I want to touch on the word athlete. Some folks have a hard time calling themselves that. They think because they aren't some elite high-level competitor that they shouldn't call themselves that. I think that is bogus. An athlete is nothing more than a person that likes participating in competitive sports or games. Whether we are in the back of a 5k or finishing up a Crossfit WOD, those are athletic events and if you are doing them, that makes you an athlete.
Simply put, you have a body---you are an athlete.
Personally, I am a bit noncommittal as an athlete. I like to do everything. Running, cycling, Crossfit and weightlifting. My philosophy allows be to be average at both.
Run faster than a weight lifter and Lift more than a runner.
My background as a Junior College football player didn't really prepare me for endurance sports. Running 4 seconds at a time was my wheelhouse. In fact, when coaches made us do a 10 minute run each week, I felt like dying.
So when I was coaxed into my first half marathon and ended up battling injuries the whole way. I did not like it one bit and that research into resolving my injuries was one of my motivating factors to applying for PT school.
I am so grateful for that injury because eventually down the road, it lead me to working with awesome folks like you. People that really care about their health and wellbeing. People that are not willing to stop doing what they love because of injury or pain.
When I graduated from Wichita State in 2011, I happily took a job at a well-known PT group in the area. Things went really well and shortly into my tenure, I was asked to be the Rehab Director and VP of Operations at my clinic.
I was thrilled to be able to put my input into how I felt like a PT clinic should run. Unfortunately, after a short while, my recommendations were overruled by the boss. See, to me, no one is clamoring to go to PT. Physical therapy sucks. It means you're broken. So it was my goal to make it as enjoyable and efficient as possible. To do that, patients and their therapist would be together each visit as much as required, but no more. Focus on their goals and give them the tools to help them achieve their ambitions.
But in that particular type of setting, the whole thing became about how many times can we get that patient through the door and bill their insurance. It sucked. I could only carry out that style of therapy for so long before I realized I wasn't being true to my values.
I quit. Five years into my first PT job, I decide to take my wife and two kids across the country for a year adventures. My wife homeschooled our second grader and our preschooler and I worked in Skilled Nursing Facilities. Important, yes. My passion, no.
We lived in Oregon for 6 months and then Tennessee for 6 more months before coming back to Kansas. All the while, I was dreading coming back home to another corporate job.
About 5 months into my corporate gig,I was offered the chance of a lifetime. A former co-worker of mine started her own practice. She worked out of some booth space in a salon in Andover. It was just her and her husband was getting transferred out of state. She offered for me to take over her clients.
I was petrified to give up my regular paycheck and comfortable job. Petrified in the same way I was before we pointed ourselves to the West Coast. So I had to do it! And I couldn't be happier. I get to work with really motivated clients EVERY day. Clients with goals. Clients with dreams of being more than average. Clients like me! It is a PTs dream come true.
That is what makes me so fired up about treating other athletes like me. I share your goals and aspirations and won't let anyone get in the way of that!
Give us a call. We want to know what struggle is keeping you from your goals.
Mission Statement: The mission of Natural Wellness Physiotherapy is to provide uniquely individualized physical therapy treatment, to go above and beyond in service and care, and to help clients reach their highest potential.
Clients will receive extended one-on-one time with a therapist and allow clients to dictate their goals and needs, all without pain medications, injections or surgery.
