In Bloom Physio

Spent part of this rainy Saturday morning in a cozy yoga studio at , speaking to a group of parents-to-be at the start of their prenatal yoga class. Thanks to Heidi Brown for inviting me!

We talked about what your pelvic floor is, what it does, common problems that affect it, how to keep it happy, and the many benefits of exercise during pregnancy.

PSA for expecting parents: Prenatal yoga at the Southeast Y is free for the rest of May, open to both members and non-members. Share this post with a pregnant friend!🤰

Congratulations to In Bloom Physio client Sarah on her successful finish of the half-marathon this past weekend - with a huge PR to boot!

Sarah came into my office three months ago seeking answers and relief for chronic pain in her right leg that was impacting her ability to run. Over the last two years, she had worked with numerous physicians, physical therapists, and personal trainers, all with little improvement in her symptoms or answers as to what was causing them.

By her second appointment, we’d identified that she was likely dealing with a nerve entrapment issue, and we discovered asymmetries in her ankle mobility, hip strength, flexibility, and balance. With some hands-on manual therapy, tweaks to her warm-up and cool-down routines, and finding some strategies to nip mid-run symptoms in the bud, she experienced rapid improvement in her leg pain. (I also referred her to a trusted former colleague for dry needling, because even though I’m a solo provider, I never underestimate the value of a team approach!).

On Saturday, she ran the Indy Mini, an event that had been nearly impossible for her to complete in recent years because of severe leg pain. Here’s what she had to say: “I had an unbelievable race. I bested last year’s PR by 27 minutes and achieved that sub-2-hour half that I wanted so badly! I had ZERO pain. I still can’t believe it!”

I couldn’t be more proud of this hardworking, dedicated, intuitive athlete on her hard-fought success. Celebrating my clients’ wins alongside them is the absolute best part of my job. Drop Sarah a congrats in the comments!

Happy International Dance Day! 🩰💃🏻👯‍♀️

Fun fact: I danced for close to two decades, only hanging up my pointe shoes in my late 20s when I started physical therapy school. Working with dancers was my first passion as a PT student, and I had the honor of spending my last clinical rotation in Chicago, working with dancers from and . While I ultimately chose to build a life and career in Bloomington, instead of chasing the city lights and the professional dance world, I still love working with dancers of all ages, styles, and levels. It’s a joy to be able to support the next generation of artists in chasing their dreams, getting stronger, and staying safe and healthy.

Swipe to celebrate International Dance Day with a few of the dancers I’ve worked with recently - plus a throwback of me nine years ago, working backstage with the Joffrey Ballet!

As a physical therapist who’s navigated both acute injuries and chronic pain (yes, PTs are humans, too! 😱), here are a few things I don’t do when I’m hurting:

🚶🏻‍♀️While injuries or pain may change the way I exercise, they don’t mean I have to become a couch potato. Stopping all exercise can lead to deconditioning, stiffness, and delayed tissue healing, while regular movement stimulates blood flow, decreases pain and inflammation, and helps maintain physical capacity. I encourage my clients to think of exercise as a dimmer switch, not an on/off switch.

💉IASTM (or “scraping”), dry needling, cupping, medication, injections, and even surgery are all things I’ve personally benefitted from throughout my life, as have many of my clients. Instead of relying on these interventions to “fix” me, I see them as tools to decrease the irritability and severity of symptoms, laying a more stable foundation for the long-term solutions (AKA physical therapy)!

💪 Being in pain doesn’t necessarily mean lacking capacity. Continuing my daily activities (including lifting and carrying my kids) as much as possible, and focusing on strength training as I’m able, help me feel confident and resilient even when experiencing pain.

🧘‍♀️ An injured or painful body part doesn’t exist in isolation - it’s part of a complex ecosystem of factors that affect how our bodies heal. Stress, sleep, diet, hydration, and movement all play a role in the journey.

Questions about navigating an active lifestyle while experiencing pain? Drop me a comment or send me a DM - I’d love to help. 😊

In honor of IU’s historic football season and national championship win last night: here’s smiling Coach Cig to share a few PT wins! GO HOOSIERS! ⚪️🔴