OUTDOOR PHYSIO STORIES
HUNTING
As a kid, I was trekking the woods with my dad and grandpa on hunts, and was hunting on my own by the age of 14. Hunting provides us with the opportunity to get outdoors and connect with nature. Natural adrenaline and a feeling of pride surge through the body when you finally harvest the animal you've spotted all year on your trail cams, knowing it will feed your family for months to come. The feeling is addictive, and keeps us hunters in the woods year after year.
Injuries can have a devastating effect on our ability to hunt. When I was younger, I remember my dad sharing a story with me about the time he injured his shoulder from a fall. The pain and weakness of his shoulder forced him to quit bow hunting, the same way his father had stopped hunting due to failing strength and endurance. They could get into the woods, but would not be able to pack out a deer. I thought this was a normal consequence of injury and age...having to give up forever something you love.
I know now this doesn't have to be the case. With training, guidance, and motivation, neither injury nor age should ever hold you back. With my physical therapy training, and years of hunting experience, I can help get you back to slinging arrows, shooting down range, or packing out your trophy to bring it home.
DIVING
I have always loved the water, so scuba diving as a sport came naturally to me. Something about feeling weightless, knowing there is a whole other world underneath the surface waiting to be discovered is so exhilarating. I have dived the cold water lakes of Michigan for the past 5 years, and have done a few dives in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. My personal experience with diving injuries arose after one particularly long dive...my jaw was in pain. At the time I did not know what to do about it, and I dealt with the pain for many dives after that.
Since studying physical therapy, I know now what I could have done immediately to help myself dive without pain, and to relieve my anxiety that the pain would creep up again after diving. Having someone who can guide you, and give you the tools to heal yourself, is key to long term progress and pain free diving for many years to come.
HIKING
Hiking has always been activity that has kept me active and in the outdoors. I remember hiking small trails growing up in boy scouts. Though there were marked trails, I would always seek out the rugged terrain to fully explore the wilderness around me. As I grew up, I sought bigger and rougher trails.
To date, my favorite is hiking Mt. Snowdon in Snowdonia National Park in Wales. There are steep trailheads the majority of the way up the mountain. Luckily, at the time I packed light, and I only had to make a couple stops. Upon arriving at the summit, my hips hurt pretty badly. I knew at that moment that I had over used my hip musculature due to the increased demand of my pack.
Thankfully, I was able to fall back on my physical therapy training, and help free up my hip pain quickly. Problems like these are pretty common with those of us who cannot stay off the trail. Leg and back injuries can really hold back avid hikers. Whether it’s a hip, back, knee, ankle, or any other issue keeping you off the trail, it is vital to know someone with the knowledge to properly manage pain, and get you back to hiking pain-free as quickly as possible. Through rehabilitative exercise, you'll have the know-how to manage any symptoms as they come up on the trail, and to help you prepare for that next big adventure.
FISHING
Fishing has provided humans with food for centuries. There is also a calming effect to it...something meditative about standing on shore or just trolling the sunset that soothes the soul, and makes worldly stresses melt away for a time.
Growing up with access to a lake cottage, I spent many mornings with my feet off the dock, casting with my grandpa and dad, waiting for that monster fish to drag my bobber (and maybe my rod) into the water. The back and forth of bringing in a fish gives you respect for the drive to survive, and adds to the overall experience of the catch. Reeling it in, never knowing which direction it will turn, requires endurance and strength.
The shoulders and back are common, key players in this process. When there is pain or anxiety in these areas, it can be difficult to enjoy the rush of a fish grabbing your lure. With my help, you can get back sooner and stay on the water longer. Through exercise and guidance, I provide you with the tools to train and power to heal, and help you reel in the catch of your dreams.