*The views expressed in this episode are those of Captain Michelle Jilek and do not represent those of the United States Air Force or the Department of Defence* Captain Michelle “Twitch” Jilek is an embedded Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) within the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, USA. Captain Jilek developed one of the first-ever unique active duty embedded DPT position in the United States Air Force to offer services specifically for fighter pilots within their own squadrons on the flightline. She has been working closely with Air Combat Command in developing the Optimizing Human Weapon System (OWHS) program for fighter pilots, and works closely with contract personnel including Athletic Trainers, Strength Coaches, and Licensed Massage Therapists. Captain Jilek specializes in treating high G-induced spine injuries in fighter pilots, and is currently developing research projects to reduce the chance of high G injuries sustained in F-22s and other fighter aircraft. Captain Jilek graduated from University of New Mexico School of Medicine with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2017, completed an orthopedic residency in 2019, and became a board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) in 2020. She has conducted award-winning research in spine and shoulder, and has been using her special skills for the United States Air Force since 2018 when she commissioned.
In this episode we talk about:
Resources discussed:
High G flight by David Newman
Movement Impingement syndromes by Shirley Sahrmann
McGill Method
McKenzie Method
Career detail about becoming a PT in the USAF
Current Concepts Physical Therapy Courses
You can contact Michelle Directly via email at jilek.michelle@gmail.com or via social media on Linkedin Keep up to date with Monarch Human Performance via our website, Facebook and Instagram pages.
