Like every team member at Panorama Summit Orthopedics, physical therapist Colin Snyder is on a mission to keep people participating in their favorite activities. In October, he will help skiers and snowboarders prepare for the upcoming season to reduce risk of injury with a series of free Snow Sport Conditioning classes.

The weekly sessions take place from 8-9 a.m. Saturdays in October, with the exception of the Oct. 7 session running from 7-8 a.m. Each 60-minute workout he has designed and supervises will focus on the physical demands that are unique to skiing and snowboarding. It will emphasize strength, balance, flexibility, endurance, core strength and plyometrics (speed and force of different movements to build muscle). Each week will zero in on hip stability, core stability, dynamic stability and specific stretches.

Snyder joined Panorama Summit Orthopedics in 2020 after earning his doctorate in physical therapy and working in his home state of Pennsylvania, then at Breckenridge’s ski clinic. He particularly enjoys Summit County’s active community, who tend to be highly motivated to return to their active lifestyle. Granted, sometimes, people can be overzealous and push too hard, so he takes time to educate them about safe activities versus risky ones throughout the recovery process.

“I like helping people get back into what they want to do,” he said. “I try to keep them doing as much as possible and still move forward. We may have to tone (activity) down for a few weeks, but that lets us get back to it faster. Otherwise, you can slow down further progress.”

Snyder relates to the active people he works with. He grew up playing soccer — a sport he pursued through college — as well as skiing and mountain biking. As a result, he suffered his fair share of injuries, but his early exposure to physical therapy, in addition to his interest in science, with his bachelor’s degree in biology and minor in chemistry — led him to pursue a career in the field.

Up here, it’s not surprising that he treats a lot of ACL or multi-ligament knee injuries, shoulder injuries and tibial plateau and tibia-fibula fractures. In conjunction with Brian Barnett, D.O., who specializes in non-operative treatments of sports, musculoskeletal and spine injuries, he also addresses chronic pain issues.

“There are so many factors that play into chronic pain, so it involves more talking to figure out where to start. It’s interesting to find out what’s driving it,” Snyder said. “Even breathing exercises can sometimes be helpful, because of a heightened nervous system response to pain.”

Whether he’s working with chronic pain or a clear-cut orthopedic injury, Snyder customizes his plan of care.

“I keep it as specific to a person as possible — the whole team here does. It’s not just the same knee exercises (for everyone),” he said.

In addition to pre- and post-therapy screening, he and the Panorama Summit Orthopedics team maintain an open dialogue throughout the entire recovery process to effectively usher people back into their active mountain lifestyle.

The close team at Panorama Summit Orthopedics constantly collaborates to deliver the best results. For example, if Snyder has a question or wants an update, he reaches out to team doctors or other physical therapists and quickly receives an answer. If someone has plateaued in therapy, he’ll bounce ideas off another physical therapist, and vice versa.

All of it adds up to caring, expert treatment, uniquely individualized to correct muscular imbalances and improve strength and range of motion so people can return to doing what they love most.

Snow Sport Conditioning Classes

What: Weekly workshops to prepare for the ski and snowboard season
When: Saturday mornings in October
Where: Panorama Summit Physical Therapy, 68 School Rd., Suite 150, Frisco
Cost: Free

To sign up: Call 970-262-7421 or email nzalenski@panoramaortho.com (limited to 20 participants).

More info: summitorthopanorama.com/summit-orthopedics/classes-and-events