Missoula Physical Therapy Services:

 

Spine Care

·        Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar pain

·        Body mechanics education

·        Exercise and advanced spinal strengthening programs

·        Manual therapy

Lower Extremity Care

·        Injuries to hip, knee, ankle or foot

·        Post-surgical rehabilitation

Upper Extremity Care

·        Shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand injuries

·        Post-surgical rehabilitation

·        Repetitive motion injury management

Geriatric Care

·        Arthritis management

·        Balance training and fall prevention

·        Post-surgical rehabilitation

·        Osteoporosis prevention program

·        Stroke and neurological rehabilitation

Sport Conditioning and Rehabilitation

·        Acute injury care

·        Pre/post surgical programs

·        Sport specific exercise and conditioning programs

Work Injury Management

·        Early intervention and treatment for work injuries

·        Functional Capacity Evaluation

·        On-site ergonomic evaluation

·        Injury prevention educational programs

·        Job specific work conditioning programs

·        Pre-employment Screening

·        Motivation and Wellness

Special Programs at Missoula PT:

·        Therapy for Musicians and Performing Artists

·        Back Care Education

·        Ergonomics Consultation

·        Maternal Rehabilitation and Women’s Health

·        Treatment at Home and at Work

·        Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment

·        Individualized Fitness Programs

 

 

 

How Physical Therapy Can Help You—Our Approach

 

As licensed physical therapists, we bring a unique perspective to caring for you:  The patient is the most important participant in the healing and prevention process.

It is, after all, your body.  Your physical therapist will involve you in your care, teaching you, giving you an “Owner’s Manual” of knowledge and exercises.  So that as you go about your daily life, you’ll be healing yourself, not causing reinjury.  It all starts with a careful evaluation.

 

Evaluation.  Physical therapy places a great emphasis on this process.  Your therapist will take the time to talk with you and perform a thorough physical evaluation to identify the dysfunction that causes your pain or movement problem.

 

Therapy.  Your physical therapist will plan a treatment regimen suited to your individual problem.  Your program will likely include home exercises.  Treatment may include modalities to relieve pain, joint mobilization, and exercises for relaxation, conditioning, and restoring range of motion.

 

Teaching.  You don’t need to become an “expert” to avoid or overcome injury, but you may need to learn more about your problem to understand it.  You may need to use better body mechanics and better posture.  Your therapist will help you continue therapy on your own with a program designed to fit your needs.

 

Aftercare.  The goal of physical therapy is to improve your function and return you to normal life as soon as possible, with the skills you need to prevent reinjury.  You won’t need to visit your therapist again, unless you have additional problems or have an acute injury.

 

Cumulative Trauma Disorders, a special situation:

 

We have specialized training in CTDs, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, chronic back pain, and other “wear and tear injuries”.  We have been working in industrial and corporate settings for many years to meet the health care needs of Montana’s workforce.  Besides proper treatment for the CTD condition, we will observe how the employee works and evaluate the ergonomics of the work environment.  Ergonomics is the study and control of the effects of postures, stresses, motions, and other physical forces on the human body engaged in work. 

 

We will work with the employee and employer to design and modify the work environment, helping to remove the causal factors of CTDs.  We will show the employee how to adjust their workstation or area, handle tools, or perform tasks in a way that puts less stress on the body.  We will suggest brief stretching and relaxation exercises to do during work, to help reduce injuries and improve productivity in the workplace.

 

 

What are the educational and licensure requirements for becoming a physical therapist?

 

All physical therapists must graduate from an accredited Master’s degree program, pass a licensure examination, and be licensed by the state in which they practice.  All professional education programs include basic and applied science, clinical science, psychosocial science, and research, with an emphasis on the theory and practice of physical therapy.

 

Physical Therapists who are members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) pledge to comply with the Association’s Code of Ethics and Guide for Professional Conduct.  APTA members maintain and promote high standards in the provision of physical therapy services.  For more information from the APTA, contact them at www.apta.org or call 800/999-APTA.

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