Clinician Spotlight- Ryan Bailey, PT, DPT.

Meet Ryan Bailey, PT, DPT.

I distinctly heard him say “Central Waters.”

And when a physical therapist gets invited to Amherst, WI to share his expertise, then we’re talking about more than just tapping into the body’s internal mechanisms to relieve pain.

Oooh. Tell me more.

“No, Central Woggers,” he said. “It’s a running group in Amherst. Think the name’s a play on words, a combination of walk and jog.”

Oh, gotcha. I’m guessing this will be more about pain relief than beer.

“Well, those topics aren’t mutually exclusive,” he said.

I like this guy already.

Meet Ryan Bailey, physical therapist at Advanced PT. Recently he was invited to share some of his knowledge with the Central Woggers before they took off for a run.

“So, what topic did they want you to focus on?” I asked.

“Oh, they let me choose,” said Bailey.

Golly, that narrows it down. Bailey’s experience and specialties include working with high-level athletes and orthopedic injuries, foot and ankle dysfunction, pre and post-operative joint replacement and general rehabilitation including ACL reconstruction, sports medicine and biomechanics, just to name a few.

“I decided to give a talk on exercise and pain relief, and why we feel good when we walk and run and exercise,” Bailey said. “More or less about the natural substances within our body to relieve pain that we can tap into instead of relying on medications. Then into anterior knee pain many runners can experience and what the research tells us about strengthening the knee.”

Bailey was under some pressure from the assembled group of several dozen runners to hit the presentation out of the park, as the week prior a nurse and wellness coach named Martha Bailey did just that.

“Yeah, Martha is my wife. She’s pretty good,” said Bailey. “I understand they are inviting her back.”

While he is a frequent runner, Bailey considers running more of a cross training component for some of the many other sports on which he focuses, one of which is surf ski racing. Designed for ocean paddling, surf skis are sit-on top kayaks that are sleek, fast and very tippy. Bailey competed in the sport, a popular pastime with lifeguards, while living in Hawaii and California. Even though it’s tough to find anywhere near the surf ski racing opportunities here in Wisconsin, Bailey still manages to keep his skills sharp.

“There’s actually a very good 17 mile race here called ‘Race the Fox,’ which goes from Berlin to Omro,” he said. “It’s something I’ve done since moving back to Wisconsin.”

Bailey met his Wisconsinite wife in California, where he lived for 30 years, when she went out west for a nursing job. They got married in San Diego and returned to Wisconsin to start their family. They and their three daughters now reside in the house Martha grew up in, located in Fremont. Not surprisingly, their children are into sports and activities just as mom and dad are, and the family takes full advantage of the gamut of outdoor activities Wisconsin has to offer.

And he insists he doesn’t miss the ocean and the beaches.

“I love it here in Wisconsin,” Bailey said. Bailey coaches a number of area teams and is committed to being a resource for youth sports and being there for families after an athlete’s injury. He’s also committed to helping community members stay active and healthy, hence his visit to the Central Woggers.

It seems as if the transplanted Californian has found the perfect place to be.

Learn more here: https://www.advancedptsm.com/ryan-bailey

Better going into surgery, better coming out.

Briana Wasielewski, PTA, CCCE, BS

Having the best rehab after surgery is one of the top priorities of all surgical candidates. Many spend a lot of time getting the best surgeon in place, getting their place to rest in order, and thinking about who can help them with daily life and getting to and from appointments once the surgery is done. While these are all things one should think about prior to surgery, many do not think about what they can do to ultimately increase their chances of having a better surgical outcome: exercise prior to surgery. 

Exercise comes in many forms and is something everyone can do before surgery. If done appropriately, exercise before surgery will likely improve recovery. Who better to help figure out your unique pre-op exercise plan than a physical therapist? 

First, a physical therapist will discuss and evaluate your reason for surgery. Many times the reason a patient is thinking about having surgery is that they have pain or their movement is affected. Exercise is usually not something surgical candidates think they can or should do before considering surgery. Prehab exercise is specifically designed by physical therapists to improve the outcome of patients’ post-surgical rehab. The idea here is “the better going into the surgery, the better coming out”. Whether that means breathing exercises, simple strengthening, flexibility work, or practicing how to use crutches, seeing a physical therapist before surgery can help the healing process in the long run.  

A physical therapist prehab visit also gives the opportunity for surgical candidates to ask questions specifically about the most dreaded part of having surgery: the recovery. Physical therapists are experts in rehabilitation and can tell you exactly what to expect in recovery, and how to prepare yourself with pain management tools.  

If you are thinking about having surgery or know someone who is, make sure you prepare yourself and your body by seeing one of our physical/occupational therapists.

Head to our location page to find a clinic near you!