The Wellness Upgrade on Elevate Springfield featuring Dr. Kelly Neumann

Summary

In this conversation, Robert and Dr. Kelly Neumann explore the intersection of women's health, emotional expression, and physical therapy. They discuss the unique challenges female athletes face, the importance of understanding the menstrual cycle, and the need for a supportive community in healing. The dialogue emphasizes the mind-body connection and the role of emotional vulnerability in recovery, advocating for a holistic approach to physical therapy that integrates emotional and mental health.

Takeaways

• Women's health in athletics requires specialized knowledge.
• Tracking menstrual cycles is crucial for female athletes.
• Emotional expression is vital for mental health and recovery.
• Creating a supportive environment enhances healing.
• Community plays a significant role in longevity and health.
• Physical therapy should address both physical and emotional needs.
• Understanding hormones is essential for female athletes.
• Education is key to empowering patients in their health journey.
• Vulnerability can lead to stronger connections and healing.
• The future of physical therapy lies in holistic, community-based care.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Elevate Springfield, where we will dive into strategies and stories that help you rise to your full potential. Each episode, we'll talk about how you can take intentional steps to elevate your life and your business while making a meaningful impact on those around you. Along the way, we're gonna bring in the change makers from our community that are already elevating. We'll bring the actionable strategies, you bring the discipline and follow through, and together we can elevate Springfield. Alright, let's go, Springfield. Time to 10X, time to level up. Hey, you are listening to the Elevate Springfield Podcast coming to you from the big dog construction studio in beautiful downtown Springfield. Robert Farrell here, certified 10x coach, speaker, and mentor. Here to bring you actionable strategies. You bring the discipline and follow through. And together, we're going to Elevate Springfield. You are listening to the wellness upgrade on Elevate Springfield, where we're going to bring you specific strategies to help elevate your health and wellness. Say, if you're not elevating your health and wellness, you're not going to be able to elevate in all other areas. This is the baseline. You know I'm passionate about it. And you know that's why I brought this segment to Elevate Springfield. We're going to get right to our guest after the break. Looking for personalized insurance with hometown care, David Hilst, American Family Insurance Agent, is here to help you protect what matters most: your family, your home, and your dreams. Whether it's auto, home, life, business, David and his team are proud to serve the Springfield community with trusted advice and reliable coverage. Local service, real relationships, peace of mind. Call today or stop by their office. They can build your dream protection plan together. Call 217-726-6343. All right, and we are back for another edition of the Wellness Upgrade. Regular contributor to the show, friend of the show, Dr. Kelly Newman. How are we doing today?

SPEAKER_02 2:18

Good. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 2:19

Absolutely. Good to have you back, as always.

SPEAKER_02 2:21

I love your show.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

Well, we love having you coming down on a gorgeous Springfield morning. It's absolutely beautiful though.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

And I saw someone on the way here just walking. I was like, good morning. That's right. Let's go. I was like, are you heading to work? And he was like, Yep. Just do a lot of people walk to work.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

Well, down here, a lot of people are parked maybe in a parking garage and then they and then they walk to their place. So it's probably that. I mean, there are a decent amount of people that live down here.

SPEAKER_01 2:47

Yeah, oh yeah. Just get up and walk to work.

SPEAKER_00 2:50

Yeah, the whole live work play thing right in right in one area. Absolutely. There you go. Well, today, what do you want to talk about? We're talking about emotions, I believe, right? What are we getting into?

SPEAKER_02 3:00

And I like how we're fixing our posture with it. Yeah, yeah. Come on, we're gonna emotions.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

So, yes, uh, when you asked me what we wanted to talk about today, I, you know, from a scientist perspective, there's of course so many things that in research, blah, blah, blah. But the one thing I think that we're making too difficult is emotion and how we have them and how we need to share them. And to teach sharing is not only what we should do, but it's caring. And when you share your emotions, you also have an opportunity to open up to someone who wants to care for you, who wants to be part of your life. And um, that's scary in itself, you know, and especially I think that's to keep working on the camaraderie with kids too and teach them how. Because they don't, you know, it's hard already to have all of this inside. Like, I feel like we all have these emotions and feelings, and to learn how to release and just do it. And I don't think there's a right way.

SPEAKER_00 4:11

I don't think there is either. Do you how do you see that play out in your practice? You're already doing physical work with people. So they're having, I guess, the release on the physical side. So do you see that opening up the emotional side more because they're having some of that physical release there?

SPEAKER_01 4:27

I think from a clinician standpoint, what you see in the clinic, which I try to actually avoid, is them just looking at the physical component. You know, it's just we're gonna do this exercise and we're gonna do it 10 reps times two sets. Right. You know, you hear that all the time, and it just drives me bananas. It drives me crazy because people think that once you do that set and reps, that's it. Like that's your body. You did your part, but it's not like that. You have to not only open up physically, but you have to open up mentally. I don't want my people coming to me and saying, Oh, I did, I did this squat, I did it like this, you know, like 10 reps of two. I'm like, no, I want more. I want you to tap in because if they don't tap into their physical, there's no way they're gonna be able to tap in emotionally. You have to understand that your joints are part of you, you know, you have to understand that this is the toes forward, knees for, you know, all of these components, that's what I want them to come in and tell me that how they practice is I really focused on this component of my squat. Well, emotions go the same way. So if we can kind of teach that we have this physical component, but we're not just focused on that. Like in the rehab world, if you just focus on that, you'll plateau.

SPEAKER_03 5:52

Right.

SPEAKER_01 5:52

We don't ever want to plateau in our body. We want to always just continue to listen and continue to practice and grow that way. And I see so many athletes and patients and people, and myself included, like a hundred percent that we close off that part and we just focus on the physical and uh we know the mental is there because you gotta grit to to grind, right? Right, you have to, but if we just focus on that, we lose the ability to grind harder, to grit further because we're not tapping in, we're just thinking about the physical. Physical is never gonna be enough, right? You know, it's it's gonna have to be a component of that mental cognition and pulling in your brain to another level. But I think that is limited, just like we do in the in the PT world, like the progress is limited. If we don't show everything, everything. If you want to cry, cry, you know, don't hold it in because that's an emotion, you're frustrated. You know, that's that's our, I believe, our God-given way to heal is to let things out. But yet in our, there's just still this stigma that we have to keep things in, or maybe we just don't know how.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Well, when people come to you, I would imagine they are very much, you know, hey, I've got this shoulder issue and it hurts. I and I'm in pain. So they are probably very much focused on just that and may have may struggle to open up on the other areas.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

Yeah, exactly. And especially when you've been in the clinic for a while and you start, you know, learning how to be a clinician. Because that's part of it. You see the value and they're focused on their well, what is it limiting you in? And then you start hearing about their grandbabies. You start hearing about that they actually love cooking and they can't stir, or they are trying to throw a ball and it just you all these things. And then you start getting into what they truly it's it's not that their shoulders bothering them. It's people can deal with pain. Right. It's the fact that it's it's limiting them from something they love.

SPEAKER_00 8:07

Yeah, they can't do something, yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

And and then I want to know about why they love that, because they're not the pain that they'll experience, especially if it's post-op, is gonna be enough to make them stop. So if they don't reconnect to it with why they're driving, then then they won't push. The pain will be too much, you know, and to continue, and I learned that a lot in my sister's case, is the power of words and the power of positivity can go a really, really long way.

SPEAKER_00 8:40

Really can.

SPEAKER_01 8:41

I can be as knowledgeable as as I can, but just listening to someone and saying, you can feel, go for it. But I want to know why I still have these abilities to just lock everything in. You know, that's just my my go to. I don't know if it is it our generation. Like, why are we doing that?

SPEAKER_00 9:02

Yeah, I think it I think it is part part that. And I mean, part of it is also having the space available to do it. I mean, I, you know, like the show, for example, is a space for some business owners and folks to come in and share their why and share their story with, you know, so having that space to be able to do it with a trusted person you're able to open up with. So I know at your place at the recovery room, you've created a environment, right, that is conducive to that. Yeah. So so talk to us a little bit about that, how you've created the environment, because I think that's the first step. Maybe people are comfortable, they are comfortable with to be able to open up on those things.

SPEAKER_01 9:40

Yeah. The recovery room one is at my house. And I wanted that because my people mean so much to me. I've been treating some of these people for over like 10 years, and in that relationship, I don't want it to be rushed. If that if I see them once a month, like I, you know, I want it to be comfortable. Come on, let's catch up, you know, like have some coffee, you know. Um, and and and it forces people also to slow down. Right. Uh, if they have their kids, they can bring them, they can play outside just different ways, especially in the work world environment and teams, because the research shows that community is the cure. Is it liter community is the cure.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

That's right. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 10:27

One more time.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

Did they? I mean, not to go too far a sidetrack for that, but when they're talking about the blue zones and everything and about how people are living longer and all the in those areas, a lot of it was community, right? A lot of it was their purpose and their community there. Of course, it was nutrition and exercise involved and everything, but they found that a big part of that was the people there felt purpose.

SPEAKER_01 10:47

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

And that's one of the biggest reasons why they were living longer.

SPEAKER_01 10:50

Yes. And to have that clinical care, but in a community setting that can be maybe customized to everyone. Like that was that was kind of my goal, is because for me, moms can't take care of them. You know, you got mamas that are just having babies, and that's hard. And I mean, we all know that's hard in itself, but the the trauma that goes on after birth were is not getting treated either, which is causing a lot of problems in females as they get older, especially um, you'll start talking like perimenopause and menopause, where women feel like they're going ape shit crazy because they are, because it was never treated correctly. This is hormones. Hormones has nothing to do, like when it starts going into testosterone and estrogen, we got both.

SPEAKER_00 11:47

Right, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Like it's not a man and a woman. We have more of one, more of one, and you know, but we're two different people. And when you start talking about vaginas and you start talking about actual anatomical and these things, some people have a hard time talking. It's it's too hard to talk in distracting environments. So you have to, in a clinic setting, you have to go in your private room. So especially the neuropopulation, and there that's life. That's a long job. That's that is a lifelong occurrence. And for and that is not health to put someone in a clinic, like I know they have to focus, but that is also part of integrating your brain as so that they are in, okay. First we start here and then we go to a clinic setting. And then now they can do their stuff while having the distracting environment from a clinic. But then what? You get out into the community and you go grocery shopping, that kind of stuff. And you can't because you weren't there yet.

SPEAKER_03 12:51

Right.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

And to be able to say, okay, guys, meet at the recovery room. We're gonna practice grocery shopping, we're gonna go practice this, we're gonna go practice. Like we're practicing water and flowers, you know, with some some CVAs we have. You know, it's just it's one of those things that it's also for caregivers, you know, it's hard. Caregivers to have that is that place that you can just maybe rely on for that hour and a half to do something you need.

SPEAKER_00 13:19

Well, and talk about the emotional toll on caregivers as well. I mean, that's huge. It's hard for folks.

SPEAKER_01 13:24

Yeah, that it's hard. So you see all of these different so I saw like 12 years worth of gaps. And it's like, how can we integrate it all? And I've had it at this facility, I've had it at this facility, you know. We've because it was one of those learning, what's the best way to adapt this into the community? And uh and eventually it's it has just led back to the house, right? Which I never expected, you know, that's where it started. I never expected.

SPEAKER_03 13:52

Right right back around.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

Like I learned so much in that time, but it really is something that I believe and to have a place that other clinicians can go to and not have to worry about the rent of this and that and this and that. I just it loses sight of what our real our real purpose is, you know, is is to provide healing care and to continue outside, whether you're in the clinic, outside the clinic, just having that forefront of we're good, we got you. Right, you know, and that's and and just to establish that what takes a person and it takes a special person, and I know that. And to be where I am and where I see this going, I know that I have to myself be super vulnerable.

SPEAKER_00 14:43

Well, and people aren't gonna open up with you if you're a complete just brick wall, you know, just nothing. Don't get nothing from me.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

So if that means that's the start of it, that I say, hey, I'm not perfect. I don't want to be. I don't. I don't have all the answers. If you're looking for answers on how to be uh the the best clinician, how to do this, how to do that. That's what we have research for. But we have to have those people that are actually researching it and applying it to our area. Um, we see it all around. It's fantastic, it's it's great. But um, you know, I don't want what I saw is people get bogged down in the data. They get bogged down in the science of it, and we lose the most important part. And it's that that's the emotion, the brain, the brain, and just treating that first through education. Education goes so far.

SPEAKER_00 15:36

Yeah, no doubt about it.

SPEAKER_01 15:38

So far. I I would teach people the same exercises. And yes, we have to have our outpatient model, but like the same exercises or the same pathology. And yes, everyone moves different and needs to be taught what their body essentially does and how to correct it. But that in itself stimulates a process of wanting to know more, facilitate, you know. Like I hated that. I hated the part that I could see people for six weeks and I wouldn't see them again.

SPEAKER_03 16:07

Right.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

That sucked.

SPEAKER_03 16:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Like it's especially I love people.

SPEAKER_02 16:12

So yeah, you're very much a people person. If I saw a person, I'm like, I really like you. I mean, don't come back, but like come back. Like, can you just say bye and say hi? Right.

SPEAKER_01 16:22

So we'd have people just bring by coffee, bring by this, bring by that, just to say hi. And I was like, that's because it's community. And if you lose that sense, I feel that's when we do start shutting in. And I don't want that for people.

SPEAKER_00 16:36

No, and that's what I love about your model of the whole thing, you know, because when you think of physical therapy, like we tell it's everybody just thinks the physical part, right? But you you come at it from the angle of mind, body, soul connection, community, and the holistic. Yes. Here we go. Said it at the same time.

SPEAKER_01 16:51

Holistic, yes. And that is the difference, I think, in the practice of doctor of physical therapy is there's at some point the holistic provider of movement-based medicine that we were progressed it to this much, but why stop? Right. You know, keep going, keep building models. Let's not stop. I was talking to uh a surgeon about this. I was like, our profession as DPTs, like we just are starting, you know. Our job is not only to treat what's already available, but I don't I want to tap the PT, the DPT to a level that has not been tapped around here. And to provide not only because the clinicians, the DPTs that are coming out, they're smart as hell. They have the differential diagnosis skills that we need as providers to be a primary PT, to have that. You know, I'm like 14 years out, like the different, like I'm still got solid experience in differential diagnosis skills. But these clinicians are coming out and they're set and they're, you know, you got that fire and to keep that burning, you know, to not have them go to just because the word on the street in the in the DPT world is you're coming out with all these loans. What are you gonna do? You know, if you work for a practice, yes, you just have to understand where your finances are and stuff, but to set the student up or to set someone up that's a loves movement science, whether you're a PT what or or an ATC or just a kinesiology major, exercise science, like all of these people have a beautiful ability to practice and understand as like a physical therapist because of the tech. We're not guessing anymore. We can establish a different way, a different uh system.

SPEAKER_03 18:52

Right.

SPEAKER_01 18:52

You know, and it's there and I'm seeing it. But I want those DPTs to come out and be able to set a practice up for themselves, whether they go into or not, you know, set a is because that's the one thing I wish someone would have done with me is been like, you know, we make portfolios in school and things like that, and our I would want that initiated into something that I am ready to do. Like, what is your fuel? Find it now. And if we can kind of integrate that now with these PT students coming out and give them another opportunity to learn a different way and then apply that and maybe go somewhere else and and and take that same concept. Like I was a clinical instructor for many years. I love that. I love being able to be like, this is great, like challenge your brain. I never told them. I wanted them to tell me what they found. And now we have the ability to analyze real time. Like, real time. It's insane. It's insane. So, but again, I don't want that to be the prime, I don't want everyone to get so caught up in that and lose sight of gotta treat your mind first.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

And I think we started this by asking, hey, what are some how do we get people to open up and take down the wall and everything? And I think that might be it is connecting all the dots to their purpose and their why, to what they're doing. So the mind, body, the spirit, the community, connecting all those things to be able to move forward. Maybe that's the thing.

SPEAKER_01 20:22

And to to get out of that mindset of it just being like PT, just a joint.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Right.

SPEAKER_01 20:26

Uh and I do that to myself. I'm like, what are you seeing for? What did you hurt? So it's it's interesting. I have very much loved teaching the mind. Like the education part of that is so powerful. But to not limit it ourselves, not limit that ourselves is uh, I think the most challenging part.

SPEAKER_00 20:47

Yeah, absolutely. Well, Kelly, so much great stuff today so far. But before we close out, a couple other things I want to go over. So I was out at uh Robin Roberts Stadium.

SPEAKER_03 20:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 20:57

I was talking with Jamie Toole, and we were talking about the Women's Professional Baseball League. So when it comes to really excited about that, it's awesome, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 21:04

Hi, like, okay, so I so I did um the Bulldog baseball camp first of all in like in July and absolutely loved it. Like what they have done, and I told Jam this, I was like, what you guys have done over there, first of all, is fantastic. Like it is, it's inspiring. It gives even practitioners like me ways to think outside the box that we're already kind of in and continue exploring ways and to have tell me was it awesome?

SPEAKER_00 21:34

It's awesome there. They they they redid the whole stadium, or they I guess flipped it. Take it from the shoes to the women's professional baseball league. So they were there practicing while we were there. It's just a phenomenal atmosphere. So what I'd like to know is when it comes to physical therapy, okay. Is there a big difference in working with men versus women? These are women's professional athletes. What's the difference here in terms of your your profession with men versus women?

SPEAKER_01 21:57

The unfiltered, the unprofessional, everything.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Like to give us, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

When you are training female athletes, we are not men with boobs and a vagina. Period.

SPEAKER_03 22:08

There you go.

SPEAKER_01 22:09

Period. So my take on it is one, the science into female health is just now exploding. So for me, it was a big wake-up call. In 2023, I had to have an emergency hysterectomy. So that kind of set me up for paramenopause, whatever. So the hormone part and understanding, especially when you start getting into women that are going from 20s to 30s, you know, once we start getting into the 30s, sarcopenia or just that decrease in muscle. So we're just always on a constant, like, let's keep working on our muscle, strengthening muscle, muscle, yay, muscle tissue. But the one thing that is not initiated, and I would highly suggest anyone that is in charge of any athlete, female athlete, to understand their menstrual cycle. They have to understand the menstrual cycle. Menstrual cycle 10 days before, at cycle, after your ligaments are going to change. There's an increase in a relaxant hormone. Our ligaments become more lax. We're more predisposed to having ACL. With women's baseball, you're looking at increase in UCL. They need to understand like the arm care, the under the importance of stability, overhead stability. And with the women's baseball, just you know, baseball for me, I love baseball. I never played, right? I am not good. But I always worked with Lincoln Lean with all their baseball players. And I loved learning how to pitch. I love the mechanics, the kinesiology, it was phenomenal. But when these women are going into that, they're already going to be at a high load on that ECL. So just making sure that, you know, you have your arc. And more when we're going into especially any baseball player and and you have to have a 180 arc. So whether internal, external, 180, but pitchers have like 110, like the state, it's in cell phone is crazy. But I would say the hormones and just understanding the menstrual cycle would be the first thing.

SPEAKER_00 24:09

Yeah, because I I didn't realize that I mean the ligament thing that you said a minute ago, how that changes based on their cycle. Like I had no idea.

SPEAKER_01 24:15

So anything like, so if you think about the ligament, so it during that time they're lax. So anything like A cell, D cell is harder on that joint. So it requires more muscle and it requires more stabilization. So just even that conscious effort of being more aware of it makes a huge difference. To make sure that they are aware of their cycle and what happens during that, because just them focusing on uh maybe doing a two-step step pattern, like whenever they're A cell, D cell, really focusing on that is taking load off and training at the same time because they know they're at risk, they're focusing on it more because they don't want to get hurt. But if we don't even tell them they're at risk prior to, you know, so there's a interesting. Oh, I love women's health.

SPEAKER_00 25:05

We might have to do a whole other episode on that. I think that's the that's our next topic. Okay. We'll do that one.

SPEAKER_02 25:09

You want to go into pelvic floor?

SPEAKER_00 25:10

We could do that.

SPEAKER_02 25:11

Oh, let me tell you. Oh, you're gonna learn how to a Kegel.

SPEAKER_00 25:16

There you go. Tune in next time for the pelvic floor discussion. There we go. Well, Kelly, so much great stuff today, as always.

SPEAKER_01 25:24

Yes. Thank you so much for having me.

SPEAKER_00 25:26

Appreciate you coming by again.

SPEAKER_01 25:27

And I everything you do, man, everything you do for the community, for this podcast, like you are elevating, and I want people to know that too.

SPEAKER_00 25:36

Well, I greatly appreciate it. I love doing it. So love the community. Let's keep on elevating.

SPEAKER_02 25:41

I like it. All right.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

Well, we're gonna let Dr. Kelly Newman get back to elevating Springfield. And don't forget to go check her out at the recovery room. But for the rest of y'all, we'll be right back. Hey, Springfield, when it comes to reliable, high-quality roofing, you don't want to leave things to chance. That's why you should reach out to Acosta Angeli Roofing, your local roofing expert serving Springfield and surrounding communities, from quick, dependable repairs to full replacement, from residential to commercial, they are your trusted pros. Call them today at 217-993-2748, or visit their website to book your free quote and inspection. Don't wait. A little leak now could lead to major damage later. Trust the local experts, protect your home, and get peace of mind with Acosta Angeli Roofing. Well, thank you for joining us today, everybody. Appreciate you making us a part of your day. Hope you're enjoying these quick hits of actionable strategies here on the wellness upgrade on Elevate Springfield. Hey, take what you learn today. You bring the discipline and follow through it together. That's right, y'all. We're going to Elevate Springfield. Be great. Looking for expert tree care with hometown integrity, look no further than Sangamon Tree Service. They're your trusted local pros, delivering quality workmanship, exceptional customer service, and fair, honest pricing. Every time. Whether it's trimming, removal, or storm cleanup, their team brings professionalism and care to every job, big or small. Call the name your neighbors trust, Sangman Tree Service, or visit them today at SangamanTreeService.com. Sangamon Tree Service, rooted in quality, built on trust.