Medscape published a story on how exercise has transformed the way doctors practice, featuring perspective from Tiana Woolridge, MD, MPH, pediatric primary sports medicine physician at HSS. 

“I have personally experienced what the loss of ability to exercise does to people’s physical and mental health,” said Dr. Woolridge. Dr. Woolridge has also seen how beneficial the perspective shift can be for people — herself included — post-injury. “I tore my Achilles the first day of my last season as a college athlete when I was 21 years old,” she said. “I went from being the most physically capable person I’d ever been in my life to not even being able to put weight on my foot for two months.” 

Now as a doctor at the same institution where she got her surgery, she calls on that experience, incorporating “mental rehab” suggestions for patients, such as mindfulness meditation, gratitude practices, or therapy, in addition to helping them figure out safe ways they can move while injured (eg cycling instead of running). Understanding how powerful movement can be for mental health has also led her to talk about this side of exercise with her patients who don’t yet have a regular fitness routine.

Read the full article at medscape.com.