February Greetings!

I hope this finds you well, enjoying the wonders of winter! This month's newsletter features an inspirational conversation with Esther Smith and highlights the McKenzie Method® of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy® (MDT).

To learn more about Esther and MDT, join us Wed, Feb 15 for a short presentation and Q&A.

Also, another Low Pressure Fitness Intro Series and more LPF Group Classes start this month. Scroll down for details.

Wishing you good health, peace and joy,

Steph Sand
Office Manager Extraordinaire
(406) 585-4642
You do a myriad of things, including manual physical therapy, high performance training, dry needling, McKenzie Method® of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy® (MDT), and specialize in using all of the above with the climbing community. 

Can you share a bit about your professional journey and your connection to the climbing community?

Sure. I decided to go to PT school at the University of Utah because it has such a great program and offers access to world class skiing and climbing. While I was in PT school I was an active, high level climber myself and I started to notice that my friends and community didn’t have the same support as other more mainstream sports like soccer or tennis. Back then, climbers were considered somewhat of a rogue group of individuals. It hadn’t become the recognized, formalized sport that it is now (to the point that it is now included in the Olympics).

So as soon as I graduated and began working in the outpatient clinic in Salt Lake City, I asked climbers to come see me so I could learn about their finger, shoulder, elbow, and ankle injuries and rehab protocols. I made connections with local climbing gyms and Black Diamond (equipment manufacturer for climbing, skiing and mountain sports) and ended up treating hundreds of climbers from all over the country.

Again and again, the primary therapy I applied was the McKenzie Method® of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy® (MDT). MDT differs from other therapies. As a mechanical diagnosis and treatment platform, it helps us to both understand and treat the problem. So for a lesser understood finger injury I could apply a MDT treatment principle to it that is well understood intrinsically throughout the body, like how to manage a tendon problem, and get predictable positive results for climber-specific injuries.

One of the protocols I am most proud of is a finger rehab protocol I developed and published through Black Diamond. The protocol continues to be used by climbers around the world with great success. Previously these types of injuries would most likely either persist or remove them from sport because they couldn’t rehab it effectively.

Injury prevention education has been huge working with the climbing community (Read more on the management and prevention of injuries HERE. )

I’ve heard the MDT training is rigorous and the protocol effective. Can you share a bit about what makes this method unique and how you integrate it with your other modalities?

MDT provides really clear tools to work with the body’s intrinsic healing mechanisms. And those healing mechanisms are with us for our lifetime.
Join us for a presentation followed by Q&A

Wednesday, February 15
5:00 - 6:00 pm

"I went into PT to answer the question. 'Can we keep climbing (or insert your activity) and abolish injuries we know are going to happen AND get older at the same time?'

With MDT, the answer is yes."

– Esther Smith, DPT
  • Craniosacral Therapy
  • Brain Therapy
  • Visceral Manipulation
  • Pelvic Care
  • Myofascial Release
  • Manual Therapy
  • Vestibular Rehabilitation
  • McKenzie Method® of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy®
  • Functional Dry Needling
  • Low Pressure Fitness
  • Laser Therapy
  • Integrative Restoration (iRest®)
  • Breath Training
  • Yoga & Meditation Training
  • Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)
  • Exercise without Oxygen Therapy (EWOT)
  • Red Light Therapy
Tuesdays
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Feb 7, 14, 21 and 28

Get grounded in the fundamentals of the practice so you can create a home practice or join our weekly group classes.

Space is limited to 5 max.


This intro series will be offered monthly starting the first Tuesday of each month.

Low Pressure Fitness (LPF) is a series of breathing and postural exercises that safely strengthen our deepest core muscles. These are the muscles that create the foundation for upright posture and joint stability. They also help control normal bodily processes and function of the bladder, bowels and sexual health. Oftentimes, these muscles can be affected from an injury, surgery, pregnancy, illness or sedentary lifestyle.
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This whole body routine is administered in a specific sequence with postural cues and a unique breathing pattern called “hypopressives'' which reduces pressure through the abdomen and pelvis. This change in pressure, along with maintaining the postures, are key to the effectiveness of the exercises.
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Hypopressive means “low pressure”. It is a broad term used to describe breathing, exercising or moving with reduced pressure on the body.

Tuesdays
7:00 - 8:00 am
10:30 - 11:30 am

Thursdays
5:15 - 6:15 pm - starting Feb 16

For individuals who have completed an Intro Series or private sessions with one of our LPF specialists.

Space is limited to 5 max.
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