Manifesto

An avid reader as a child, I wanted to be Sherlock Holmes. I admired his ability to tease out critical case details to solve mysteries while engaging in witty repartee with his associates.

How to be Holmes wasn’t immediately obvious to me, as I was too busy planning to be a professional violist, professional softball athlete, and a geneticist. Had I been paying attention, I would have noticed my first clue during high school, when I suddenly lost my grip strength. 

Carpal tunnel syndrome treatment was a disappointing experience, and the pain was significant too. My doctor’s interventions were insufficient and I grew frustrated when nobody noted the issue of playing for hours a day on a musical instrument. I poured myself into improving my technique with my viola teacher. This strategy worked, and taught me a powerful lesson. Treating pain itself only goes so far; it’s the movement strategy which can create or resolve pain.

My second clue came at 17, when a misdiagnosis ended my softball career. The ER completely missed my fractured ankle and their treatment recommendations were harmful, even for their diagnosis of a sprain (actually a full rupture). Months later I developed foot, hip, and pelvic pain — a harsh lesson on how one part can affect the whole. I was furious the system had failed me. I decided to switch career paths from geneticist to rehabilitation. Yes, out of spite. I knew I could do better than was done for me. 

Seven years in academia netted me a BS from Oregon State University in Exercise and Sports Science, a passing score on my Athletic Training boards, and a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from the University of Puget Sound. Education never ends; since then, I have continued learning through the Postural Restoration Institute, taken a deep dive into Shirley Sarhmann’s Movement Impairment Syndromes, authored a textbook chapter on the foot and ankle, and am currently learning visceral manipulation through the Barral Institute. 

Over ten thousand visits during twelve years in practice coupled with my critical adolescent experiences guide me in solving movement related mysteries. Today, I work with anyone who needs assistance to move without pain, teasing out important bits of history and treating dysfunctional movement patterns through an integrative lens.  

Riot Core Values are A.R.T.