Where we see patients
Is there pelvic floor physical therapy in rural Montana?
Yes, by video. EMS Therapy sees patients anywhere in Montana, including the Hi-Line, the eastern plains, the Flathead, the Bitterroot and the mountain towns of the southwest, one-on-one from home.
The details
What to know
Answered by the practice of Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT, pelvic floor and orthopedic physical therapist.
In much of Montana, the nearest specialist is a day's round trip, and in winter the drive may not happen at all. A video visit needs only a phone or laptop with a camera, a private room and a steady connection; cellular data often works, and visits can be scheduled around calving, harvest and shift work.
Common reasons rural patients book include leaking, urgency, prolapse, back and shoulder pain from ranch and farm work, postpartum recovery and recovery after surgery. The first visit is a 60-minute evaluation, and follow-ups are 45 minutes.
Visits are private pay with a superbill; HSA and FSA cards are accepted. Montana allows physical therapy without a referral.
How it works
How a virtual visit works
Most of pelvic floor physical therapy is education, breathing and pressure management, movement retraining, and a home program. All of it works on camera. During the evaluation, Dr. Shalem guides a self-assessment so she can see how the pelvic floor is coordinating with breath and movement. An internal examination is not possible by video; if a hands-on assessment would change the plan, she says so and helps the patient find local care.
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
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.