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Monday 7am - 7pm Tuesday 7am - 7pm Wednesday 7am - 7pm Thursday 7am - 7pm Friday 7am - 5pm

http://www.snowghostphysicaltherapy.com/

Snow Ghost Physical Therapy, 940 Spokane Avenue Suite #2, Whitefish, MT (2025)

12/12/2025

Physical Therapy & Concussion Recovery

A concussion can affect your head, neck, vision, balance, and overall ability to tolerate daily activity. Physical therapy helps restore these systems so you can recover with confidence—whether the injury was recent or symptoms have lingered.

How PT Helps:
• Reduces headaches, neck pain, and muscle tension
• Improves dizziness, motion sensitivity, and balance
• Retrains visual + vestibular coordination
• Builds exercise tolerance with safe, graded activity
• Guides your return to school, work, or sport with a personalized plan

Common PT Treatments & Exercises:
• Cervical treatment: gentle manual therapy, mobility work, deep neck flexor training
• Vestibular rehab: gaze stabilization (VOR), habituation drills, balance training
• Oculomotor exercises: smooth pursuits, saccades, convergence training
• Graded aerobic exercise: treadmill or bike at a symptom-paced intensity
• Movement & posture retraining: restoring normal motion patterns to reduce strain
• Education & activity planning: pacing strategies, screen tolerance training, daily load management

Physical therapy targets the specific systems affected by your concussion—helping you move, think, and feel better again, no matter how long it’s been since the injury.

12/10/2025

What is a muscular knot? 🤔

Despite the name, a “knot” isn’t actually your muscle tying itself into a pretzel.

It’s a small patch of muscle fibers stuck in a shortened, overworked state — basically a tiny area that refuses to relax. These spots (trigger points) can feel tender, tight, or even send pain to other areas.

Why do they happen?
• Overuse or sudden spikes in training
• Poor posture or long hours sitting
• Stress + protective tension
• Weakness or muscle imbalance
• Dehydration or not enough movement throughout the day
• Neural compression

How to treat them:
• Targeted massage: thumbs, tools, or a trained therapist all work
• Heat: helps the tissue relax and brings in blood flow
• Movement + mobility: gentle stretching and full-range motion
• Strengthening: especially around the shoulder blades, core, and hips to reduce overload
• Hydration + regular breaks: small things, big difference
• Breathing work: down-regulates the nervous system and eases muscle guarding
• Awareness of positional overuse

A knot is your body saying, “Hey… something needs attention.”
Listen to it early and your muscles will love you back.

12/03/2025

Setting goals is great — but setting S.M.A.R.T. goals is what actually moves you forward. 👟💪

In physical therapy, we use S.M.A.R.T. goals to help you stay clear, consistent, and confident in your rehab journey:

🔹 S – Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?
🔹 M – Measurable: How will we track your progress?
🔹 A – Achievable: Is it realistic for your body right now?
🔹 R – Relevant: Does it support your lifestyle, sport, or daily function?
🔹 T – Time-bound: What’s the target timeframe?

Whether your goal is to get back to running, lift without pain, or simply move through your day with more ease, SMART goals give structure to your progress and allow your PT team to adjust your plan as you grow stronger.

Example S.M.A.R.T. Goal for Returning to Skiing ⛷️

“In 8 weeks, I will be able to ski for 2 hours on blue runs without knee pain by completing my PT strength, balance, and conditioning program 3x/week and progressing loads as recommended by my therapist.”

Why it works:
🔹 Specific: Returning to skiing on blue runs with low pain
🔹 Measurable: 2 hours, pain ≤ 2/10, 3x/week program
🔹 Achievable: Based on rehab stage + PT guidance
🔹 Relevant: Normally ski with family and friends on the weekend
🔹 Time-bound: 8-week target
✨ Your goals matter — we just help you make them S.M.A.R.T.

11/24/2025

Cervicogenic Headaches: What They Are & How PT Can Help
Not all headaches start in the head — many actually come from the neck. Cervicogenic headaches happen when irritated joints, stiff muscles, or limited mobility in the cervical spine refer pain up into the head, behind the eyes, or along the temples.
Common signs it may be your neck:
▪️ Headache triggered by neck movement or posture
▪️ Pain on one side of the head
▪️ Neck stiffness or shoulder tension
▪️ Headache that starts in the back of the head and wraps forward
How Physical Therapy Helps:
🔹 Restore cervical mobility
Manual therapy and mobility work can decrease joint restriction and reduce referred pain.
🔹 Improve deep neck flexor strength
Weakness here often leads to overuse of upper cervical muscles, fueling headache patterns.
🔹 Address posture & movement habits
Small changes in work setup or training form can reduce repeated irritation.
🔹 Calm irritated tissue
Soft tissue work, gentle stretching, and graded exposure help settle symptoms without flaring them.
🔹 Support the whole kinetic chain
Shoulder and upper-back strength play a big role in long-term headache control.
If headaches are holding you back
Physical therapy can help clarify where the pain is coming from and guide you through strengthening, mobility, and lifestyle strategies to reduce flare-ups and improve daily function.

11/21/2025

💪 Strong at Any Age!
Resistance training isn’t just for athletes — it’s one of the most effective ways to stay strong, active, and independent as we get older.

Here’s why ⬇️
🏋️‍♀️ Builds muscle strength and endurance — even in your 70s, 80s, and beyond.
🦴 Supports bone health — helping reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
🧠 Improves balance and coordination — making daily activities feel easier and safer.
❤️ Boosts overall health-related quality of life — from more energy and confidence to better mobility and mood.

👉 The best part? You don’t need heavy weights or a gym. Bodyweight exercises, bands, or light dumbbells can all make a difference.

🩺 A physical therapist can help you start safely, tailor exercises to your needs, and progress at your own pace.

It’s never too late to get stronger — your body can adapt at any age

11/20/2025

💪 Stop Fearing Spinal Loading! 💪
One of the biggest misconceptions in rehab and fitness is that we should avoid loading the spine to keep it “safe.” But here’s the truth — your spine is strong, adaptable, and built to handle load!

🦴 Here’s why loading the spine is actually healthy:

Builds resilience: Gradual loading strengthens the muscles, ligaments, and bones that support your back.

Improves mobility and confidence: Avoiding movement can lead to stiffness and fear of activity.

Prevents future injury: A strong, conditioned spine is less likely to flare up.

⚖️ Tip: Start light and progress slowly. Loading the spine isn’t about maxing out — it’s about controlled, intentional movement. Exercises like the Jefferson curl can be great tools when done with light weight and proper form — helping your spine learn to move and tolerate load safely.

🩺 If you’re dealing with low back pain, a physical therapist can assess your movement, guide you through safe progressions, and teach other strategies like mobility work, core strengthening, and posture training to help you move confidently again.

Remember: Your spine isn’t fragile. It’s powerful.
Train it, don’t baby it. 💥

11/19/2025

Just a heads up! Our office will be closed the week of Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas so we can rest, recharge, and spend time with loved ones

If you need anything before the holidays, please let us know! We’ll be back the following weeks.

Wishing you a warm and peaceful holiday season 🤍🎄🦃

11/14/2025

✨ Why Rest Alone Won’t Heal Your Injury ✨

It’s a common misconception that rest = recovery. While taking a short break after a musculoskeletal injury (like a sprain, strain, or back pain) can help reduce irritation, complete rest can actually slow healing.

🦴 Here’s why:
Tissues need movement to get nutrients and promote circulation — motion truly is lotion!
Gentle loading helps collagen fibers align properly as they heal, making the tissue stronger and more resilient.
Too much rest can lead to stiffness, weakness, and delayed recovery.

✅ The key? Active recovery. Guided movement, stretching, and progressive exercise — ideally under the direction of a physical therapist — help your body heal stronger, not stiffer.

So next time you’re hurt, skip the “just rest it” advice and think “move smart, not still.”

11/12/2025

Dealing with jaw pain or tightness? These exercises can help release tension, improve movement, and support better posture for long-term relief:

1️⃣ Jaw opening with tongue on roof of mouth – Keep your tongue lightly on the roof of your mouth and slowly open your jaw. Helps control motion and reduce strain.
2️⃣ Resisted jaw opening – Place your fist under your chin and gently resist as you open your mouth. Builds jaw stability and strength.
3️⃣ Lateral jaw deviation isometrics – Gently press your jaw into your hand to the right, then left, without moving. Improves symmetry and control.
4️⃣ Cervical extensor stretch – Lace you fingers behind you head and gently nod your chin down toward your chest to stretch the muscles along the back of your neck. Reduces upper neck tension that can impact the jaw.
5️⃣ Chin tucks – Draw your chin straight back (like making a double chin). Strengthens deep neck flexors and supports healthy head posture.
6️⃣ Scapula squeezes – Gently pull your shoulder blades together and down. Strengthens postural muscles to reduce neck and jaw strain.

✨ Move slowly and stay within a comfortable range. If your jaw pain persists, a physical therapist can help tailor a program just for you!

11/10/2025

🌪️ Feeling Dizzy? Physical Therapy Can Help!
Did you know dizziness and vertigo are often treatable with physical therapy?

👂 Many times, dizziness comes from issues in the inner ear or neck that throw off your balance system. A physical therapist trained in vestibular rehab can help figure out why you’re dizzy and guide you through exercises to get your balance back.

Here’s how PT can help:
✅ Repositioning techniques (like the Epley maneuver) for vertigo caused by loose crystals in the ear
✅ Balance and gaze exercises to retrain your brain and reduce spinning sensations
✅ Neck and posture treatment if your dizziness is coming from muscle tension or stiffness
✅ Movement retraining to help your body feel steady again

💡 Common causes PT can treat:
BPPV (the most common type of vertigo)
Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis
Neck-related dizziness
Post-concussion dizziness

You don’t have to “just live with it” — dizziness is treatable, and physical therapy can help you feel steady and confident again. 💪

11/07/2025

💥 Kettlebell Arm Bar: The Shoulder Stability Secret Weapon 💪

The kettlebell arm bar is a powerhouse drill that challenges your shoulder, scapula, and thoracic spine to work together — exactly what healthy, pain-free movement demands.

🔹 Key Benefits:

1️⃣ Shoulder Stability:
Builds dynamic stability through the rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers.
The offset load of the kettlebell forces your shoulder to co-contract and maintain alignment as your body rotates beneath it.
Excellent for post-rehab progression or athletes needing overhead control (think throwers, lifters, or swimmers).

2️⃣ Scapulothoracic Rhythm:
Promotes coordinated movement between the scapula and thorax — essential for smooth, efficient overhead motion.
As you roll and rotate, your scapula naturally glides on the rib cage, retraining motor control and improving proprioception.

3️⃣ Thoracic Mobility:
Encourages controlled thoracic rotation and extension while maintaining shoulder stability.
Helps offset stiffness from sitting, poor posture, or heavy pressing work.

🔥 Pro Tip: Start light, move slow, and prioritize control over range. The magic happens when your shoulder stays rock solid while your body moves beneath it.

🏋️‍♀️ Perfect for:
Shoulder rehab and prehab
Overhead athletes
General mobility and core control training

11/05/2025

Sciatica is NOT a specific diagnosis!
The term “sciatica” actually refers to a set of symptoms caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve — the long nerve running from your lower back down to your feet.
⚡️THE NERVE:
The sciatic nerve is the thickest nerve in the body, traveling from the lower spine, through the back of the leg, to the foot.
It controls movement in your hamstrings, inner thigh, calves, and feet, and provides sensation to the outer leg and foot.
🔥THE CAUSE:
Sciatica can have many sources of irritation or compression, including but not limited to:
• Spinal stenosis
• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Spondylolisthesis
• Disc Protrusion or Herniated discs
• Piriformis muscle tightness
Other causes may include pregnancy, trauma, surgery, toxins, or radiation.
💪THE SOLUTION:
Physical therapy is often key!
A physical therapist can help identify the root cause, guide you through targeted exercises, and teach strategies to reduce pain, restore movement, and get you back to the activities you love — confidently and safely.
👉 If you’ve been told you have “sciatica,” it’s time to dig deeper. Understanding the why behind your pain is the first step toward lasting relief.

Snow Ghost Physical Therapy

12/12/2025

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11/05/2025

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Monday	7am - 7pm
Tuesday	7am - 7pm
Wednesday	7am - 7pm
Thursday	7am - 7pm
Friday	7am - 5pm