Orthopedic · Central and Eastern Montana
Physical therapy for shoulder pain in Central and Eastern Montana
Rotator cuff pain, impingement, and frozen shoulder are the three most common shoulder problems, and for all three progressive exercise is the treatment with the best evidence, including compared with surgery.
- Private pay with superbills for out-of-network reimbursement
- No referral needed (unrestricted direct access)
- Video visits anywhere in Central and Eastern Montana
About the condition
Shoulder pain: what is going on.
The shoulder trades stability for mobility, and it depends on the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles to keep the joint centered. When those muscles are weak, fatigued, or poorly timed, the tendons get pinched and irritated: pain reaching overhead, reaching behind, or lying on that side. Frozen shoulder is a different problem, a stiff and painful capsule that follows its own long course. Instability, after a dislocation or from loose joints, is a third pattern.
For rotator cuff pain and impingement, randomized trials show structured exercise matches surgery. For frozen shoulder, guided mobility and loading shorten the course. Rehab after rotator cuff repair and shoulder replacement follows the surgeon's protocol for months.
Common experiences
What people with shoulder pain often describe
These are the patterns Dr. Shalem hears most often. Any of them is a reason to book a discovery call.
Pain reaching overhead or behind the back
Pain lying on the shoulder at night
Weakness lifting the arm or carrying
A shoulder that is getting stiffer over months
A feeling of looseness or a past dislocation
Rehab needed after rotator cuff or shoulder surgery
Treatment
How physical therapy addresses it.
The program restores shoulder blade control, strengthens the rotator cuff with progressive loading, restores mobility in the thoracic spine and capsule as needed, and progresses to overhead work, lifting, and sport. Post-surgical rehab follows the surgeon's protocol with clear phase criteria.
What a video visit looks like
Dr. Shalem watches arm elevation and shoulder blade movement on camera, uses guided tests to identify the pattern, and progresses loading with a resistance band and light weights.
Coverage in Montana
Insurance and pricing
Bring your plan name to the discovery call and we confirm your physical therapy benefit before the first visit.
Private pay
Visits in Montana are private pay. We provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards accepted. Rates are quoted on the free discovery call.
Referrals
Montana allows you to see a physical therapist for evaluation and treatment without a physician referral, with no visit limit. Some insurance plans still ask for one, and we check that for you.
Billings, Great Falls, the Hi-Line, and the eastern plains are seen by video, including military families at Malmstrom AFB.
How it works
How a virtual visit works
Dr. Shalem watches arm elevation and shoulder blade movement on camera, uses guided tests to identify the pattern, and progresses loading with a resistance band and light weights.
Discovery call
15 minutes, free, by phoneA short call to hear what is going on, explain how visits work, and check insurance or pricing. No pressure to book.
Evaluation
60 minutes, by videoDr. Shalem takes a full history, watches how you move and breathe, and guides the self-assessments she needs to build a plan.
Your plan
Same visitYou leave the evaluation with a plain-language explanation and a short home program, usually a few minutes a day.
Follow-ups
45 minutes, every 1 to 2 weeksProgress checks, program updates, and techniques you can do yourself, for as long as they are useful.
For a video visit you will need
- A phone, tablet, or laptop with a camera
- A private room
- A mat or towel
- About an hour
Questions
Shoulder pain questions in Central and Eastern Montana
I have a rotator cuff tear on MRI. Do I need surgery?
Many rotator cuff tears, especially degenerative ones, do as well with structured exercise as with surgery. Full-thickness tears in younger people after an injury are a different situation, and we coordinate with an orthopedic surgeon.
How long does frozen shoulder take?
The natural course is one to three years. Guided treatment shortens it and keeps function during the stiff phase.
What equipment do I need?
A resistance band, a doorway, and a light weight or a water bottle cover most shoulder programs.
Do I need a referral for physical therapy in Montana?
Montana allows you to see a physical therapist for evaluation and treatment without a physician referral, with no visit limit. Some insurance plans still ask for one, and we check that for you.
What insurance do you take in Montana?
Private pay: Visits in Montana are private pay. We provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards accepted. Rates are quoted on the free discovery call.
Your physical therapist
Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Miami. Licensed in Montana.
Dr. Shalem treats pelvic health for women and men, from pregnancy and postpartum recovery to bladder, bowel, and pelvic pain conditions and recovery after prostate or pelvic surgery, and general orthopedic conditions of the back, neck, hips, knees, shoulders, and feet. Visits are one-on-one and unhurried, and she explains what she is seeing in plain language.
More about Dr. ShalemPrefer to write? Send a message.
Questions about insurance, pricing, or whether physical therapy is the right next step? We reply within one business day.
Start with a free 15-minute call.
Tell us what is going on, hear how Dr. Shalem would approach it, and decide from there.