Pediatric Physical Therapy in Missoula, Montana

If your child is struggling with movement, strength, or coordination, Samara Therapy Specialists is here to help. We’ve successfully worked with children at all ability levels to increase their confidence and help them reach their developmental milestones.

We understand that every child is unique, with their own strengths and abilities. Through physical therapy, we celebrate those strengths, empower your child’s development, and encourage them to lead active lives. Keep reading to learn more about this incredible therapy and how it can benefit your child.

What Is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is a specialized type of healthcare that helps children build the skills they need to be able to move their bodies effectively. Through exercises and fun activities, our team works with children to improve their physical skills like:

Balance

Coordination

Strength

Flexibility

Endurance

Range of Motion

Functional mobility

Our Physical Therapy Services

We provide a wide range of physical therapy services to address the needs of children and families in Missoula, MT, and our surrounding communities.

Postural Alignment

supports proper movement and coordination for sitting, walking, or playing.

Custom foot orthotics

designed to guide the support the movement of your child’s foot, ankle, and/or knee to improve independent movement.

Gait training

builds strength and endurance, improves control of the body, and increases range of motion.

Surgical rehabilitation

helps manage pain and promote recovery after any surgery or serious injury.

Adaptive equipment evaluation and fitting

finds the right adaptive equipment to support your child’s specific needs and helps them learn how to use it.

Aquatic therapy

develops range of motion, flexibility, coordination, respiratory control, endurance, and more in a fun environment. Plus, we are one of the only clinics in Missoula, MT that offer pediatric aquatic therapy.

Total motion release

a specialized technique used to treat structural asymmetry in infants (when the trunk, neck and/or lower limbs are not the same length).

Who Can Benefit from Physical Therapy?

In general, if your child has difficulty controlling and moving their body, they can benefit from pediatric physical therapy. We work with children who have a range of conditions that impact their bodies, including:

Developmental delays
Cerebral palsy
Down syndrome
Muscular dystrophy
Spina bifida

Scoliosis
Stroke
Spinal cord injury
Traumatic brain injury
Spinal muscle atrophy

Torticollis
Toe walking
Hypertonia (high muscle tone)
Hypotonia (low muscle tone)

What’s the Difference Between Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy?

While both physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) focus on improving a child’s quality of life, they target different areas of development. OT primarily focuses on fine motor skills, sensory processing, cognitive (thinking) abilities, and activities of daily living. PT, on the other hand, addresses gross motor skills like strength, flexibility, endurance, range of motion, coordination, and overall function. These therapies both help support a child’s overall growth, they simply focus on different parts of development.

Benefits of Pediatric Physical Therapy

Physical therapy offers a wide range of benefits for children, including:

Improved gross motor skills
Increased strength and endurance
Better overall mobility
Reduced pain and inflammation
Reduced risk of injury (or re-injury)
Faster healing from injury or surgery
Improved quality of life and overall wellbeing

Schedule an Evaluation with Our Team

If your child is struggling with movement or physical activity, we’re here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Samara Therapy Specialists at (406) 830-4500 to schedule a physical therapy evaluation. We’ll create a personalized therapy plan to support your child’s development and help them achieve their fullest potential. Give us a call today, and let’s work together to empower your child to thrive in all areas of life.

Main: 406-830-4500

Fax: 406-258-0849

1280 S. 3rd St. W, Missoula, MT 59801

[email protected]