Guide Physio & Rehab
My mission is to help mountain athletes like trail runners, skiers, and hikers improve their health and happiness by helping them feel stronger and more resilient. I write about the injuries and training hurdles that my clients ask about and experience.
40 miles for my 40th birthday on the Teton Crest Trail
Happy Wednesday, Have you heard the idea that people overestimate what they can do in a year, and underestimate what they can do in five or ten years? Just over three years ago I set out to run my first 50k (32 miles). It felt like a big reach-goal at the time. I was coming off a few years of focusing on climbing and a winter almost exclusively sport climbing. My cardiovascular capacity was as low as it probably ever has been. I started with a return to run progression of just one minute of...
Steal my strategy for exercising in the smoke
Happy Wednesday, How are you holding up in the smoke and the heat? We’ve had a bit of a reprieve the last couple of days here in Helena, but I am afraid we may be in for a long season of adjusting expectations because of smoke. I wanted to write this newsletter about how to know when it’s best to move exercise inside due to smoke, but this website has already done a good job of making clear recommendations based on the current conditions. And I like to cross check this one as well. I’m often...
Still sore after the random pilates class you took 3 days ago?
Happy Wednesday, You know that extremely sore feeling you have after the first day of ski season or a random group class that a friend talked you into? The feeling that your legs might buckle under you going up the stairs or when you slowly unwind yourself from the couch to go to bed that evening? Then somehow, two days later it’s still getting worse instead of better? That is called DOMs, delayed onset muscle soreness. I teach a group strength class to a bunch of ladies once a week and one...
I'd rather be outside
Happy Wednesday, It is nearly summer and the trending question this week for a lot of folks is “what is the least amount I can do to take care of my knees/hip/back etc?” Or in other words, “I’d rather be outside.” Great question! I am so glad you asked! I have a couple of different answers for you, depending on your situation. You are just trying to take good care of the one body you get (not injured) You can check out this blog entry for details on the most recent updates to the...
Would you pull the rope?
Happy Wednesday, It might be the time of year (summer has a way of making me feel like it’s the only thing that exists) but I am noticing a troubling trend amongst outdoor athletes I’ve talked to about their injuries recently. Here are a few snippets from conversations I have had with clients or potential clients recently — “I don’t ever really follow through with my PT exercises. I’m worried I will have to have surgery in 5 years, I've dealt with this same knee pain so many times.” “I am...
4 tips for getting the most out of your doctor's appointments
Happy Wednesday, The feedback I got from last week's newsletter prompted a great conversation with friends on the trail about how to have a productive conversation with our providers. Communicating with health care providers is a ubiquitous challenge so today's newsletter is all about how to do just that. Here are four tips I have learned through advocating for myself and for my patients over the years. Write your questions for your doctor out in advance I know for me, as soon as I step into...
My own biggest health insecurity
Happy Wednesday, When I first had my cholesterol tested at age 35 my doctor asked how much I exercise and how much red meat I eat. As someone who had yet to begin her recovery journey from perfectionism I answered, “well, I could be better about both.” The reality? I lifted weights, climbed, and ran several times a week each. I was exercising a lot, and honestly struggling to eat enough to keep up with it all. One of my real questions was “how do I get enough protein to recover from all of...
Nicotine pouches, vaping and injury recovery
Happy Wednesday, Did you know that a standard requirement of pre-operative orthopedic care is smoking cessation before surgery? This week's newsletter is a bit lengthy and nerdy but I want to give you all the facts. I try to keep these emails focused on topics especially for outdoor athletes, but this is too big of a topic to narrow down to just this group! Tobacco and Nicotine I have seen smoking cessation delay surgeries that would otherwise have been done ASAP. In these cases the surgeon...
The worst moment after an injury isn't when you think it is
Happy Wednesday, One of the hardest moments in injury recovery is when you’re already 80% better. Honestly. If you’ve struggled with this you’re not alone. I had a couple of clients hit this phase of recovery recently. Let’s imagine you sprained your ankle. Back up to the exact moment on the trail that it happened. Maybe you limped off the mountain, knowing that you would need true rest and recovery before this would get better. You cleared your schedule and took up knitting to keep your mind...
Advice from a retired river guide
Happy Wednesday, You know how I’m always talking about what you can do now before the summer season really gets going to take care of your body? Let’s be real. There will always be that season when you didn’t nail early season training, or things you could have done better. You not going to throw in the towel and call it a season before it even begins just because you could have done something better. Imagine this for a moment. You are a raft guide, kicking off a summer season where you plan...
My mission is to help mountain athletes like trail runners, skiers, and hikers improve their health and happiness by helping them feel stronger and more resilient. I write about the injuries and training hurdles that my clients ask about and experience.