One80 Physical Therapy — Loveland, CO
We Don’t Do What Everyone Else Does.
Here’s Why That Matters.
Most physical therapy clinics use the same toolkit: cupping, K tape, electrical stimulation, stretching protocols, decompression tables, dry needling, etc.
We don’t. Not because we can’t, we just choose not to. The research on most of these treatments tells a consistent story: short-term relief, no lasting change, missing the root cause… which keeps patients coming back.
At One80, we built our entire system around one question: what is the cause of the symptom? Not where does it hurt? Instead, WHY does it hurt? The answer is nerve-muscle dysfunction. This is the most basic component of physiology that conventional clinics skip.
We find that inhibited (turned off) muscle. We turn it back on. The compensation goes way, strength and stability returns and symptoms are gone. That’s the One80 System — and it’s why we can guarantee results on your first visit when no one else can.
Six treatment categories most clinics rely on.
And why One80 Doesn’t.
Click any category below to read the full clinical breakdown —
including the research that drove our decision not to use these techniques.
Cupping, Dry Needling & Scraping (IASTM)
These techniques attack the painful area without asking why the pain is there. The research — including a 2025 systematic review and a 2024 umbrella review covering dozens of studies — consistently shows results no better than placebo, with no lasting effect on the neuromuscular dysfunction causing the pain.
To read the full article on dry needling from the New York Times that features Dr. Polka CLICK HERE. (you may need to scroll down)
K-Tape, Orthotics & Braces
External support feels helpful, but it trains the muscles responsible for internal stability to stop working. A 2026 meta-analysis of 128 reviews and over 15,800 participants found no evidence that kinesio tape works beyond immediate short-term windows, and long-term brace use is associated with measurable muscle weakness at the supported joint. Are you experiencing back, hip or knee pain since you started using shoe inserts? There’s a reason for that.
Massage, Stretching, Foam Rolling & Thera Gun
Relaxing a muscle the nervous system tightened for a reason removes the body’s last line of defense without addressing the cause of tightness. A 2025 international consensus of 20 experts concluded that stretching doesn’t prevent injury, improve posture, or serve as a meaningful recovery tool. Many studies published in the early 2000’s concluded that stretching increases the risk of injury and decreases athletic performance.
Laser, Shockwave, Electrical Stimulation & Ultrasound
These modalities reduce pain in the moment, which is exactly why they keep patients coming back for sessions that don’t fix anything. Decades of studies clearly advise against TENS and ultrasound for treatment of acute or pain. Review articles have also shown that these modalities are no better than placebo for low back pain treatment.
Decompression, Traction & Inversion Tables
Pulling the spine apart at high and uncomfortable settings may temporarily reduces disc pressure, but does nothing to restore the deep spinal stabilizers that failed to prevent that pressure in the first place. Six of seven randomized controlled trials found no significant difference between spinal decompression and control conditions for chronic sciatica and low back pain.
McKenzie, Maitland & Protocol-Based Manual Therapy
These frameworks were breakthroughs in their era, the 1980s, but they don’t come close to finding the root cause of symptoms. A 2023 review study concluded that McKenzie is not an effective treatment for non-specific low back pain, and protocol-based care treats the diagnosis rather than the individual’s specific presentation.
The One80 System: Root Cause, First Visit, Guaranteed.
Every One80 assessment begins with a full neuromuscular evaluation — not a symptom checklist. We identify which muscles have been neurologically inhibited, why the nervous system shut them down, and what compensation pattern has developed as a result. Then we fix it. Most patients feel a measurable difference before they leave their first session.
This is not a new approach to the same model. It is a fundamentally different model — built on neuromuscular physiology, protected by a patent, and validated by results that conventional PT cannot consistently produce.
We serve patients from Loveland, Fort Collins, Berthoud, Windsor, Timnath, and across Northern Colorado. One therapist. One patient. Every visit.
Frequently asked questions
Is dry needling ever appropriate?
For some patients, dry needling may provide temporary pain relief that creates a window for active rehabilitation. But used as a primary treatment without addressing the neuromuscular root cause, it becomes a treadmill — short relief, return of symptoms, repeat visits.
Why do so many PTs use these techniques if they don’t work?
Because pain relief — even temporary pain relief — feels like success to patients in the moment. Techniques that produce immediate sensory feedback get positive reviews regardless of whether they produce lasting change. The business model of high-volume PT incentivizes repeat visits, not resolution.
Should I stop wearing my orthotics or brace?
Not immediately. We work on restoring muscle function and gradually transition you off external support as the muscles become capable of taking over. Going cold turkey creates a different overload problem during the transition.
If these are gimmicks, why do insurance companies cover them?
Coverage doesn’t equal efficacy. Many of these modalities became reimbursable before rigorous placebo-controlled trials existed. NICE and Cochrane have been clear. Clinical practice hasn’t always followed.
Does One80 ever use joint mobilization or manual therapy?
Yes, selectively. Joint mobilization has a legitimate role in restoring range of motion as part of a comprehensive neuromuscular plan. We don’t use it as the primary intervention, and we don’t use it in isolation.
Does One80 PT serve patients in Loveland and Fort Collins?
Yes. One80 Physical Therapy is located in Loveland, CO and serves patients from Fort Collins, Berthoud, Windsor, Timnath, and across Northern Colorado.
Ready to find out what One80 can do for you?
Call (970) 593-9300 or book your free consultation.
One therapist. One patient. Results on your first visit — guaranteed.