Versatile Fitness & Physical Therapy

11/09/2025

To all the ladies who continue running throughout their whole pregnancies- y’all are built different!

During pregnancy, your body is under a lot of stress and going through a lot of changes (to be expected!). These changes affect running mechanics and overall decrease running efficiency.

⬇️ trunk rotation: affects stride length and results in decreased force absorption with landing

⬆️ lumbar extension: tilts the pelvis forward, descending the pelvic floor and placing the glutes and core in less optimal positions to function

⬇️ glute activation: decreased pelvic control and power output resulting in decreased ability to absorb force with landing

⬆️ ground reaction force: often the result of increased body weight with pregnancy and the changes listed above. This is a major culprit for issues with pelvic pain and leaking p*e during running and other impact activities 💦

The bigger problem is that we often expect these changes to reverse quickly in postpartum but that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes we have to work to restore mobility and muscle function before returning to running and other impact actives without issues. These are areas I evaluate and treat regularly with my clients to help them return to running/jumping pain-free & leak-free 🏃🏻‍♀️💪🏼🩵

10/13/2025

The 🫖 on diastasis recti (ab separation) & coning in pregnancy

I’m 28 weeks pregnant..
YES, I have diastasis.
YES, I’m coning.
And YES, I’m still working out, including my core

Let’s talk about it ➡️➡️

Diastasis recti simply refers to the center abdominal fascia (the linea alba) elongating, which is a normal and expected adaptation during pregnancy as the center fascia widens to make room for the growing baby. Many people (like myself) actually have a wider linea alba at baseline but don’t notice until pregnancy puts more pressure on that midline.

Coning can occur when the abdominals are heavily challenged. The excess forward pressure on the midline results in the tenting or coning you see in the center of your stomach where the midline fascia has widened.

Diastasis and coning have been incorrectly feared for many years despite research demonstrating exercise having no negative effects. Recent studies show that core-specific exercise does NOT exacerbate or increase the widening in the midline.

Can we work on more optimal ways to use the core muscles and manage pressure in the midline in pelvic floor therapy? Definitely! But please know that you are safe to and even encouraged to continue exercising the core with diastasis 💪🏼

Drop any questions you have below! Or shoot me a message if you’d like to know the studies/research I allude to in this post 🩵

09/23/2025

Announcement!! 📢

I’m excited to launch Pelvic Pearls! 🤩

Pelvic health tips & information that I believe should be accessible to everyone. This isn’t your average, cookie-cutter advice. Each email is written thoughtfully by yours truly, an experienced pelvic PT & strength coach with years of years of clinical experience, continuing education, and evidence-based care. We’ll cover topics like:

✔️ strength & relaxation pelvic exercises
✔️ lengthening the pelvic floor
✔️ bladder function and leaking
✔️ peri-menopause & menopause
✔️ prolapse, diastasis recti, and other conditions
✔️ safe exercise in pregnancy and postpartum

+ much more!

Sign up here: https://versatilefitnesspt.com/pelvicpearls

🩵💎

09/18/2025

Curious about dry needling? 🪡

Come try it out for free next Thursday 9/25 between 4-6pm at Fusions Spa & Wellness for Sylva’s Friends Night Out event!

Needling is performed by a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy and can help alleviate muscle trigger points, nerve pain, neural tension, and more.

09/09/2025

Updates! Haven’t posted in a bit- been working on new resources and programs that I’m excited to share soon 🤗

Between building and running the business, serving amazing clients, and growing this beautiful baby inside me, it’s been BUSY to say the least.

I’m almost 23 weeks along now, and have had a lot of ups and downs. But I’m still here prioritizing my health and the things that fill my cup- biking, hiking, family time, and soaking up summer in the mountains. I’ve just had to shift my mindset to pace myself a little more than I’m used to, and that’s okay ⛰️🩵

07/26/2025

What a great morning with the Birthstone Breastfeeding & Wellness Center crew at the Live Love Latch event! There is so much support for new moms & families in our community 🍼👶🏼🙌🏼 thanks Latch WNC for putting this on

07/10/2025

With Birthstone Breastfeeding & Wellness Center, Brandi has created an amazing environment for families to receive resources and services in lactation and birth support. She has also made it possible for clinicians like myself and many others with services to offer to get the word out to the community and have a place to carry out services. I’m so thankful for this organization. Consider donating- this is not a business that we want to lose in Sylva! Truly person-centered care.

Big news!...
Birthstone is becoming a nonprofit! — and we’re asking for your help. 💛

For the past two years, Birthstone has stood beside families in some of their most vulnerable and powerful moments — offering lactation support, birth guidance, and more, community-rooted compassion. We've done it with heart, grit, and an unwavering belief that everyone deserves care that is safe, respectful, and equitable, and that innovative ways of meeting those needs MUST be made a reality.

Now, we’re taking the next step.
Becoming a nonprofit will allow us to reach more families across Western North Carolina — especially those on Medicaid, in rural areas, and those too often left out of systems of care.

It will allow us to circumvent the oppressive systems that make keeping a small medical practice open for a community whose needs are not reflected in the traditional system of payors, and where the immensely preventative interventions of lactation and doula care are not valued or seen.

To make that leap, we’ve launched the Rooted in Care Fund: Birthstone’s Nonprofit Transition Fund.
Your support will help cover startup costs of paperwork and filing, help use sustain core services so we never skip a beat in the care we provide, and lay the groundwork for long-term, grant-funded growth.

If Birthstone has touched your life — or if you believe in equitable care for Appalachian families — we’d be honored by your support.
Every gift helps lay the foundation for a more just, sustainable future.

Donate Here----->https://givebutter.com/eFJi4r

07/09/2025

The first bone health talk was such a hit that we’re doing another! If you missed the first, join us at the Cashiers Recreation Center on August 6 at 12pm 🙌🏼

You’ll learn about all the natural ways to manage and even reverse your bone loss as you age 💪🏼🩵

Sign up at the Jackson County Parks & Recreation Department website or click on the link here: https://jcprd.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=2645

07/01/2025

Strength AND length 🙌🏼🔑

Both are necessary for a happy and well-functioning pelvic floor, and both can be impaired requiring some pelvic floor rehab.

Avoiding all strength exercise because something is tight is NOT the move.

Some of the best strategies to improve muscle length are eccentric exercises which also strengthen those groups! It’s a win win.

Of course, each person’s situation is different. An evaluation and tailored program can help you determine where to start and how to lengthen and strengthen in an effective way 💪🏼🩵