Introducing, Kelly!!! She is our Wonder Woman Patient of the Month for October!
Kelly is not only any awesome athlete, but an awesome educator - she is a teacher and CrossFit Coach. Usually, people who educate don't always practice what they preach, but Kelly does! (yes I give her homework...and she does it!)
I've had the pleasure of working with Kelly on-and-off for the past 3 years for various orthopedic injuries obtained from dancing, running, lifting, and just living! She has mastered the understanding of prevention when it comes to her health, and being proactive in all aspects of her life.
Kelly knows that in order to continue her active lifestyle of dancing, teaching and lifting, she needs to take care of her body. She now comes to PT when she notices minor aches, pains, or declines in performance BEFORE they lead to an injury.
These pictures are taken from a CrossFit competition she and 2 other teammates competed in this summer called, The Asbury Park Summer Games. Just weeks before competing, Kelly came to PT for lower back pain that was severe with any hinging movements - squatting, deadlifting, rowing, wallballs, etc. With a thorough evaluation to determine the cause and a lot of discipline, Kelly was able to compete for the entire weekend!
Read below for Kelly's perspective and how she is able to continue doing all the things she loves!
"I’ve been an athlete my whole life. I played soccer for 6 years, danced for 10, and now I’m in my 5th year of CrossFit at CrossFit Koa in Mountainside. Movement has always been important to me because it’s something that makes me feel strong, calm, and capable. Athletic activities are my preferred form of self-care, but I am also someone who is very injury-prone, which is obviously not helpful.
Before meeting Hanna about three years ago, I had been to a handful of other physical therapists but they did not provide the kind of education around body mechanics and command of movement that I’ve learned through working with Hanna. Over the past 3 or so years, the knowledge I’ve gained through physical therapy has been a game-changer in my ability to recover from various injuries and work toward moving pain-free.
As a dancer, I have always had a decent sense of body awareness but now, with an increased understanding of body mechanics, I am able to more effectively take greater charge of my own physical health and well-being. I have been able to apply what I have learned in physical therapy about functional movement both in the gym and in everyday activities!
Recovery from my most recent injury is still a work-in-progress but I’m feeling better and better by the day! If I have learned anything about injury recovery, it’s that it’s not always linear, and it can be frustrating, but it’s so worth being patient through the process so that you can come out even stronger!"
Way to go Kelly! Thank you for being a Star Student!