Hidden Gems: Meet Jaquelyn Hedden of Alpenglow Movement Specialists

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaquelyn Hedden.

Hi Jaquelyn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up in a family that highly prioritizes health and wellness, it is not surprising that I would ultimately become a physical therapist. I have always loved the outdoors and from a young age enjoyed sports including competitive swimming, sprint triathlons, running track, and even water polo which I played through college. In Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Florida, I became fascinated by the human body, the complex processes that allow us to move, and the principles of human performance. I decided to major in Exercise Physiology and from there, physical therapy was a natural progression.

The next step in my career was to study at a top-ranked graduate program to obtain my doctoral degree in physical therapy (DPT). Nearly a decade later, I have worked in various settings including outpatient private practice, sports, orthopedics, and the military health system, and have even volunteered at major sporting events including the World Figure Skating Championships and at the US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center.

Because continuing to learn and grow as a clinician is so important to me, I have taken numerous courses and certifications over the years. Some of my biggest achievements include becoming a board-certified orthopedic specialist in physical therapy (OCS) and a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). Both of these certifications are incredibly valuable with regard to rehab and human performance, meaning I am better able to help clients go from injury to full return to sport. I have also taken many classes in various modalities including kinesio-taping, cupping, and dry needling in order to offer additional treatment techniques for my clients.

After years of working in facilities where profit was prioritized over patient success, I ultimately decided to open my own practice where I could make meaningful changes to improve the patient experience and individual outcomes. I opened Alpenglow Movement Specialists in Colorado Springs in July 2022 and have created an environment where each person can get a truly individualized experience. I work with clients who enjoy an active and healthy lifestyle, who want to better understand the anatomy and how to care for their bodies, and who want to take control of their health.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to creating Alpenglow Movement Specialists was not a smooth one. In fact, my interests have always been in patient care, so until recently I never saw myself on the management side of healthcare, much less as a practice owner.

For years I worked in traditional outpatient physical therapy settings where management focused on profit over patient care. Insurance companies also contributed to the suboptimal conditions by limiting the amount of time, frequency, and total number of visits they would allow for each patient. Because insurance companies also dictated which treatment options clinicians could utilize, this led to cookie-cutter treatments that often left patients with less-than-ideal results. As a clinician, I always felt rushed with each treatment session, torn between what the patients needed and what insurance allowed, and unable to truly provide the level of care I knew I was capable of.

Years of frustration with this system left me wondering how I could have an impact against these massive corporations that view patients simply as a means to greater profits. Over time, I moved toward a business model unlike that of traditional physical therapy. I realized that by not going through insurance companies, the restrictions they impose would no longer be applicable, freeing me to use my knowledge and experience to help others the way I was trained.

My vision for Alpenglow Movement Specialists is to provide clients with a physical therapy experience far from the traditional model. Here, each patient is treated as an individual, not a number. The focus is always on addressing the root cause of the problem, with the aim of helping clients return to their hobbies and activities as soon as possible. Clients are assessed through a detailed evaluation aimed at identifying specific movement restrictions which may be contributing to their concerns. Treatments are all one-on-one with a doctor of physical therapy, and each treatment plan is tailored to the individual based on their specific needs and goals. I also strive to empower each of my patients with the knowledge to take control of their health by spending time discussing their diagnosis, creating a plan to address it, and providing ways to manage symptoms long-term, all while using terminology that is easy to understand.

Over the years many obstacles have contributed to the creation of Alpenglow Movement Specialists. Although it has not been an easy road, I am so thankful to have the opportunity to offer clients an alternative to what is found in the mainstream healthcare system.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My goal in creating Alpenglow Movement Specialists was to create an environment that is tailored to meet the specific goals of each individual client. Have you ever been to a physical therapy clinic where you spent ten minutes warming up on a bike and spent perhaps 15 minutes with the physical therapist before being shuttled off to a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or tech to run you through exercises you were already doing at home? This conveyor belt-type model for physical therapy is structured to maximize the number of clients over the quality of care and is largely due to how insurances reimburse for treatments.

After years of seeing patients frustrated by suboptimal treatments and issues dealing with insurance companies, I created Alpenglow Movement Specialists as a place where patients can truly have their concerns heard and addressed. Here, every session is spent entirely with the doctor of physical therapy. There is no surprise billing from unmet deductibles or coinsurances; as a self-pay service, clients know exactly what is due for each visit (and we gladly help clients if they choose to seek insurance reimbursement through out-of-network benefits). Together, we develop a treatment plan that is centered around individual needs and goals. Because we take the time to truly teach clients about their diagnosis, instruct on home techniques to help manage symptoms, and focus on correcting the root issue, we can substantially decrease the time spent in physical therapy. This approach also allows clients to be much more independent and in control of their recovery.

As a multi-sport athlete who enjoys an active and healthy lifestyle, I understand the frustrations of injury, the overwhelm of trying to find answers online and wanting to get back to sports as soon as possible. Movement is my passion and helping others move and feel better is my goal. At Alpenglow Movement Specialists, we examine the nuances of movement mechanics that can contribute to issues and pain and correct them through an assortment of treatment techniques.

My belief is that if we have a better understanding of the human body and how it works, we can better take care of ourselves and lead healthier, more fulfilled lives. Because of this, I believe in empowering my clients with a thorough understanding of their condition, a plan for addressing it, and the knowledge to make informed decisions outside of physical therapy. I also provide educational content on social media and plan to provide further educational opportunities as the business grows.

Since I began developing the vision for Alpenglow Movement Specialists, I knew I wanted to integrate community service into the business as well. Colorado has been my home for many years and I want to give back to the community that has welcomed me and my family. Last year I crocheted 27 winter hats from donated yarn, which we gave to local charities to aid those in need. As a small practice, I hope our contributions will grow as we become more established in the community.

Alpenglow Movement Specialists is a health and wellness organization aimed at helping individuals succeed in reaching their wellness goals. We provide physical therapy, strength, and conditioning, as well as movement and health education. If seeking a clinician who will truly listen to your concerns, work with you to address the root problem, and help you create a treatment plan that meshes with your lifestyle, consider Alpenglow Movement Specialists.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Every decision we make has some level of inherent risk. Although there may be no way to fully eliminate it, we can weigh the risk against the reward to make informed decisions, then work hard to make that decision worthwhile. For example, it was a risk to spend three years in graduate school studying to become a physical therapist, but the reward of spending my career as a physical therapist made it worth it. It was a risk to uproot my life and move across the country to take a job working for the military in Colorado, but hard work made it an incredible experience that I can reflect on with gratitude.

By far the greatest risk I have taken with my career was leaving a position with a steady income for the uncertainties of small business ownership. However, the reward of building a business that aligns with my beliefs and values and that offers solutions for my clients has been incredibly fulfilling. While risk may be a part of every decision, we can make informed choices and with the proper dedication, ensure we attain the outcomes we dream of.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alpenglowmovement.com
• Instagram: @alpenglow.movement.specialists – www.instagram.com/alpenglow.movement.specialists/
• Facebook: Alpenglow Movement Specialists – www.facebook.com/Alpenglow.Movement.Specialists/
• Youtube: @alpenglow.movement.specialists