Get Upstream Wellness

     My passion as a wellness provider took a sharp turn in 2006 when I realized what wellness was for me.  In the 6 years since, I have been honing my concept, talking to friends, clients, co-workers about what wellness means. In a recent conversation with a hospital administrator about my definition he said, " your vision of wellness sounds like you want people to be upstream of sickness". Yes! He nailed it for me. I want you to stand Upstream. Out of the way of negative health issues, upstream where wellness lives.

      I had been a physical therapist at that time for 12 years and was working fast and furious to "fix people". My goals were to diagnosis, treat and educate after a pathology had occurred in a patient. For example, you have a rotator cuff tear, have surgery, then I assist you to gain strength, range of motion and function. Another example: you have a myocardial infarction, then we rehab for months or years to gain what we can back. It's a noble profession, a needed resource, and a way to care for other people. I loved what I did, but I felt like I was waiting for something negative to happen to you before I could step in to help.

                                          Now press the rewind button really fast.

What if whatever made that rotator cuff tear happen in the first place never happened?  What if the factors that precipitated the heart attack never were factors? Who better to help you in preventing injury and damage than a physical therapist who keeps learning how the injury and damage happened?

Now this scenario does not work for everyone. I understand that. Accidents happen, injuries occur, negative health issues are not always evident before they happen. But even changing a slight percentage, even 5%, would be welcomed.

What I do know after 20 years of studying pathology is this: our bodies give us clues. We can ignore them and keep using our back the wrong way until a disc gives out, or we can listen to them and implement corrective strategies quickly.

My goal as a wellness provider is to keep you pain free, functional, and enjoying the same hobbies and passions at 80 years old that you did at 40.

So how can I help you get to this place?

Starting this January 1, 2013, I will dedicate this space to showing you secrets to wellness.