The Physical Risk of Academic Finals:Modifying Load

As I reflect upon my marathon training over the last 4 month, I began to notice some interesting trends. Throughout the 4 months I suffered some mild setbacks(knee pains, decrease performance, trigger points etc) that hindered my training. However, when I went back and compared when these setbacks occurred, almost every single one coincided with a stressful week in school and clinicals. With this I realized that these set backs were on me. I should’ve modified my training load.

A couple months ago I posted the picture above on @compass_performance. Here is a visual I like to use to demonstrate how biopsychosocial factors influence and limit our training. When we have low levels of emotional and school stress, great sleep and proper nutrition, we have a ton of room for activities(training load), before we get injured or start to experience pain.

However, as these factors become less optimal, our room for training load quickly diminishes and injury risk quickly rises.

What does the research say?

There have been a few studies that have looked at the relationship between stressful life events and injury rates in athletes. The findings of these studies are listed below….

1. Petrie 1992: college gymnasts with higher life event scores experienced more minor injuries than athletes with lower scores

2. Cryan and Alles 1983: Athletes in a high stress score group were more likely to become injured

3. Gunnoe 2001: “(1) high school football players with high levels of total and negative life stress were more likely to become injured; (2) high school football players with high levels of total and negative life stress were more likely to sustain multiple injuries”

4. Bryan 2016: “Division 1 Collegiate Football Players suffers more than double the amount of injuries during periods of High Academic Stress doubled compared with periods of Low Academic Stress(from 6.2 injuries per week during Low stress weeks to 12.0 injuries per week during High Stress Weeks)“

These results should not come as a surprise…

During finals week, at least in my experience, it is pure survival mode. There is little self care, little sleep, poor nutrition(love myself some late night McDonalds during finals week, and you always have to treat yourself to chik fil a minis after an 8 am test), and ofcourse copious amounts of caffeine and stress. All of these factors on their own have been linked to negative relationships with health and injury risk. However, when all these factors come together, it creates a perfect storm for injury

How do we combat this?

The ideal unrealistic answer is to schedule your time better, meal prep before all hell breaks loose and be sure to set time limits to ensure you get proper amounts of sleep. The sad truth is my personality trait, PROCRASTINATION, and the fact finals, no matter what you do finals will always be stressful; this isn’t an option. Instead during these weeks, our training should decrease in load and intensity**DO NOT go completely Sedentary!!!Being completly sedentary can cause significant amounts of muscle atrophy and decrease our insulin sensistivity. Also exercise can be a POWERFUL mental health tool to utilize during these stressful time*** Thus, these weeks can serve as useful deload period which has been shown significantly improve training results. Here are some of my favorite workouts to do during final weeks.

Walking:

Many of my post have been centered around my love of walking and all the health benefits it serves. Bonus, little hack I use is to listen to any recorded lectures during my walk

“Kelly P, Williamson C, Niven AG, et alWalking on sunshine: scoping review of the evidence for walking and mental healthBritish Journal of Sports Medicine 2018;52:800-806”

Deload in the Weight Room:

Deload in the weight room typically means significantly decreasing volume( decreasing amount of sets and reps) and moderately decreasing load. Deloads are a critical part of the theory of periodization. It is believed that deloads primes our body for the next training block and may offer an increased super compensation effect.

Yoga/Meditation:

Yoga and Meditation are both great at producing a relaxation effect and calming our sympathetic nervous system, which is running on the diesel fuel of dark roast coffee. They are also both great at developing optimal breathing techniques. Yoga’s mobility benefits is an additional plus, that I most definitely need.

Feature Friday with Dr. Sophia Veiras: Lifting Up The Physical Therapy Profession

A common topic of conversation among physical therapists on social media is if we as a profession have a strong enough knowledge in strength and conditioning. A common thought is that many physical therapist do not load their patients enough to create a stimulus to improve strength optimally. For some reason I do not think this is an issue with Dr. Sophia Veiras(@soph.squats). Dr. Veiras is a Physical Therapist at Prolete Physical Therapy and Sport Medicine. In her free time she competes in powerlifting where she boast some impressive lifts. 200kg (440lbs) squat, 127.5 kg(280lbs) Bench and 197.5kg (435lbs) Deadlift. Dr. Veiras has been able to use her experience as a powerlifter to enhance her clinical practice. I was lucky enough to sit down with Dr. Veiras and get insight into the beneficial relationship her powerlifting and physical therapy career have had with each other.

Dr. Sophia Veiras Background:

What made you decide to go into physical therapy?

I played a lot of sports growing up but my interest in rehabilitation science was first ignited through my participation in the sport of wrestling. As the lone female on the high school wrestling team, it was an interesting and life changing experience. Determined to prove myself as a successful woman in a traditionally male dominated sport, I recognized the importance of incorporating accessory work to supplement my hard work on the mats. Days spent away from wrestling were spent strength training, conditioning, experimenting with nutrition and nursing my own injuries via Google. My interest in sports performance and injuries coupled with my desire to help people led me down the physical therapy route. What I discovered in PT school is that PT is so much more than just sports rehab and I’ve come to love all the ways in which physical therapists can positively impact people’s lives.

How would you describe your overarching treatment ideology?

My overarching treatment ideology is progressive rehabilitation and strength training. My biggest interest lies in bridging the gap between physical therapy and return to performance. I love to get athlete’s back to their respective grind with special interest in the female athlete. I am also quite holistic in my treatment strategies and make sure to address all variables of pain and performance including sleep, nutrition, psychological and social factors. I am here to be your ally and I believe in empowering you to be successful in all aspects of life.

How do you balance training stress and work stress?

I try to maintain balance by engaging my creative side through journaling. I used to be big into bullet journaling and have since transferred over to a passion planner. This allows me to stay on top of my tasks for the day while also giving me space to practice my calligraphy and doodling skills. I aim to maintain an AM/PM routine, which each consist of about 15-20 minutes of goal setting, organizing, and daily reflection.

Who has been the most impactful patient in your clinical career?

While at Northeastern, I had an amazing cooperative education experience working in the outpatient neurological rehabilitation department at Boston Medical Center. The most impactful patients I worked with were the spinal cord injury patients. In particular we were known for our body weight supported treadmill training system to help develop walking skills after spinal cord injuries or other neurological injuries. This population was so strong and inspiring mentally pushing themselves through the intense demands of neurorehab while maintaining such positive attitudes. I fondly remember one in particular, a mid 30 year old former Spartan racer bound to a wheelchair after a diving incident at his sister’s wedding. His determination and commitment to his rehab was unlike anything I’d ever seen. He simultaneously attended therapy at several neurorehab facilities spending time in standing frames, locomotor training treadmills, and training all the muscles he could. The prognosis for spinal cord injuries varies, with the greatest capacity for nerve recovery within the first 6 months. While initial injuries were sustained at the cervical spine, with his commitment to rehab this patient had regained levels into his lumbar spine as of the end of my experience there. This is incredible in the neurorehab world and it was so inspiring to experience.

Dr. Sophia Veiras Powerlifting Career:

How much do you bench? Squat? Deadlift?

Raw: 160kg squat/90kg bench/182.5kg deadlift

Equipped: 200kg squat/127.5kg bench/197.5kg deadlift

How did you get into powerlifting?

I was first exposed to strength training through being on the wrestling team. I would enjoy my time in the weight room but my primary focus at that time was still wrestling. After I had accomplished my wrestling goals of winning a national championship, I shifted my focus to school but continued to casually work out in the gym. I realized how much I missed playing a sport and my best friend convinced me to join her on the Northeastern Powerlifting team. I ran a 4 week program, did a meet, and I was hooked.

What powerlifting competitions have you competed in?

I have been blessed to earn opportunities to compete regionally, nationally, and internationally. My most notable accomplishment to date was winning IPF Collegiate Worlds in Belarus in 2016. I am currently working my way up in weight and on the podium with the goal of securing a spot on the world team again one day.

How has being a physical therapist improved or hindered your powerlifting?

My physical therapy knowledge has been a huge asset to my own powerlifting training as well as my ability to coach others in powerlifting. My knowledge of biomechanics, anatomy, motor control, and skill development are integral to my ability to process technical strengths and weaknesses. My knowledge of neuroscience and psychology is essential to my own mental patterning of lifts and performance. My ability to regress and progress movements within training has helped me modify training appropriately as needed.

Have you treated a lot of powerlifters? How do they differ from other athletes?

While on the Northeastern powerlifting team, I naturally found myself staying beyond practice hours to evaluate, assess, and treat my teammates’ injuries. Now in my professional years, I continue to work with powerlifters and provide education for injury management in the sport of powerlifting. In general, you tend to see more nagging aches and pains than you do traumatic injuries within the sport. Most common injury locations include low back, shoulders, and hips. There are so many training variables at play, both extrinsic and intrinsic, that it is important to recognize that injuries are multi-factorial and you have to recognize and address all the factors at play. This may include load management, technique adjustments, recovery monitoring, nutritional aspects, and stress management. Have that discussion with your athlete and it will go far in your management of the competitive powerlifter.

Dr. Sophia Veiras Views on Physical Therapy:

What is your favorite thing about being a PT?

The quality time I get to spend with my patients and the relationships we cultivate throughout the rehab process. As PTs we spend anywhere from 1-3 hours with patients weekly for several weeks, months, even years dealing with different injuries, which generates meaningful teamwork.

What is your least favorite thing about being a PT?

Notes 🙂

What do you view as the biggest problem in physical therapy?

Our current insurance based reimbursement model needs an upgrade as do a lot of documentation systems. I would say notes are the bane of most PT’s existence. While documentation is important, there has got to be a way to make this better!

Where do you see physical therapy going in the future?

I love Telehealth! I see hybrid in-office/virtual PT with updated computer software that allows for smooth communication between treatments and emphasizes independence with the self-management of conditions.

How has your clinical practice changed during covid?

I’ve been integrating a lot more Telehealth, which I have come to love. I’ve also been taking this time to do more education particularly focusing on women’s health taking various MedBridge courses.

How have you incorporated strength and conditioning ideologies into your physical therapy practice?

I am lucky to work in an awesome PT clinic that comes equipped with barbells, a squat rack, chains, weight sleds and all. You already know that I put all of that equipment to good use! There is so much research to support the benefits of strength training that I try to get weights into every single person’s hands, geriatrics included.

More recently, I have been using my background in strength and conditioning to help me navigate Telehealth. I’ve put my Telehealth patients on Excel based rehab programs similar to powerlifting programs. They have several workouts per week to complete and fill out the worksheet as they go and when they are done they return it back to me via e-mail, which allows us to stay in touch in between treatments. We meet virtually either weekly or every other week to go over progressions, any new exercises, and any questions they may have. My patients have been doing awesome with it and enjoying the process!

Dr. Sophia Veiras Advice for Current Students:

What advice do you have for current physical therapy students?

Expose yourself to all fields of physical therapy! Challenge yourself to take on work experiences that are outside your current thoughts of your clinical practice, you never know what may spark your interest.

What advice do you have for a new grad when they are looking for their first job?

Look for an environment that supports the mentorship of new grads and has continuing education opportunities. While PT school education is a starting point, there is still so much more to learn. Go to a place that supports your learning so that you can develop into the therapist you want to be.

What things can current Physical therapy students do while in school, to seperate themselves from their peers?

I would say that what helped me most in PT school was the opposite. While I stood out from my classmates for my participation in wrestling and powerlifting, we were stronger collaboratively. My PT class was tight knit and we continue to support each other posting on our Facebook group from school where we used to share study guides and ideas and now share job postings and ask for advice on cases. Create meaningful relationships with your peers and stand out by creating an impact in your own way.

Dr. Sophia Veiras Fun Facts and Tips:

How would you recommend people to stay active if gyms close down again during these winter months?

Get yourself some weights, size and shape depending on person, goal, and fitness company supplies. Create a workout plan with the equipment you have or hire an online coach to make one with you and hold you accountable. Make it happen and be kind with yourself if it doesn’t. It’s tough times and I’m sure there are going to be a lot more ups and downs.

Favorite health/fitness/ physical therapy accounts

@steficohen

@thlevelupinitiative

@clinicalathlete

@prorehabstrength

@matthewibrahim_

@dr.samspinelli

Feature Friday with @DPT.Steph: “Great Things Never Come From Comfort Zones”

As the “second wave” of Covid-19 hits the United States, Covid Cases continue to skyrocket, with the country consistently seeing over 150,000 new cases per day. Thus far in the Covid-19 Pandemic, there have been over 11.8 MILLION cases and 252,000 deaths. This virus is like nothing any of us have ever seen our lifetime. Luckily, we are blessed with amazing healthcare providers who have sacrificed so much, to save countless lives. We will be forever indebted to these amazing individuals. Today, I am incredibly excited to share my conversation with one of these marvelous health care providers,@DPT.Steph.

Dr. Stephanie is an Acute Care Physical Therapist in New York City, which for much of this pandemic has been the epicenter for the disease. She has been on the front lines, and I truly appreciate not only her commitment to her patients day in and day out, but also her advocacy to get people to understand how debilitating and terrifying Covid-19 is. Stephanie has also done so much to advance the Physical Therapy Profession. She is continuously promoting for the profession, as well as helping the future of the PT profession by offering guidance to pre physical therapy and current Physical Therapy Students.

WHO IS DPT.STEPH?

Why did you choose physical therapy?

I chose to be a physical therapist to have a positive impact on others. I want to show my patients they are able to achieve their goals, they can maintain or gain back their function in order to live their life to the fullest.

What has been the biggest benefit of having your social media presence?

I love being able to have a positive impact on the future of the profession. There are so many things I wish someone told me throughout the entire process and I knew I had to share! Being able to see how much I have helped so many future and current students has been incredibly rewarding.

Who has been the most meaningful patient in your clinical career?

When I had my affiliation in acute care oncology, I was able to help a man in his final days. The family was unable to get him home on hospice because he declined so quickly. I remember evaluating him day 1, walking independently in the hallway, we thought he would be gone over the weekend. We came back after the weekend and he was now steadily declining in function. By the end of the following two weeks, he was struggling to even get to the bathroom. Being able to truly help someone move in their final days to do such little things was so terribly heartbreaking but truly the most rewarding thing I could do.

What makes you love acute care?

I always enjoyed the medical side of things, helping patients figure out what is going on with them, how their function is impacted, and the challenge of how to best help them in ‘acute’ situations. I also like the variety of patients, you can be on so many different units!

NYC ACUTE CARE: COVID-19 PANDEMIC

How has the guidelines for Covid changed for you in the hospital from the beginning of the pandemic vs currently?

• Beginning: dont wear a mask, screening patients if they actually really need PT before we go in, proning people in day and night shift
• Middle: wear an n95, face shield, gown, gloves, hair covering, shoe covering, having a “buddy” outside of the room should we need anything during the session from the outside since us nor the patient could leave the room
• Middle/currently: wear an n95, face shield, gown, gloves AND patient wears a mask, no more buddy system, allowed to leave the room in the gown and masks but dont touch anything, patient still cant leave the room

*still kinda chaos

How has it been living in New York City during the pandemic?

Mask up, wash your hands.

How has your clinical practice changed during covid?

During COVID and being on the front lines, we had to learn to adapt to daily changing protocols. We must remember that patient status can also change at the drop of a hat. There are so many more medical things to consider now as we learn more about the disease and its process so we are truly working as an interdisciplinary team more so than ever before.

TIPS FOR STUDENTS

PRE PT

Biggest piece of advice for students currently going through the

Application process?

Be confident! I wish I had someone tell me that I was enough, I doubted every step. You just completed a college degree (most likely, I know there are exceptions here), observation/volunteer hours, extracurriculars and you did it! Research the schools well, make sure you meet the requirements (!!!) & put yourself out there. Don’t be afraid.

What should students look for when deciding on what schools to apply to and end up attending?

• Cost is a big one for most people – look at instate vs out of state tuition, room/board, travel, etc. If its too much, take a gap year, work, save up. You dont need to go to the top program or most expensive program, you get the same degree & clinicals or other experiences you can get anywhere, it is what you make it.
• When you interview or talk to people from the program see if they truly care about you as a person, what vibe you get, or is it very student/facutly, serious relationships. Look for a program that views you as a future professional colleague & wants to see you succeed!

Student Physical Therapist

What is the biggest piece of advice you have for current Physical therapy students?

Ah my famous “Stay in your lane!” It is so easy to compare yourself to other students whether its in your cohort or those online. You need to worry about your study habits, your test grades, your clinicals, follow your heart and gut for your interests, and complete this schooling FOR YOU. It is you and the patient in the future, one on one with no one else, so do it for yourself and your future patients.

What was the hardest part of the NPTE exam?

The length. Honestly take as many practice tests as you can just to build up your endurance, its a marathon!!

What things can current Physical therapy students do while in school, to separate themselves from their peers?

Find what interests you and run with it. If you cant find the extra curricular or volunteer experience or research opportunity or clinical you want to do, create it. Step out of your comfort zone. Don’t worry about “separating yourself from your peers” instead focus on being the best clinician you can be for your patients.

What should new grads look for while searching for a job out of school?

ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS: what is the productivity requirement, what is the mentorship, if any, is like, room for raises/growth. DO NOT, DO NOT, settle for a job or salary. If it sounds too low, it is, don’t take it. Don’t be afraid to negotiate!!!

VIEWS ON PT PROFESSION

What do you view as the biggest problem in physical therapy?

We don’t advocate for ourselves. I don’t know if its the personality type this profession attracts (not meant to offend anyone but just a thought) but there is SO much complaining with not many people being the change they want to see. Market yourself, your skills, you have what it takes, put it out there. If you don’t see what you want, make it.

Where do you see the physical therapy profession heading in the future?

In the future, I think the PT profession will continue to grow and push forward that we are enough as front line providers, that we will get complete direct access across the country. There are a good portion that are sick of the current system and pushing for a change.

FUN FACTS ABOUT @DPT.STEPH

What are your favorite health/physical therapy Instagram accounts?

• Thelevelupinitiative
• Dr.surdykapt
• Wesleywang.dpt
• Tayloreckel.dpt
• Dr.andychen
• alyssasesmones.dpt

How do you balance your time with work, social media, and self care?

The pandemic has allowed me to spend more time on social media as I honestly have nothing else to do outside of work lol…. Over the summer as we were calming down a bit in the hospital with cases, I felt the burn out hit me and I started prioritizing me a lot more, I was not posting as much or let alone checking in much. Now more than ever, we need to listen to our mind and body when its trying to tell us to slow down.

How do you decompress after a long day at the hospital?

Eat, sleep, netflix. I really started cutting back on social media because as I started this page it became my life – social media is tough! But it really consumed too much of my ‘down time’ and I didnt really have any. Some days I’m too tired to do anything else, sometimes I read or watch a good tv show. Days off: I try to get outside as much as I can!

What podcast/youtube series do you listen to?

Honestly, I’m a big makeup junkie – I know that wont phase literally anyone but thats what I used to (its kinda died down) binge on youtube

What is your favorite muscle in the body?

Can I have 2? I honestly love quads and hamstrings, they’re just so powerful and can be such a driving force for so many movements, and they’re fun to train!

Feature Friday with Dr. Whitney Gibson: Travel Physical Therapy

Are you…..

Burnt out from school or your job?

Looking to travel the country?

Unsure what field of Physical Therapy you want to go into?

Looking for increased financial freedom?

If the answer to any of these are “YES”, then becoming a Travel Physical Therapist may be for you

.

Now let me introduce you to Dr. Whitney Gibson, who runs the Instagram @dr.worldwidewhit and a travel PT blog. Both on her instagram and blog she offers great insight to the life as a Travel Physical Therapist, as well as offer countless resources to help you learn about and become a Travel PT. If you are interested in this unique field, or have any questions, you should contact Dr. Whitney Gibson via her instagram @dr.worldwidewhit.

Her previous blog post have included:

Top 10 things to pack for your Travel Assignment

Why Travel PT?

NPTE: What I did to prepare, and some resources I used

PT Compact: What it is and why it matters

Finding Housing for your assignments

Whitney Gibson Graduated with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from South College in 2019, when she realized she was not entirely sure what she wanted to do. She talks in detail in her blog “Why Travel PT”, about how she was not sure on what setting she wanted to be in yet. Each setting had components she liked and disliked but none enough to commit to. She also had only seen 2 settings, so she was wanting to see more. Both of the world and of the PT field itself. With that she has since become a Travel PT and has signed travel contracts throughout Tennessee and Missouri.

Who is the person behind @dr.worldwidewhit?

What kind of Physical therapist are you?

That’s the great thing about travel, I can do all kinds of PT! Currently I am in a SNF with mostly geriatrics, but I have seen people as young as 30 in this setting.

At what age did you decide PT is what I want to do?

So funny, because high school is when I decided to pursue the PT route, but I didn’t start PT shadowing until undergrad in college and my first experiences just felt kind of boring. That was mostly due to having to sit there and watch rather than gaining more hands on experience. So my Junior year of college I shadowed at an outpatient facility and the staff was awesome and it was just and overall amazing experience. I remember calling my mom that day and being like “Mom, I just know this is what I want to do.” And she was like “Lol good because this is literally the path you have been on for years.” I went on to shadow at the clinic for several months and that PT ended up being my CI for my last clinical in PT school at a different clinic!

So what was your undergraduate degree in?

Bachelor’s in Health and Human Performance with a concentration in Exercise Science. My minor was SUPPOSED to be in Nutrition but my school did something where they stopped offering it as a degree so I didn’t have a minor.

Best way for people to get in contact with you?

Honestly DM on my @dr.worldwidewhit insta! I check that most regularly without complications of anything going to junk/spam without me noticing

Travel Therapy Information:

What are the pros and cons of being a travel PT?

Pros: The ability to experience different settings, explore the country, meet new people and make new connections (I have been offered a job and/or reference from each past assignment), good pay, I have had the opportunity to live closer to family that I’m usually several hours from. Flexibility: I have taken a week or more off in between assignments.

Cons: It can definitely be lonely and hard being away from friends and family. I have made some great friends along this journey but I miss being with my Chattanooga roommates cooking for roommate dinner night and catching up on life. COVID has also made it hard to get out and about more. Pay has decreased since PDPM changes and then COVID on top of that, 75% of assignments are in rural areas (but they can be fairly close to bigger towns/cities), stress of the unknown for what is waiting for you in your next assignment. Adjusting to a new facility such as where everything is, new documentation system, completely new way of doing things.

What are the Best blogs/ websites to learn more about travel PT?

https://worldwide-whit.com/

https://traveltherapymentor.com/

How flexible are your travel PT assignments?

Very flexible. Avg contract is 13 weeks but sometimes you extend (as I have been doing here). If a job opening that fits my needs opens up my recruiter will text me about the job and ask if I want to be submitted. I can say yes or no. That submission could lead to an interview call, and that could then lead to an offer. And if I am needing a break between assignments, I just let my recruiter know I don’t want to start an assignment at least 1 week after my end date at the last assignment and I take a break.

How do you find housing when you do travel PT?

Here is an article,Finding Housing for your assignments, I wrote about several different resources you can use to find housing with a little more info about them. I have not used all of them.. Yet. I have used Airbnb and the listed Facebook group. I have browsed FurnishedFinder but have not yet booked housing with it.

How do you approach going into a new clinic?

Like a sponge! I usually have to hit the ground running and the directors usually talk a mile a minute showing you the ropes and where everything is. I like to be open and absorb it all. I usually ask questions later only because I don’t think of them until I’m in the moment of doing the thing. And then I am ready to jump into action at any moment. One my first day at this current facility, I started treating only a couple hours into my first day when I’m still learning everything about that place. So be prepared to absorb a lot but also have your game face on and start working at anytime during that first day

Do you plan on being a travel PT for the long term?

Hard to say. When I first started I knew I wanted to try it at least a year. Now it has been over a year and I am definitely wanting to continue this journey. I am nervous about what my future holds in this career with covid. I have been very lucky to be able to extend multiple times with this current assignment, however, I have seen many travelers go unemployed for months now as well as transitioning to permanent positions.

Opinions on the PT Profession:

What Physical therapy topics are you most passionate about?

Compact licensure is probably what I am most passionate about. Other topics are for sure direct access though it does not affect me as much lately as I have been in the Inpatient setting since starting Travel but I think it is still something that impacts so many therapists and potential patients/clients. Lastly, being controlled by insurance, and that is why you are seeing a lot of therapists starting to go more into cash-based physical

therapy.

Where do you see the physical therapy profession heading in the future?

I’m not sure. I hope the field gains a bigger audience as well as respect from other health professions. I don’t think we are fully acknowledged for all of our capabilities that we have to offer as a profession. I also hope that insurance could quit trying to dictate us so much.

Whats the biggest issue in the Physical therapy field currently?

Probably all the different reimbursement cuts and insurance interfering. Just let me treat the patient the way I know best.

Tips for Current PT students:

What advise would you give to current PT students?

1.) I am a very big advocate about self-care and finding a way to take breaks during school. HOWEVER, it is important that you establish a healthy and successful school routine first. I started PT school and thought I could balance my social life and school like I did in undergrad. That obviously did NOT go well. I then had to establish a very strict

routine with minimal social life in order to catch up. Once I finally was comfortable enough with my routine and my academic abilities, I started to loosen up a little, but I still refused to leave city limits during the semester.

2.) If you are struggling with grades or grasping material REACH OUT. Get over your pride, do not feel ashamed, and reach out to classmates for help. I feel like PT school creates this pseudo-pride for so many people that when someone is struggling they are too ashamed to reach out for help and that is unacceptable. Once you are in the program it should not be a competition. I would not be where I am without wonderful friends/roommates/classmates who were kind and patient enough to study with me and talk through material with me to help me understand it.

Fun facts:

Who is the most influential person in your life?

My mom for sure. She was a single mother in college when she had me and she overcame so much during that time. She raised me but I also got to witness her grow as well. A close second is my Aunt Raine. I swear she could be canonized a saint, I swear.

What podcast/youtube series do you listen to?

PT related I listen to the Concussion Corner, but haven’t listened in a while.

I like crime podcasts. I highly recommend Dr. Death (the medical professionals would love that) and Dirty John. And when I get too scared, I recently got into Do you Know who my Dad is by Betches, looking into dynastic nepotism.

What is your favorite muscle in the body?

I feel basic because I would have to say the glute max. It is such a large and powerful muscle. Also, I work with geriatrics now and it is such a weak muscle in this population. My patients get so flustered when performing glute squeezes just to get that activation

initiated. They get flustered because it is definitely taboo for that generation to focus on the butt and because the exercise is difficult for them d/t this weakness and under-serving of this muscle throughout their lives! So I love to focus on the glutes with this population… also I have a big butt, so it’s gotta be my favorite muscle lol.

Who are your favorite health/physical therapy Instagram accounts?

@icephysio

@drkatie_clare

@dr.reestore

@themovementdpt

@rehab_misery