Distinctly Montana Magazine

78 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 6 D R. JESSICA HART IS AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON SPE- CIALIZING IN SPORTS MEDICINE AT ORTHO MON- TANA IN BOZEMAN, which serves patients across south-central and eastern Montana with locations in Bozeman, Billings, and Miles City, providing orthopedic care for both sur- gical and non-surgical treatments for the demanding physical lives Montanans lead. A former collegiate gymnast, she com- pleted her fellowship at the University of Colorado before re- locating to Montana, where she now treats everyone from high school athletes to working ranchers. YOU'VE WORKED WITH SOME PRETTY HIGH-PROFILE TEAMS—COLORADO AVALANCHE, CU FOOTBALL, DENVER UNIVERSITY HOCKEY. WHAT BROUGHT YOU FROM THAT WORLD TO MONTANA, AND WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT PRACTICING ORTHOPEDICS HERE? Working with elite teams was an incredible experience, but Montana offered something that felt more sustainable and meaningful long-term—both professionally and personally. What surprised me most is how high the level of athleticism still is here. People may not be playing professionally, but they ski hard, work hard, and expect their bodies to perform at a very high level. The expectations are different, but the stakes are of- ten just as high. YOU WERE A COLLEGIATE GYMNAST BEFORE BECOMING AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON. HOW DID THAT EXPERIENCE SHAPE YOUR APPROACH TO SPORTS MEDICINE? DOES HAVING BEEN AN ATHLETE YOURSELF CHANGE HOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR PA- TIENTS ARE GOING THROUGH? Being a gymnast taught me discipline, body awareness, and what it feels like to push through injury—sometimes wisely, some- times not. I understand the frustration of being sidelined and the fear of not returning to the same level. That experience makes me very focused on function, not just imaging or timelines. I try to meet patients where they are emotionally, not just anatomically. HOW DOES TREATING ATHLETES IN MONTANA COMPARE TO TREATING ATHLETES AT THE D-1 OR PROFESSIONAL LEVEL? ARE THE INJURIES DIFFERENT, OR JUST THE CONTEXT? The injuries themselves are often similar—the ACL doesn't care if you're a pro or a high school athlete—but the context is very different. In Montana, athletes often don't have layers of train- ers, nutritionists, or recovery resources. They may also have jobs or family responsibilities that affect rehab. The treatment plans have to be more individualized and realistic. A CO N V E R SAT I O N WIT H ORTHO MONTANA'S DR. JESSICA HART

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