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A body-mind approach to physical therapy treatment....

because your mind is in a body and your body has a mind

At Integrative Physical Therapy (IPT), a body-mind, whole person approach to physical therapy for persistent pain and orthopedic conditions is taken. Treatment is centered around the understanding that pain is a complex construct of our nervous system. Traditional physical therapy modalities such as therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, and body mechanics training, are used within this understanding. These are combined with strategies to improve nervous system health.  A psychologically informed approach that centers around active listening and goal setting, as well as learning the science of what happens when we have pain is used. Personalized, concrete strategies for pain management are given with the goal of returning to your fullest life.

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We welcome all clients regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, and ability.

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It is our aspiration to provide inclusive, gender affirming, and trauma-informed environment for care. 

Want to know more about this? Please go here. 

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a picture of a woman receiving physical therapy for chronic pain
A picture of a Michelle Downing PT performing physical therapy

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​Treatment with Dr. Michelle Downing (she/her) is

available for the following conditions:

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  • Orthopedic problems (pain and injury)​

    • shoulder, elbow, wrist

    • hip, ankle, knee

    • pelvic and spinal instability

    • low back, neck, sacroiliac joint

    • orthopedic conditions during pregnancy

  • Nerve pain and nerve disorders

    • herniated cervical or lumbar disc

    • nerve crush injury

    • other nerve pain

  • Persistent pain conditions

    • fibromyalgia

    • complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)

    • any pain which lasts longer than normal tissue healing or has not fully recovered with traditional physical therapy techniques

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An update from Michelle regarding pelvic health related physical therapy:

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After 9 years of providing pelvic health related physical therapy I have decided to discontinue offering this service at my practice. I have spent the past few years dedicated to the study of the nervous system and pain.  My knowledge of and interest in this topic have expanded greatly, at the expense of other topics. I no longer am up to date on the knowledge I need to treat various pelvic health related conditions. I have decided to stop treating these conditions and continue to focus on further deepening my knowledge of persistent pain and the nervous system. If you have been a pelvic floor/pelvic health client of mine in the past and want to return, or if you have a complex pain or trauma related pelvic floor condition, please reach out and we can decide together if it is a good fit to work together. For all other conditions, like stress incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and bowel dysfunction, I recommend contacting the other excellent pelvic health practices in the area. 

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About

Contact

Integrative Physical Therapy

305 St. Paul St. Suite 321

Burlington, VT

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Tel (802)557-1349

Fax (802) 321-5382

Email michelle@integrativeptvt.com

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