What Our Patients Are Saying

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,

In Sept of 2003, I fell off scaffolding and severely broke my tibia. The break went down to to the top of my ankle. I had surgery, a metal plate and ten screws to repair the damage. Twelve weeks of non-weight bearing was required to heal. I had physical therapy after the break to assist me in regaining mobility. The break did cause loss of range of motion in my ankle, primarily dorsiflexion. Ten years later, I went to an orthopedic surgeon and had them check my ankle for arthritis and assess my range of motion. I asked about additional physical therapy to possibly increase my range of motion. The doctor indicated that after ten years, the range of motion I had was all I was going to get.

My brother had an excellent experience with Dr. Skinner with change his walking mechanics after a previous knee surgery. He suggested I see what Dr. Skinner could do for me. I live 800 miles from Missoula but scheduled an appointment with Dr. Skinner when we visited Missoula in March 2013. Dr. Skinner was able to use ASTYM and other techniques to gain a significant increase in my range of motion. Dr. Skinner was able to increase my dorsiflexion and helped me regain a normal range of motion in my ankle.

Dr. Skinner was not only able to increase my range of motion, she sent me home with a regimen of exercises to maintain the progress we had made and to strengthen my ankle. I found Dr. Skinner very personable and easy to work with. She did a great job of not only teaching me the exercises I needed to do, but she also taught me what the exercises were doing to my ankle and why they were important.

I would highly recommend Dr. Skinner to anyone with issues similar to mine. Hopefully, you live closer to Great Divide Physical Therapy than I do, but for me, it is well worth the 800 mile trip for appointments.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,

I wanted to share my experience of healing and complete relief from ongoing abdominal pain. I have had abdominal surgeries and abdominal adhesions as a result. The pain was excruciating and debilitating. I am the mother of four children and understand labor pain and all that goes with it. This exceeded that pain and it had never been completely resolved in 20 years. In April I went to my physician and she ordered a CT scan and it came back clear. I drove myself to the ER two times in two weeks because of the pain… I prayed and prayed for direction. I turned on the news and there was an interview with Kate Skinner and she was talking about how she worked on abdominal adhesions at Great Divide Physical Therapy in Missoula. I had several surgeries to remove the adhesions which in turn just created more. I had tried acupuncture and diets thinking it may have been irritable bowel syndrome… I life in Bigfork and thought I would call and inquire. It seemed too good to be true and I even wondered if I had heard correctly. I spoke with Kate over the phone and she got me in quickly. She found that I had adhesions/scar tissue on my descending colon, my left kidney, and my sphincter… I didn’t even know I had one. It explained all of my symptoms specifically. Kate treated me for three one hour sessions. She also gave me exercises to do at home between treatments. I have had complete relief for almost 13 weeks! I still cringe just out of habit when I roll over in bed or twist or bed for fear it will trigger an episode of pain. I am so grateful to the Lord for guiding me to Great Divide Physical Therapy and Kate Skinner. I hope anyone who is struggling and suffering with pain will find healing… it was a miracle for me.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,

I certainly didn’t think that, when I reached the royal age of 80, I would actually feel better than anytime during the previous several decades. But I do!

For most of my life, my digestive system has been in almost constant distress. A large part of it has been due to abdominal adhesions which formed prolifically following each of several surgeries. Two of the surgeries involved cutting out those abdominal fibers along with two sections of colon that were entrapped in the maze of internal scar tissue. My last surgeon said it looked like someone had poured cement in me.

In my mind, I was looking with dread on the probability of yet another cutting foray. The same symptoms of constant bloating, gas, with extreme discomfort and pain were intensifying. Eating created an almost immediate feeling of a tight band across my stomach area, followed by hours in which the distress worsened throughout my entire abdomen.

Then a friend told me about Kate Skinner. Her miracle hands and specialized, very effective tools sought out and broke the painful connections that had ruled all my intestinal processes. It’s now three months later, and I’m now a new woman. My stomach is calm. My digestive system works. The bloating and excessive distress are gone.
My husband, too, is experiencing the amazing change in his ability to work as Kate works on the adhesions surrounding an incision between his shoulder blades. Kate is very proficient and knowledgeable in tracing and fixing the restricting effects that the adhesions cause in the rest of his body.

No words can express how grateful we are for Kate’s expertise and warm, personable, yet professional service.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,

I am a Golf Professional who plays competitive golf almost year round.  A couple of years ago, I was having pretty severe pain in my left knee when I would swing.  After a consultation with a doctor, I went to see Lisa to see if physical therapy could help alleviate the pain.  After a very rigorous screening, she determined that much of the pain was due to some weakness in my back.  Lisa then did some work with me at her office and gave me some very simple, effective exercises and stretches for me to do at home.  She was very thorough going through the exercises to make sure I was doing them correctly to get maximum benefit.  Within weeks the pain went away.  I can’t thank her enough for getting me back to full strength. 

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,

Having problems with a bad back:  5 years ago I had an operation to correct the problem.  Although the surgery was a success, I had problems with the nerves in my right leg.  Physical therapy after the operation helped my back but not my leg. 

Recently my primary care physician, Dr. Mike Hutchins, noticed my balance was bad and I have trouble even walking.  He recommended Great Divide Physical Therapy for an evaluation.  There I met Catie Kohler, PT, DPT.  She set me up with a program at the gym and exercises I could do at home.  She is not only a great PT, but she is also a very caring person. 

After a few sessions, she had me feeling better, walking better, and my balance was improving. 

I would recommend anyone who needs PT should go to Great Divide for help.  All the people who work there are very knowledgeable and will make your visit a good experience.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy

My experience with Great Divide Physical Therapy, more specifically Lisa Baker, exceeded all of my expectations. With Lisa’s expertise and guidance I now have more range of motion and flexibility that I had before I had a total knee replaced! She empowered me to not only work hard while in her office but she gave me the knowledge and tools to continue my therapy on my own. It made me accountable and I was able to see progress on a daily basis. I’m so impressed and satisfied that I plan on coming back after I have my other knee replaced later this year.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,
I learned many things from Kate Skinner but one of the most valuable things I learned was how to lie down on the floor and to get back up again. I had not been able to find the correct movement to a kneeling position that didn’t hurt my two new knee replacements. Now I no longer have a fear of falling and not being able to get back up on my own.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,
I would recommend Great Divide to everyone. They not only have great PT personnel but they make sure to put you with the most qualified. Meg made all the hard work seem like fun.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,
The environment at Great Divide Physical Therapy is very welcoming and full of laughter. Everyone is so friendly and accommodating. The ladies up front are great at scheduling and have bright welcoming smiles when you first walk in. Lisa, Kate, and Catie are all great and wonderful to work with. They all have positive attitudes and make going to PT fun and enjoyable. Everyone at Great Divide Physical Therapy is absolutely amazing together and as individuals. I love going to PT and working with everyone.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,
I just want to thank you for giving me my life back Catie Kohler. I went to numerous physical therapists. None helped me.
You found the cause of my pain on the first visit! ☺ Thank you, I am able to do things again. Before you treated me I had many limitations, pain was my constant companion. I will always be grateful for all you have done.
Thank you for you compassion and understanding.

I had already had three back surgeries and was headed for having a fourth. My doctor suggested that I try physical therapy just for pain relief until the surgery. I decided to go to Frenchtown Physical Therapy because it was close to my home. I met Lisa and to make a long story short, I have not had my fourth back surgery.
I followed Lisa to Great Divide Physical Therapy in Missoula. I have been going to Lisa for six years. She has an ability that no other physical therapist has ever had with my back. There are times that I am in so much pain from having three vertebrates fused together that I have to resort to pain pills until I can get in to see Lisa. However, after going to Lisa, within days I am able to return to my normal activity. It used to be that I lived constantly on high doses of pain pills and now I use pain pills very infrequent.
Lisa has made a very painful injury tolerable without the use of pain medicine. I plan to keep using physical therapy to prevent any further back surgeries.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,
I started seeing Lisa Bakker in February 2014 due to back surgery in January on L3-S1. From the first session, it was obvious that Lisa was extremely knowledgeable and competent. I had broken an ankle several years ago; Lisa observed my improper gait; one leg was shorter than the other due to the healing of this old injury. After treatment of this ankle, my legs are now even in length and I can walk without difficulty. Also, due to cancer surgery, I had built up a lot of scar tissue on my left rear shoulder. After Lisa treated this area, I am now able to raise my arm properly. I feel confident that Lisa Bakker and Great Divide Physical Therapy can help you manage mobility and pain issue.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,

I was involved in a rear-end motor vehicle accident 5 years ago and suffered severe whiplash affecting my neck, shoulders, and entire back. I have been to numerous medical professionals seeking treatment; no one had been able to to alleviate my pain, lack of mobility, or physical discomfort.

I have been seeing Lisa Bakker since March 2014. In this short time of approximately one month, I have greatly improved. Issues were addressed that not even my surgeons, doctors, pain specialist, or numerous PT’s thought of, and now I feel confident that I will finally function as I did before the car accident, perhaps even better.

I had several abdominal abdominal surgeries ten years ago. This was never considered as part of my problem for my healing process after the car accident. This was one of the first issues Lisa addressed. It was determined that the scar tissue from the surgeries and the subsequent injuries from the car accident had “frozen” my right chest area, shoulder, and diaphragm. Essentially, I have not been breathing out of my right lung or using my diaphragm for 10 years. Each treatment with Lisa has improved my breathing ability to the point that I am no longer short of breath.

Pain is greatly alleviated and just a few stretches at home keep the problem areas in check. I wholeheartedly recommend Lisa Bakker and Great Divide Physical Therapy to anyone seeking a solution to pain management and improved quality of life.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,

Working with Megan and Lisa was fantastic! They both challenged me, but made the workouts fun. If I ever have to have physical therapy again, I would want to work with the therapists here.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,

I contacted GDPT based upon a recommendation for a naturopath. I had limited left hip movement, limping and pain following and an ATV accident three years ago that dislocated my pelvis. I previously had regularly seen another PT for months with no real progress. I saw Meg Fisher at GDPT for approximately two months. I felt I was making progress a week after my first appointments since the pain was reduced and I had more hip movement. The exercises Meg assigned were strengthening the muscles that my leg needed to move normally. New exercises were introduced at each appointment and each week my hip was feeling better. After four weeks I felt like I was beginning to walk normally without limping. At approximately eight weeks of treatment I really felt normal again, no limping and no pain. I highly recommend Med Fisher and Great Divide Physical Therapy. I would not hesitate to use them again or recommend a friend.

Dear Great Divide Physical Therapy,

Cannot express enough the professionalism as well as good old fashioned concern for the patient! My history of discomfort and pain has been endless over the years and Catie + crew have worked tirelessly to remedy my problems. I must admit I was a little skeptical about the ASTYM treatments, but wow, incredible the progress that I have made! I’m returning to my active lifestyle that has been very missed! Thank you so much Catie and ladies! Recommendations all around!

Thank you AGAIN!

I’ve learned a lot from Kate about what specific muscles in my body do. Her calm way of encouraging me to be patient and pace myself doing the exercises is helping me strengthen the muscles used to improve posture and balance.

I’ve suffered from digestive issues for ten plus years.  I was finally diagnosed w/SIBO four years ago by my nurse practitioner.  I thought I’d tried every remedy known to man, mostly with little to no success.

My nurse practitioner, Libby Costello Gard, prescribed physical therapy through your clinic.  I must say I was skeptical, but after finding no relief, I made an appointment with Great Divide.  Mariah, with her skill and understanding of SIBO, has completely changed my life.  Really!

Words cannot express my gratitude for what Mariah has done for me.  Thank YOU for having such wonderful people on your staff.