Meet Our Therapist

Tina was born and raised in the small town of Paris, Texas.  At 19 she joined the US Air Force where she trained as a Surgical Scrub Technologist assisting on the Surgical Field for 6 years.  As a Scrub tech, she worked primarily in Orthopedics, OB/GYN, and General surgery.  In 1989, she began attending classes at Texas Woman’s University to advance her career toward physical therapy. After a short Tour of Duty in Desert Storm in 1991, she transferred to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center School of Allied Health Sciences.  In 1992 she received a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Physical Therapy. 

Tina spent two years working for East Texas Medical and Trauma Center in Tyler, Texas prior to traveling to Montana and then Alaska as a travel physical therapist.  She moved to Seward, Alaska in 1994 for a 13-week contract as a travel therapist for Seward General Hospital.  It quickly became her dream to open a private practice and work in rural Alaska long term.  In 1999, this dream was realized when she opened Active Alaskan Physical Therapy, Inc.  Much of the past 17 years Tina has worked in Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy of predominantly teen to mid-life adult clients.  Her career clinical experiences have included Orthopedics and Sports physical therapy, Wound care, Biomechanical assessments for the feet and lower extremities, Cardiac Rehab, Acute In-patient Med-Surg and Orthopedics, Neuro/Spinal Cord injury rehab, and Office and industry ergonomics. 

Tina is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the National Association of Athletic Trainers, the American Society of Safety Engineers, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.  She has been active in the Alaska APTA as well as several community civic and service organizations including Rotary, Civil Air Patrol, Emblem and Elks clubs.  She has been an avid supporter of community events including the Mt. Marathon Race in Seward providing Education and Sports Taping, the Breath for Life Lost Lake Run for Cystic Fibrosis and many local high school sports events.  In 2001, she completed a two-year 2000-hour Intern study and passed the Certification Board of Exams in Athletic Training. 

In 2007, after suffering several losses in her business and home due to flooding events, Tina relocated to Anchorage, AK. In May of 2008, she re-opened a private practice under the name of Active Abilities LLC.   That practice focused on providing outpatient orthopedics, workplace safety and interim contract care for Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley working in both inpatient and outpatient facilities including Providence Sports Medicine in Wasilla, Alaska Regional Hospital Post Surgery Orthopedics, and multiple private practice Orthopedic and Sports physical therapy clinics.  In December of 2009, with the support of many Tina moved her private practice back to Seward where she continues to specialize in Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. 

As you may have gathered, Tina doesn’t just have a job.  Being part of the exciting Profession of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, living in Alaska, and working with enthusiastic staff, peers and communities helps define who she is.  Tina truly loves living in Alaska and all it has to offer.  When not working where she loves, she plays where she lives.  She enjoys fly-fishing, hiking, canoeing, oil painting, shooting, photography, and spending time with her husband, Scott.

Personal Statement:  It is with great pleasure that I look back and remember past experiences while anticipating exciting future ones.  Many have helped me gather the wonderful memories I hold dear. Whether those memories are related to my career as a physical therapist, time spent in the Air Force or adventures of work and play in Alaska they all affirm for me every day, as John Donne would say, “No man (or woman) is an Island until himself”.  People have been the source of my energy. They like others before them and others to come are the daily force behind my dreams.  Tina McLean.