Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick, (@TheFuelPhysio) and warning, it seem like bit of a rant.

In the world (circle) of physical therapy, this past week was a big deal, we had our Combined Sections Meeting in New Orleans, LA, where over 17,000 PTs, PTA, and students poured into the city. With over 340 educational sessions and hundreds of expo venders spread over 3 facilities, there was certainly a lot going on downtown. But this was the problem that I and two other clinicians came to realize. Everyone was where they were “suppose to be.” Gathered around other clinicians, in their circle, learning and inspiring how to make change on the outside, but in a way just “talking” about making change on the outside.

What Jerry Durham, F Scott Fiel, and I came to realize is that we need to get outside of circle. And it wasn’t a hypothetical thought. We actually left the conference. We uber’d to a local chili cook off that we had learned about through other local involvements and dove into that community’s circle. We ate their chili, we danced to their live music, and we supported their fundraising efforts. And man were our eyes opened. This is how conferences should be done!

Our professions invade cities and communities, and yes we help their tourism and hospitality industries, but what about those underserved populations? The children? The homeless? This is where we need to go, especially those of us within the healthcare field. Quit talking about being on the outside and get out there!

And this concept of getting outside of your circle is much larger than a conference; it can be applicable to our own daily lives. Think of yourself or your immediate circle of family and friends. Do you explore outside of your circle? Are you experiencing life beyond what you know to exist?

Next year's conference will certainly be different; and the wheels are already turning to make that happen. But make the change in your own circle too. See what else is out there. Learn and grow from others you wouldn’t normally interact with.

Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt, @kuhnalyssa_spt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Happy #WellfieWednesday friends!

This week’s post is a little different; I want to use it to highlight the upcoming PT Day of Service this Saturday, October 15, 2016.

PT Day of Service (PTDOS for short) is a global initiative to unite the physical therapy profession in bettering our communities, to inspire others to participate in service and to educate the public on what physical therapy is and what we do as a profession. This year marks the second annual event where physical therapists (or physiotherapists) from all over the world will go out into their communities, volunteer their time and efforts to help give back to those in need. Whether it’s providing pro-bono services, passing out meals at a local shelter, or just picking up some trash around your town, no act is too small to be considered for this movement! Pledge to participate by clicking here!

Just think about it for a second…it’s the ultimate win-win-win.

Communities are united through acts of kindness and servitude, individuals are uplifted through giving and receiving helping hands from their peers, and the profession we love can be promoted directly to its most important audience, the consumer. There is no downside!

This year’s PTDOS falls at a particularly important time for many, as last weekend much of the southeast United States and the Caribbean were devastated by Hurricane Matthew. While this hits close to home for me, as my home city of St. Augustine was heavily damaged by the storm, I can’t help but think of countless other families along the east coast who could use a helping hand this weekend. As an example, my wife and I are looking to gather clothing to donate to families affected by the storm both at home and abroad. Again, no act is too small to be considered following a disaster like this.

For those looking to donate money in addition to time, consider giving to the STAND Haiti Project (http://www.standhaitiproject.org/).

From their site: “STAND: The Haiti Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization working to provide continual, orthopedic care to Haitian communities most in need. To accomplish this, STAND will equip local health workers with a rigorous orthopedic curriculum. A competent team of Haitian practitioners will be able to provide relief from disabling pain and injury at STAND facilities year-round, allowing people to return to productive, happy, and fulfilling lives.”

Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support. Be sure to post your pictures again this week and tag Patrick (@PBernerSPT) or myself (@Eric_in_AmERICa) as well as PT Day of Service (@PTDayofService, #PTDOS) and keep the wave of healthy change and positivity going!

- Dr. Eric Uveges, PT, DPT

- Dr. Patrick Berner, PT, DPT

Check out the latest posts for #PTDOS on Instagram

Gallery Block

This is an example. To display your Instagram posts, double-click here to add an account or select an existing connected account. Learn more