Megan Westling

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.S. in Kinesiology-Exercise Science. During my undergraduate studies, I also worked as an ACE certified personal trainer. I then earned my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Minnesota.

I have over a decade of experience helping a diverse patient base with a range of impairments including concussion, vertigo, spine and neck pain, and chronic pain. To best serve my patients, I have expanded my skill set to include advanced manual therapy techniques, vestibular rehabilitation and dry needling. I am a board certified specialist in orthopedics through the APTA, as well as a registered yoga teacher. 

I truly value treating each patient as an individual. It's important to deliver “whole-person” care that doesn’t just address the symptoms, but gets to the root of the problem. To help deliver this integrated care, I strive to create collaboration among therapists, wellness practitioners and referring providers. 

See me for: I love to treat a variety of orthopedic conditions ranging from lower back pain to ankle sprains. I enjoy working with complex patients who have been experiencing pain that has been going on for a long time. We will work together to discover how everything is connected and get to the root of the problem. My favorite orthopedic condition to treat is neck and headaches. I also specialize in vestibular and balance issues, including vertigo.

Why I chose to become a PT: I’ve always known I wanted to work with people and in healthcare. I chose to become a PT to have the opportunity to connect with patients and work WITH them to create an active solution to their concerns. Much of the healthcare system works within a reactive, symptom-based model and PT is just the opposite. We get to focus on preventive care and treating the cause of pain rather than masking it.

Worst injury I ever suffered: The worst injury I have ever suffered was a concussion while playing flag football in graduate school. I was running to catch the ball (which I did) and then immediately after, 2 other players (both pretty large guys) landed on me and we all hit the ground. After that I experienced headaches, neck/back tightness and many other symptoms of nervous system changes- anxiety, difficulty concentrating, etc. I went to 2 amazing physical therapists who helped me to a full recovery but it did take months to get there!

Craziest injury I have treated: The craziest injury I’ve ever treated didn’t start out that way, but the patient had a string of bad luck. Initially I saw this patient for a broken wrist after a trip on the ice. Just as this was pretty well healed the patient went on her first bike ride of the season, fell and broke her opposite humerus (arm bone). A month later she got kicked by a horse and fractured her femur (thigh bone). Throughout her therapy, we treated not only her physical body but educated her on ways to manage her stress level, sleep hygiene and to calm her nervous system. She is back to doing all the activities she loves, with more knowledge of how to care for herself too. 

My favorite food to cook/bake: I LOVE to cook! My favorite food to cook is the food I love to eat! I love to make something from scratch and enjoy the benefits. Italian food is fun to do that with- pizza, lasagna, pasta! I also make a great Cheesecake!

If I could visit anywhere in the world: If I could visit anywhere in the world it would be Southern Italy and Greece. I have been lucky enough to experience Northern Italy. I loved the food, history, culture and natural beauty. I’d love to go back to the Mediterranean and explore some more!

When I am not at work, I am: When I am not at work I’m spending time with my family and friends. It may be taking a bike ride, cooking together or going to a Brewers game. I love to explore new neighborhoods and restaurants. I also enjoy being active- practicing yoga, hiking along lake Michigan, the list goes on!

Bucket List Confession: My bucket list is to travel to Byron Bay, Australia to experience some new outdoor adventures: surfing and kayaking with dolphins! One of my favorite yoga teachers is from this area and always has stories of the festivals, beach days and wildlife she grew up with. To me it just sounds like paradise!

My quote to live by: The quote I live by is one I first heard during my yoga teacher training: “The only constant in life is change”. Change can be stressful and scary but if we can learn to embrace and even thrive with change, we can evolve and feel empowered. I think this quote really applies in PT as patients are coming to us because there’s been a change in their body- therapy offers the opportunity to grow, and go with the flow of change. We can feel more free and happy if we don't fight the change, but move with it!