It started as a prize in a photo contest. The camera, an Olympus OM-10, was awarded to my father in a photography contest. I am sure he took thousands of photos over the years, so this particular photo is now just a distant memory at best. I do, however, remember the camera and how my father passed it down to me. Hold it like so, and cup it with one hand underneath so that your fingers don’t get in the way. Yes, just like that. Steady on the shutter button. Such simple things were the foundation for exploring the creative world inside me.
Western culture is fascinated by superheroes, great athletes, and entertainment icons. We’re obsessed with larger-than-life personas with big stories and epic adventures. Many spend a lot of time and energy focusing on someone else’s coolness. However, none of us are any different - and here’s why.
Everything is the fault of social media anymore. That’s the perpetual refrain. Our political issues, our polarization, our diminishing self-esteem… you name it, social media has been blamed for it. I’ve heard it from the right, left, and center, regardless of gender and race. Easy scapegoat, isn’t it? Just blame social media. But in reality, social media didn’t fail us. We failed us.
At some point in time, it is highly likely that you, or someone close to you, will have reason to enter the health care system. The individual will then depend upon the diagnostic prowess and clinical reasoning of one or more health care providers. There was a time when you could place your faith in the system to serve you well. My recent experiences, however, would challenge that deeply-held assertion. It is as though the critical thinking of many a clinician has disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle of health care.
Everywhere I look, there are signs of normalcy returning to our world as we emerge from our pandemic existence. The word “normal” courses through my mind a lot these days. For many, this means simply returning to life as we knew it before the pandemic. However, after deep consideration, I’ve decided that I don’t want to go back to normal. In retrospect, normal should have never been normal. We deserve so much more.
Language is our primary means of expression and communication. Yes, we use non-verbal communication strategies and yes, they have a significant impact on our ability to establish rapport. However, language itself is important in conveying a message and expressing our thoughts, our hopes, and our dreams. Language is power, but with power comes responsibility. And that responsibility is based on context and intent.
The long and winding road of life presents many forks to us. Some we can see emerging in the distance with clear road signs well in advance. Others appear unexpectedly or perhaps even inadvertently, their importance and relevance only presenting themselves fully after the fact. The challenge is to be present in the moment and pay attention to those road signs as they may provide us with more than just a momentary diversion.
Up to 60% of runners will sustain an injury within any given year. Poor running mechanics, in conjunction with poor, ineffective and outdated training methods, can pose a significant injury risk. "RunSmart" was written to address these issues in the running community.
"Running Injuries: Etiology And Recovery- Based Treatment" (co-author Bridget Clark, PT) appears in the third edition and fourth editions of "Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation: A Team Approach" by Charles Giangarra, MD and Robert C. Manske, PT.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.
Top 5 finalist in three categories: "Best Overall Blog", "Best PT Blog" and "Best Advocacy Blog".
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