is a failure of the lymphatic system to remove lymph fluid from between your tissues. The lymphatic system is also responsible for a big part of the immune system, and failure of the lymphatic system often results in skin infection or wounds if not properly managed.

In the United States, lymphedema is most frequently caused by cancer treatment (radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery). Unfortunately, it is a lifelong diagnosis, but with the proper knowledge and follow through by the patient, it can be managed well. Some of the same techniques used to treat lymphedema can be very helpful in treating other swelling conditions, such as venous disease.

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Oncology Rehabilitation

When the word “cancer” is first mentioned to a patient, the first priority is to treat the disease. Fortunately, medicine has gotten better in the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, those techniques, which include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, often lead to short and long term problems for survivors.

The medical field sees the need for a more complete care plan for patients who have survived cancer. Alpine Physical Therapy is taking the next step to ensure we play a significant role in this plan by guiding these individuals from the transition of a patient with cancer to a cancer survivor.

Cancer treatments tend to impact function and peoples’ state of mind and quality of life. Medical studies have proven that exercise helps minimize the detrimental side-effects of cancer treatments and aids in the return to a better quality of life. Expert panels have concluded that exercise is safe and offers numerous benefits for survivors including improvements in physical function, strength, flexibility, fatigue, and possibly recurrence and survival.

One in two men and one in three women in their lifetime will have a diagnosis of cancer. It is important that cancer survivors understand that individualized physical therapy can help decrease and manage the side effects during and after cancer treatments. It is our goal at Alpine Physical Therapy to guide you through this process by establishing a comprehensive treatment plan that will assist you in improving and maintaining a healthy and an active lifestyle.

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Pelvic Health: Physical Therapy for Every Body

Pelvic pain, incontinence (loss of control of urine or feces), pelvic organ prolapse, and painful intercourse are a few examples of issues that most people are not aware can be treated with physical therapy.  Specialized treatment for the pelvic region, including the pelvic floor muscles, can help you achieve greater comfort and return to your desired level of function.

Our pelvic health specialists have attained specialized training through additional education and clinical practice to help them address these issues. While this is clearly an area that not all physical therapists chose to pursue with focus and passion, our pelvic health physical therapists have been inspired to provide excellence in this burgeoning field.

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Post-Operative Rehabilitation

After your orthopedic surgery, rehabilitate with the expert physical therapists at Alpine Physical Therapy. Our physical therapists work closely with area surgeons to maximize your treatments. We have developed protocols, or timelines for progressing through your post-operative rehabilitation program, with many surgeons for the common surgeries they perform. We offer post-operative services for these main types of surgeries:

• Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
  
• Carpal tunnel release
  
• Rotator cuff repair
  
• Spine surgery
  
• Tennis elbow release
  
• Total knee replacement
  

Spine Rehabilitation

When Alpine opened its doors in 2004, we focused primarily on spine care. Since then, we’ve treated thousands of Missoulians with neck or back pain. At Alpine, we consider ourselves experts in manual therapy and therapeutic exercise prescription which are key to spine care. We have a solid reputation as Missoula’s top spot for orthopedic physical therapy, especially as it relates to the spine.

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Sports Rehabilitation

At Alpine Physical Therapy, we are committed to maximizing the performance of athletes of all ages and skill levels. Alpine PT employs therapists who are Certified Sports and Conditioning Specialists, advanced degree Exercise Physiologists, and others who have spent their careers seeking advanced training to assist in providing high level sports rehabilitation.

Starting with your first visit, we conduct a thorough assessment that includes your individual anatomical structure, physical movement patterns (biomechanics), precise joint mobility, and soft tissue status.

Bike Fitting

Alpine’s bike fitting program uses static measurements of your bike, movement and strength examinations of your body, and examination of you riding your bike. Bike fitting is the process of combining your body to your bike and sometimes requires changes to your bike as well as to your body. In bike fitting, millimeters matter in your comfort, and being comfortable equals fun, fast, and healthy riding.

A physical therapist has a unique understanding of the body's biomechanics. We are able to interpret how injuries and age related changes impact functionality...and know how to treat those impairments - especially as this relates to cycling. No bike shop can "treat" a cyclist. They can adjust the fit of the bike, but they can't help someone overcome an injury, prevent an injury, or understand why someone is moving the way they are. Our therapists can do it all!​

Running Analysis

Our runner’s analysis can help you improve your current running performance, decrease chances of injury, and make running more enjoyable. We use a 2-D video analysis of your current running style, along with a comprehensive body and movement examination. The findings of the video analysis and movement examination form the basis of corrective exercises as well as corrective techniques to improve your form. Our therapists who oversee each runner’s analysis are involved with our running community, and they know how to help you toward your running goals.

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Pain Science

Pain can be . . . well . . . a pain. Its presence can impact peoples’ lives, creating challenges and difficulties that didn’t previously exist. There are other problems with pain. It is often misunderstood, is often shrouded in myths, and is replete with numerous misperceptions. Seeking to increase our modern understanding of pain has been a priority among our therapy team at Alpine. By doing so, we’ve developed strong inroads with area doctors and other health professionals in the collaborative care of our mutual patients.

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Sports Rehabilitation

At Alpine Physical Therapy, we are committed to maximizing the performance of athletes of all ages and skill levels. Alpine PT employs therapists who are Certified Sports and Conditioning Specialists, advanced degree Exercise Physiologists, and others who have spent their careers seeking advanced training to assist in providing high level sports rehabilitation.

Starting with your first visit, we conduct a thorough assessment that includes your individual anatomical structure, physical movement patterns (biomechanics), precise joint mobility, and soft tissue status.

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Vestibular & Balance

Symptoms from a vestibular disorder like dizziness, vertigo, and  unsteadiness with body movements (like getting out of bed or walking) can signal the need for specialty services available through Alpine’s Vestibular & Balance Clinic.

Only a select number of physical therapists have attained advanced training competency in treating vestibular disorders. Completing advanced training and using today’s tools and technology afford clinicians a better and more accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

Alpine’s Dr. Brace Hayden, DPT, OCS is the program director of this specialty clinic. He has long held a special interest in helping patients with dizziness and balance challenges. Brace has completed the highest “competency-based” certification at Emory University for providing vestibular rehabilitation available to physical therapists.  

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Work Injury Management

Our work-injury specialists offer a variety of services to area employers. We have a lengthy and successful track record of assisting companies in their safety efforts and in reducing costs associated with work injury. We are experts in evaluating workers and the workplace, and our results consistently reduce the incidence and cost of workplace injury. We work with employers to define injury incidence and potential risks in the workplace and work flow. We provide a host of solutions to remedy injuries in the workplace. Call us today for more information on how we partner with you for maximum results.

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IASTM (Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization)

Several of our physical therapists at Alpine Physical Therapy are skilled in the application of Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM). The original form of IASTM has its roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Gua Sha, as it is called, involves use of the edge of an object such as a spoon or piece of smooth rock to “scrape” along the skin. This treatment is highly effective in releasing tissue adhesions and scar tissue that contribute to tendonitis, chronic pain, and sport or work-related injuries. IASTM is a great adjunct to other forms of PT treatment and will often be used in conjunction with manual therapy techniques and therapeutic exercises.

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Blood Flow Restriction Training

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training involves using an extremity tourniquet (pneumatic cuff), placed at the proximal upper leg or upper arm, to reduce blood flow into the limb while simultaneously performing a specific exercise protocol. The pressure is sufficient to maintain arterial inflow while occluding venous outflow distal to the occlusion site. The reduced blood flow into the limb during exercise creates a hypoxic environment that promotes positive factors including increased muscle strength through various cellular mechanisms.

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