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Tough Cookie TalksTough Cookie TalksPelvic Floor PT: It's Not Just For Pregnant/Postpartum People with Dr. Melissa CioffiToday's episode is a guest interview with my good friend and physical therapist, Dr. Melissa Cioffi! I have mentioned this before, but people like Dr. Mel, as I call her, are half the reason I decided to start a podcast. I wanted to share the expertise of providers like her who do things that are not in my own scope of practice as a personal trainer, but still very much relate to what we do in the gym. Last year, I had her on the podcast and we talked a lot about physical therapy in general. Today we're getting...2023-06-2750 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE92: When The "Jokes" We Tell Aren't That FunnyYou're newly postpartum and you make the mistake of sneezing. All of a sudden, you really wish you didn't decide that today was the day you went without a pad. "Welcome to the mommy club, where peeing your pants is normal," is the echoed reaction from your mom, your best friend, and everyone in your local mom group. I call bullshit. I get that people who say this mean no harm. That there is a sense of comfort in community. That it feels good to know you're not the ONLY one...2023-06-0922 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE91: Personal Trainer or a Physical Therapist - Who Should You See and When?A question I get very frequently is "when should I see a physical therapist vs. a personal trainer?" For many of my clients, they work with both at the same time! In today's episode, we uncover when a PT might benefit you over a CPT, what the main differences are between CPTs and PTs, and why good physical therapy sometimes looks insanely similar to what you would see inside a training program written by your personal trainer. Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling...2023-06-0238 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE90: Seasoned With Salt - The Internet Says I Don’t Like WomenThis episode is seasoned with a lot of salt! Today, we are touching on the new social media pastime of accusing people of "not supporting women" any time someone calls out trash behavior exhibited by a woman, how I've been called out multiple times for "not supporting women" (LOL), and the time I was actually called a misogynist on reddit. Shit is wild out there! Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs...2023-05-2634 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE89: How Much Exercise Do You Need to Get In?According to the CDC recommendation, we should be getting 150 min of "moderate intensity" exercise + 2 strength training sessions in each week in order to be fit & healthy. But what if you're just starting out? What if you're recovering from an injury? What if you're newly postpartum? What if you're leaking (especially if you're leaking with exercise)? What if you can't carve out 7 days a week of exercise? This episode breaks these guidelines down into more manageable parts to offer some new ways to start approaching your body and your exercise routine, especially if just reading this guideline alone...2023-05-1846 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE88: Seasoned with Salt - Mother's Day MythsGrifters are ALWAYS gonna grift. In today's (salty) episode, we are covering all the trash rhetoric surrounding (and preying on) people who have given birth. These range from, at best, things that waste your time, money, and energy and, at worst, compromise your health, both mentally AND physically. Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and...2023-05-1238 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE87: Are you checking in or checking out?How many times do you feel like you're just coasting through your workouts or your life in general? We are oftentimes told what we "should" be doing, so we check out just to get the damn things done rather than check IN. In today's episode, we are talking all about how you can use your life experiences to check in with yourself to help improve your stress AND fitness levels: because your body and mind work together rather than independently of each other. Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many...2023-05-0516 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE86: All Things Pelvic Organ ProlapsePelvic organ prolapse happens in 35-50% of postpartum people, yet no one ever talks about it. Even more mind blowing is people don't realize that it can also occur in those who've never been pregnant. But it sounds scarier than it is! Today we are talking all things prolapse: what it is, what you can do about it (beyond surgery and wearing a pessary forever), and how you can prevent it in the first place! Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and...2023-03-1735 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE85: Are You Eating Enough?"Are you eating enough?" This is a question I ask most private clients, regardless of the body standing in front of me. Oftentimes, our healthcare system/providers perpetuate this idea that larger bodies = eating more (or too many) calories. That is hardly ever the case in my experience. In today's episode, we explore exactly WHY eating "enough" is imperative when you're looking to heal your body: and that goes for people of both smaller AND larger sizes. Without proper macro/micronutrients AND caloric intake, it'll be pretty difficult to overcome things like pain, incontinence, constipation...2023-03-1042 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE84: Are You Ever "Enough?"Who would've guessed that Rihanna's Super Bowl performance would have brought so many women's health issues to the forefront (and hence finally help me flesh out this topic of being "enough," something that's been brewing in my brain for almost 4 months now). The constant go-go-go coupled with societal expectations placed on women may have us feeling like we are running around constantly with no rest in sight. But it doesn't have to be that way. Today we are talking about why it might feel like you're never "enough" and how to finally come to the realization that...2023-02-1746 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE83: "Dangerous" Exercises for Your Pelvic FloorEver wonder whether you "should" be doing planks or squats because you've heard they're bad for your pelvic floor? Today we are hashing out what exercises you might want to take caution with and how to work your way up to doing more difficult workouts while keeping your core and pelvic floor strong and resilient AF. Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and...2023-02-1029 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE82: Why You're Not Feeling Stronger In Your Workouts...and How to Fix ThatEver feel like you're spinning your wheels when it comes to your workouts? Like, no matter how consistent you are, not matter how much you work, you just feel like you're never getting any stronger? Back when I was a baby PT, if a new client came in and was a seasoned exerciser, I would want to poop myself because I thought that I couldn't teach them anything about exercise since they were already doing it. What I learned over the next 8 years, however, tells a different story. Whether you're new to your exercise journey...2023-01-2034 minGet Gritty with Dr. AnushrutiGet Gritty with Dr. AnushrutiIn conversation with Dr. Melissa CioffiThis episode holds so much and I know, this would prove out to be really helpful for you. Here, I speak to Dr. Melissa Cioffi from USA on Pelvic Health. You can write your suggestions & feedback on my social media handles.  Watch the video version on my YouTube channel youtube.com/c/DrAnushruti Enjoy listening. Next episode coming soon. Stay tuned. Instagram: @doctoranushruti Twitter: @dranushruti LinkedIn: Dr. Anushruti2023-01-1622 minTough Cookie TalksTough Cookie TalksEverything You Think You Know About Pain & Injuries Is Wrong. The Tea On PT With Dr. Melissa Cioffi (Best of Season 1 Replay)Today's  episode is a guest interview with my good friend and physical  therapist, Dr. Melissa Cioffi! Truthfully, people like Dr. Mel, as I  call her, are half the reason I decided to start a podcast. I wanted to  share the expertise of providers like her who do things that are not in  my own scope of practice as a personal trainer, but still very much  relate to what we do in the gym. Dr. Mel is the person I call whenever  my clients ask me questions about pain and injuries that I can't answer  and she's helped me learn a LOT ov...2023-01-101h 08Finally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE81: Lifting Weights and the Pelvic FloorIf you've been on IG or TikTok over the past couple of months, you might have seen the hype videos circulating around a woman bodybuilder who was leaking on her lifts. Some used this asa way to normalize leaking with lifting, and other used it as a cautionary tale to infer that lifting "heavy" causes pelvic floor dysfunction. Both are trash takes. Today, we uncover why people are prone to leaks when navigating the weight room but ALSO why learning how to lift while keeping your core and pelvic floor in mind might actually help...2023-01-0633 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE80: 5 Thoughts to Leave Behind in 2022 - Pelvic Floor EditionI'm not really a resolution type of person; instead, I like to look back at thoughts and habits that didn't serve me very well in the current year and vow to work on leaving them behind as we head into the upcoming one. Then I started thinking: we can apply this to the pelvic floor too! There's no reason to continue to buy into BS, outdated rhetoric that isn't serving us. Join me in today's episode as we uncover the 5 thoughts to leave behind in 2022 in regard to our pelvic health! Healthcare is a difficult territory for...2022-12-3042 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE79: How Long Should You Workout?How long should an "effective" workout be? We are talking all about it on today's episode! Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us. Sign up for the Finally Floored Waitlist Here! https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b1x9z9 2022-12-2326 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE78: The #1 Thing I See Medical Doctors Get WrongYou had a baby. Or tore your ACL. Or injured your back. You still feel like a hot bag of garbage. But your MD says all imaging and labs look great and you can just ease yourself back into your "normal" activities. Except nothing about how you feel feel normal to you. You ask if there's anything else that can help. "What about PT?" you say. "Nah, IDK what they would work on since it looks like you're healing fine, you're walking fine and you're not at risk of re-injuring yourself...2022-12-1643 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE77: How Do You Know Who to Listen to for Diet & Exercise Advice?Ever follow a health & wellness "guru" on social media, only to find out, down the line, that what they were saying holds no merit? I say it often: social media is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it allows us to connect with professionals all over the world in so many ways; however, because there isn't really a way to regulate the content accounts post and sell (especially if they skirt around the legalese of it all), it's difficult to know who's legit and who's full of...you know where I'm going here. 2022-12-0938 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE76: How Diet Culture Creeps Into Your Healthcare...and Keeps You StuckI was scrolling through my IG wall the other day; the two things I post about most are the pelvic floor (cuz, duh!) and the absolute nonsense that is diet culture. I started thinking "here I am, a physical therapist, talking about the harms of diet culture; do people understand how closely this intertwines in traditional healthcare?" The answer is, I'm not really sure. After working in traditional healthcare for 4 years, there was a lot of brokenness that needed to be fixed; I couldn't change the systems already in place, so I decided to build my own...2022-12-0243 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE75: 3 Mistakes You're Making In The GymToday, I'm challenging how you go about your workouts, especially if you're doing them in the gym. In this episode, I am reviewing 3 of the most common mistakes I see in the gym that I wish more people were aware of: because your body will thank you for it! Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health...2022-11-1831 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE74: Confessions From the Mall Fitting RoomThis week, I ventured into one of the places I hate the most: the fitting room. In the past, trips like these would send me into a spiral of striving to squeeze my body into the size I believed I "should" be, not being "successful" in doing so, then going down a spiral of self-loathing followed by shame followed by vowing to increase restriction in my diet and increase my workout efforts. And guess what? It was anything but healthy. Join me for story time today where we revisit what it's like shopping...2022-11-1141 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE73: Feel Like Your Life Is On Hold Cuz You Can't Lose Weight?"Once I lose 20 pounds, I'll go on that trip." How many of us create this compromise? That if we lose weight and reach a certain number on the scale, that THEN our life can really begin? How many times have we put off going on a life-changing trip, joining a gym, trying a new restaurant, buying a new outfit, all on this condition that IF we lose this arbitrary amount of pounds, that THAT will be when we can finally start living? Sounds crazy, doesn't it? That we focus so much on some number we were told...2022-11-0438 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE72: Combating “Bad” Diet and Exercise DaysYou've skipped your workout for the 3rd time this week. Or you've eaten a slice of pizza instead of your usual kale salad for lunch. Does this make you "bad?" Many of us "fall off the wagon" in regard to whatever plan we have for our eating and/or exercise and then go ahead and label ourselves "bad" for doing so. Did you know that doing so can actually make you less likely to follow through with health pursuits down the line? In today's episode, we dive into why slapping the "bad" label on to your approach...2022-10-2842 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE71: WTF Does a Pelvic Floor Exam Look Like?Someone sent me a post from a very large social media account, spreading all kinds of misinformation about what pelvic rehab professionals do. No, we don't "finger" people. No, we don't have your legs up in the air. Not only was I upset that messaging like this deters new professionals from entering a field where we need more clinicians, but it also may be deterring people like YOU from seeking out help: because WTF actually goes on when you come to someone like me for issues like leaking, pain with sex, feeling like you have to pee all the...2022-10-2144 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE70: Myth of the Week: Pelvic Floor Issues Only Happen In Pregnant/Postpartum PeepsI'll often have someone reach out after following me for YEARS, finally asking whether working on their pelvic is "weird" because they're young or have never been pregnant. It's so dismissive that we've been led to believe that we are freaks for experiencing leaking, pain with penetration, pelvic pain, pressure in our pelvis, or back/hip pain that never goes away despite our imaging being "normal." The truth is, everyone who pees, poops, and farts has a pelvic floor, regardless of age or birth history (or lack thereof). Over time, our bodies learn ways to move and operate and...2022-10-1438 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE69: Is Diet Culture Keeping You Sick?Have you ever felt guilty for calling in sick? Or forced yourself through a workout, despite not feeling your best? In today's episode, we are talking all about nervous system up-regulation, which is fancy talk for a body that constantly feels stressed out and doesn't know how to calm down. Remaining in this constant fight-or-flight state actually can keep us from getting over a sickness, and injury, and actually make us more susceptible to things like pain and leaking. Join me to learn more about what you can do as the ultimate form of self care for when life...2022-10-0724 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE68: Your Relationship With Exercise May Be What's Holding You BackHow many of us think of exercise as a way to get/stay "healthy," ie lose weight? What if I told you we are going about it all wrong? The reality is, if you're checking out and just going through the motions of a workout without actually paying attention to what's happening in your body, THIS is when we may start to see things like increased risk of leaking, prolapse, and overall injury. In today's episode, we are talking all about how our goal of getting smaller might actually be a hindering our ability to...2022-09-1233 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE67: The Exercise You're NOT Doing That Prevents Pelvic Floor WoesWomen are so afraid of lifting heavy shit for reasons that are all untrue, still feeding into the idea that...⁣ You're gonna get bulky (you won't).⁣ It's dangerous (it's not).⁣ You don't have the strength to do it (you do).⁣ And, my personal favorite myth (and the entire reason why I created 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝): lifting weights causes things like prolapse and leaking and :insert all pelvic floor stuff here:.⁣ Today's episode uncovers all the TRUTHS about how lifting heavier loads actually helps prevent things like back pain, leaking, and prolapse (among other things) and why it's being demonized in a variety of settings. Whether you're brand n...2022-09-0533 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE66: Are You Selfish ENOUGH?I went on a trip recently and you know that whole spiel they do with the oxygen masks on a plane? The one where they tell you to put your child's mask on before your own? Well, that got me thinking: why are we always putting others' masks on before our own? The truth is, if you're not filling your tank physically, mentally, and emotionally, burnout, stress, and injury risk go on the rise. Yet, we still continue these types of behaviors and wonder why we feel so damn unfulfilled. My recent 2-month hiatus from the podcast...2022-08-2921 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE65: Rethinking Our RelationshipsWhen you hear the word "relationship," what do you think of? In many cases, we automatically think of our significant others, our romantic partners: but is that all? Granted, these people are so prominent in our lives because, most likely, we share SO much of our life experiences with them. But what if we started thinking about other relationships that touch our lives and add quality and purpose to them? Relationships that may add more stresses than we can handle. That may take more energy than we anticipate. Relationships that we need to look at and think...2022-06-2446 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE64: Are you using exercise as your "therapy?"Shoving your feelings down and "getting your therapy" by forcing yourself through a hard workout is the complete OPPOSITE of health. When trainers, physical therapists, etc are advising you to "get over it" for an hour so you can get your exercise session in, they are actually causing more harm than you (or even they) might realize.⁣ ⁣ Health and performance are multifaceted: your physical performance is SO closely tied to mental and emotional health. So if your nervous system is jacked up because the world has literally been on fire for the last 2 years and you feel like...2022-06-0334 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE63: Stuff You Should Know Before Hiring a NutritionistBeing a pelvic health specialist, I always ask my clients who is working on their care team; in many cases, they'll say they're working with a nutritionist which gets my brain wheels turning. If you're dealing with stuff like chronic constipation, IBS, interstitial cystitis, leaking, Chron's Disease, etc, it's probably a good idea to check out whether any of your symptoms are diet-related: BUT, are you consulting the right person? Literally anyone can call themselves a nutritionist and, in some states, you don't even need to have a background...2022-05-2725 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE62: How The Heck Do You Advocate For Your Health?It's so easy to say "you need to advocate for yourself" when speaking with someone who is navigating a health situation. Heck, I say this stuff all the time! But it wasn't until I recently went through a scary and trying time with MY health where I actually had to do it in a realm I knew nothing about. Gimme all the muscle, joint, ligament, and nerve stuff: I know how to handle all of that. But when it comes to dermatological ish, I was like a deer in headlights. I had no idea...2022-05-1646 minTough Cookie TalksTough Cookie TalksEverything You Think You Know About Pain & Injuries Is Wrong. The Tea On PT With Dr. Melissa CioffiToday's episode is a guest interview with my good friend and physical therapist, Dr. Melissa Cioffi! Truthfully, people like Dr. Mel, as I call her, are half the reason I decided to start a podcast. I wanted to share the expertise of providers like her who do things that are not in my own scope of practice as a personal trainer, but still very much relate to what we do in the gym. Dr. Mel is the person I call whenever my clients ask me questions about pain and injuries that I can't answer and she's helped me learn...2022-05-031h 08Finally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE61: Getting a Bigger Bang for Your Workout BuckHave you ever started or done a workout program and had this out-of-body experience? Kinda like you blacked out during it but you're panting and sweaty and just standing there like "wtf just happened?" A lot of us do exercise programs where we have similar experiences to this: we think we're getting in "the zone," yet all we are doing is going through the motions to just get through it and call it done. Which isn't necessarily bad: but it could be WAY better. In today's episode, we are...2022-03-1036 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE60: Kegels Are an Insult to All Women"Just do your kegels." Sounds simple enough, right? And everyone loves simple solutions to complex problems. "Just do kegels" has been pushed as the "fix" for every pelvic floor woe: leaking or peeing yourself? Just do your kegels! Feel like your organs are falling out of your body? Just do your kegels! Sex isn't up to snuff? Just do your damn kegels! Everyone, including your MD and OBGYN, are throwing this blanket anecdote at everyone and, while I do not think they have any ill-intent in doing so, I...2022-02-2139 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE59: Does High Intensity Exercise and Lifting Weights Set You Up for Pelvic Floor Issues?You may have heard that high intensity/high impact exercise and heavy weight lifting lead to pelvic floor issues like prolapse, pain, and peeing yourself.⁣ ⁣ It ain't true.⁣ 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔? Our bodies are super smart and love predictability. Once they pick up on a pattern that works, that's their go-to: even if it's not the most efficient way of doing things.⁣ ⁣ Let's take weight lifting for example. You're probably measuring your progress by how much weight you can put up (even if you're not a competitive body builder), right? In order to get that weight up there, if your deep core (abs, pel...2022-02-0731 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE58: Taking Leaps and Learning to Trust YourselfThe other day, I was talking with a new pelvic floor PT who wants to open her own practice. "People keep saying I need 5 years of mentorship. That I should work for someone for 10 years first. That you need a lot of capital to start." The list of shoulds and have tos went on. "How many of these people actually own their own practice and do what you want to do?" I asked her. The answer: ZERO. One of the biggest mindfucks I had to get over as a new...2022-01-2441 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE57: Time / Money Saving Tips When It Comes to Using Your Insurance for Physical TherapyDo you know how your insurance plan works? Like really know how it works?? Lemme tell you: as a healthcare professional, even I get confused about this stuff! Copays, co-insurances, out of pocket maxes, deductibles, premiums: it's enough to make anyone's head spin! Today we are going over the VERY basics on what to be aware of when using your insurance, especially as it pertains to your physical therapy care: what to look for, what to ask, and what goes on behind the scenes. While this may not be...2022-01-1742 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE56: Your Knee Pain Is Not a Life Sentence - A Candid Convo With Dr. Michael Stranges, PTHave you ever had an injury sideline you from doing the things you love? What about pain in general? If you've ever had knee (or hip or back or any kind of pain), you know how much it sucks to have it interfere with your life. It sucks even more when you go to your doctor (or even your physical therapist) and are basically told that it is what it is, just deal with it. Maybe it's your age? Maybe you have high expectations? Maybe your body is...2022-01-101h 00Finally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE55: Setting Goals You'll Actually Stick WithHave you set your new year's resolution goal? I haven't: and here's why.... I find waiting until the new year to set a "resolution" goal (or any goal for that matter) to be extremely stressful and a huge disservice to so many people, especially women. Why do we wait around 364 days of the year, and then expect this ONE day to change our lives forever? We wind up making up these (probably) arbitrary goals that we feel we should be making, only to fall short in reaching them and...2022-01-0334 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE54: You Workout All The Time: Do You Actually Need Physical Therapy?Your hip has been nagging you for YEARS and you finally decide to do something about it. You go to your orthopedist who takes an xray and tells you that minus some arthritis, everything looks good. Cool. He also tells you that because you do Pilates every day, you're pretty fit, so you don't need physical therapy. So not cool! Listen, doing Pilates (and really any activity) is super beneficial to your health: I will not deny that. What I do have an issue with is that something down...2021-12-2042 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE53: Is Your Provider Overstepping?It's tough asking for help, right? So when you're struggling with stuff like pain, leaking, even fitness and getting healthy in general, you're gonna trust the person in front of you who's the supposed professional, right? Not so fast. Unfortunately, there is a lot of money (and ego) to be had in the health and wellness realm, and guess what: doctors are not exempt. I don't know if it's an ego thing or an ignorance thing, but I do know this: your personal trainer, physical therapist, even your doctor may be overstepping their bounds when they give...2021-12-1043 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE52: Fear vs. Caution - How Do They Play Into Your Fitness Goals?Are you approaching your fitness (and life) goals based off of fear or caution? WTF is the difference anyway? As we approach the end of the year and a fresh start to a new one, we will be bombarded by all sorts of products and services that basically scare us into handing over our money. But how does this response feed into a cascade of responses that are actually doing our health and fitness a disservice? How do these responses keep us stuck on the "rollercoaster of shame?" And how can we avoid this in the first...2021-11-2938 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE51: Best Bladder HabitsDid you know that how you go affects your pelvic floor health and peformance? Whether you're experiencing issues with leaking / feeling like you have to pee "all the time," or just want to prevent these from happening in the first place, getting good bladder habits down is one way to get started on any (and every) pelvic health journey! If you pee, poop, and fart, have a penis or a vagina, have kids or not, you're not gonna want to miss this one! Learn More and Grab You Seat for the Finally...2021-11-2229 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE50: Whose Expectations Are You Trying to Meet?Ever feel like you "should" be at a certain point in your life by a certain age? How do you feel if you aren't there yet? Ever feel like you don't do things the ways in which you're "supposed" to? How do you feel when other people question that? In today's episode, we are chatting all about meeting expectations as a woman: who are we listening to, who should we actually be listening to, and things to think about so that you're not spending your...2021-11-1538 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE49: Are You Stealing Your Own Joy?Did you ever think about how we go from the most care-free, celebrate-your-inner-child holiday (ahem, I'm talking about Halloween) to this stressed AF, I hate everything about myself and my body minefield as we head into (and through) the rest of the year? I was thinking about this over the weekend, and it's really unfortunate that, during what should be a time when we make happy memories and enjoy each others' company, we are shoulding all over ourselves the entire way, bringing that energy into the new year. What if we decided to stop...2021-11-0131 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE48: Conversations With a Misfit Postpartum Woman Featuring Jenna JozefowskiHow do/did you honestly feel about being pregnant? About having kids in general? About your body changing during the process? Did you ever feel guilty for not having the flashy reveal parties or the elaborate pregnancy photos? Did you ever feel guilty because you weren't riding a wave of elation throughout your pregnancy and post-partum journey despite what you're seeing on social media? If you answered "yes" to any of these, you need to stick around for today's episode! Jenna Jozefowski is with us to share how she felt once she found out she...2021-10-2558 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE47: Social Media Is Ruining Your Pelvic HealthSocial media is a blessing and a curse; in today's episode, we are talking more about the curse side of things. This past weekend, my fiance brought my attention to some dude (with a very large following) who was posting about how you're diseased if you have a period. Look, I have limited tolerance for idiots spewing trash for the sake of selling their product/course, BUT I really have no tolerance when they start capitalizing on pelvic health, taking a realm that not many are well-versed in and spinning it to scare you. Today is a...2021-10-1838 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE46: 5 Life Lessons We Could All Learn From My "Disaster" HikePushing your body and mind on an 8 hour hike in a downpour while falling over rocks into a stream really gets the brain going lol! In all seriousness, though, there are 5 lessons that I learned on this hike that I think are pretty relatable to all of us, whether we are hikers or not. In today's episode, we are looking into what happens when we get into our own heads too much, try to cut corners in various ways to "save time" when in fact this just winds up wasting even more of our time and effort...2021-10-1139 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE45: How Long Will You Be In Physical Therapy?"How long will I need PT?" This is a question I get asked very often, most times before I even evaluate the person. The thing is, so many factors play into how long you'll be a participant in PT. Today, we will be diving in to the top 3 things that will play in to how long your PT stay is. And if you take away anything from this episode, I want it to be that YOU also absolutely have a say in your recovery timeline and should be involved in that conversation...and this episode explains just...2021-10-0135 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE44: How Physical Therapy Fails You...and What You Can Do About It"Try PT and if it fails, you can get surgery." The famous words uttered by almost every MD when referring someone to see a PT. There is so much wrong with this statement, including setting you up to believe you'll fail before you even get the ball rolling (self-fulfilling prophecy, anyone)? But on the flip side, sometimes you don't fail PT: PT fails you. As our healthcare system becomes more profit- and less outcome-driven, it's a no brainer why you've probably spent 6 weeks to 6 months in physical therapy and saw ZERO improvement. You're still in...2021-09-2439 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE43: Stretching Isn't Doing What You Think It Is"5 Stretches to help with lower back pain!" "3 Top stretches to combat neck pain FOREVER!" God, make it stop!!! These headlines are circulating everywhere on social media from fitness and movement professionals (unfortunately, physical therapists included). However, stretching the crap out of your hamstrings or your neck isn't actually doing what you think it is. Today, we are talking all about why knowing the difference between flexibility and mobility is so important when it comes down to your workouts, how the strength of tight muscles comes into play...2021-09-1730 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE42: Does Your Trainer Actually Care About Your Health?We all know that exercise adds years to our lives and staves off (some) disease...but, when a "good" exercise program is deemed so because of how much weight you lose while on it, this may actually be damaging to not only your physical health, but your mental and emotional health as well. Personal trainers and physical therapists are awesome in that their main job is to get people to experience the benefit of exercise; however, when these providers equate your "health" to what you look like and/or weigh, they may be doing you (and others like you...2021-09-1034 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE41: Your Keys to Better Core WorkoutsI know you've been there: you're doing all the crunches, all the sit-ups, all the planks and it seems as though you're not getting any stronger. You feel like you're expending all this energy smashing away at your abs and spending so much time on your fitness, but for what? Today we dive into the top tips that I give nearly all of my clients when it comes to working their core. Some of these people have been working out for decades, and when we dive deep, we discover why it seems as though...2021-09-0332 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE40: Navigating Bad Body Image Days"How are you so confident?" I get this question a lot via emails, DMs, and speaking with people 1:1.  The cold hard truth: I'm not. At least not always. One of the things I value in life is transparency: and that is exactly what you're gonna get in today's episode. Just like you, I'm not always 100% happy with what I see in the mirror. I have used workouts and diets to try and control my body when I could not control what was going on in my life. I thought that there w...2021-08-2742 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE39: Your Discomfort With Your Body Is Affecting Your KidsA few months ago in my IG story, I reposted something saying how kids should know about the pelvic floor...and people lost their absolute minds. I was attacked in the DMs, saying how I was perpetuating teenage sexual activity and increasing incidence of early promiscuity. Blew my mind. Then I got to thinking about the teenagers I've worked with in the past, how they were finally heard...and finally helped! I took it a step further and thought about my adult clients who had been dealing with pelvic health issues since they were teenagers and how...2021-08-2034 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE38: Why You Feel That Having a Baby "Ruined" Your BodyDoes any of this sound familiar?⁣⁣ "I don't want to undo all my hard work."⁣⁣ "I'll never get my body back."⁣⁣ "I know sex will never feel the same."⁣⁣ "I'm gonna have to buy stock in adult diapers cuz I'll need them."⁣⁣ FACTS: your body losing strength and resilience after having a baby isn't because of the birthing event itself. It's because you were never taught HOW to use the structures that are used and injured during that birthing process.⁣⁣ You know the term "use it or lose it?" Yeah, that's kind of where we are going with this. Childb...2021-08-1341 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE37: Do Kegel Machines Help You Stop Leaking?I'm seeing "women's health" products and "pelvic floor physical therapy" clinics popping up everywhere; with "pelvic floor" being the new hot topic, it was only a matter of time before companies (and yes, even medical providers) started preying on people's pelvic pain points. These companies' claim to fame are often biofeedback devices, aka machines that "help you do your kegels," or, even worse, "do your kegels for you" so that you don't even have to think about what's happening. But do these devices even help? Is it worth looking into? And what can you do to ensure that you...2021-08-0640 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE36: 3 Ways to Stop Failing at Work and In Your WorkoutsAs things slowly start going back to "normal" (whatever that means), you may be starting to feel ready to tackle your career and your workouts. Let's go into this new phase with a plan of attack instead of just going through the motions, ensuring that we are actually contributing to our best lives instead of navigating away from it. Today's podcast episode will outline 3 ways you can stop "failing" at work and in your workouts...and how to think about failure in a new way entirely. Getting Honest With...2021-06-1153 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE35: Combating Stress When It Feels Like You Can'tStress is a way of life for many of us; sometimes, we equate being stressed out and busy as being "successful." Sure, some amounts of stress are totally normal and actually help us build resilience; however, when that stress becomes chronic and we don't know how to mitigate it, if could have some serious repercussions on our overall health and yes, even our pelvic floor! If you're like "well, I'm always stressed and I have no clue what to do about it," this episode is for you. We will talk about ways you may be able to...2021-06-0430 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE34: The Body Positivity Movement is BS"Just love yourself, no matter what." Let's get it straight: I love a lot of what has come out of the body positivity movement. More people are comfortable with wearing what they want when they want, not apologizing for what they look like, and fearlessly flaunting the ish out of themselves. I LOVE IT!! But, there is a mark that the entire body positivity movement is missing that may actually be hurting the exact people it's looking to empower. We're covering that and more in today's episode! Join the...2021-05-2823 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE33: Do You Have to Work Your Pelvic Floor If You Aren't Having Issues Down There?We all know that issues like leaking and pelvic pain can warrant a trip to the pelvic floor PT. But what if you aren't having any glaring issues down there? Do you need to worry about your floor? And if so, is there anything else involved besides kegels? We are talking about all of this and more in today's episode! Join the waitlist for the Finally Floored Fall Cohort: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/b1x9z9 Follow me on IG: dr.mel_pt ...2021-05-2137 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE32: Diastasis Recti - What Is It Exactly and Is It a Big Deal?Diastasis recti, or DRA, is something that happens in appx 2/3 of postpartum people. If you're postpartum, you've probably heard of this and wondered if it's something you should be concerned about. You've probably also considered buying an off-the-shelf fitness program that promises to get your "pre-baby body" back 🤢🤮. But what exactly is diastasis recti and is it really a big deal? What are some ways that you can recognize whether this is an issue for you beyond what your belly looks like? And what is some better advice to start with that isn't sold by some fitspo who's...2021-05-0737 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE31: You've Had a C-Section - Now What?!It's no secret that our postpartum aftercare has something left to be desired: add to the mix the abysmal ways we treat folks who have undergone a cesarean section and it's like "HOW IS THIS REAL LIFE?!?" If anything, postpartum folks get told to rub some vitamin E on their scar...and that's about it. We are led to believe that we can go back to doing all the things 6 weeks post-op: but is this really sound advice? Why do we learn how to navigate our bodies after orthopedic surgeries (think ACL tear) and not a c-section? 2021-04-2331 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE30: Your "Toning" Workout Is Ruining Your BodyToning workouts are all the rage with women. "I just wannabe toned." WTF is a toning workout anyway?? Usually, "toning" is used to describe a workout program that uses very light resistance and has you doing a bajillion reps of the same exercise so that you can "sculpt lean muscles." Sounds great, doesn't it? But why are these workouts probably not all that they're cracked up to be and what can you do to supplement them to get the most out of your body and its performance now and in years to come?2021-04-0926 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE29: You've Been "Cleared" for Exercise 6 Weeks Postpartum - Now What?You know the feeling: after carrying around a child for what seems like forever, you've finally given birth and FINALLY got cleared for exercise from your OBGYN. But what exactly should you be doing? "Exercise" means a billion different things to a billion different people: what you think of as "exercise" could mean something totally different to your OBGYN. So what gives?! Today we are talking all about better ways to go about exercising after you've given birth once you get the green light, and how we need to be thinking differently in regard to how we "...2021-04-0228 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE28: Feminism - You're Doing It WrongWelcome to 2021: where people like to sling around buzz words without actually knowing what they mean. One of those words is feminism; people are gaslighting each other, claiming you're not a feminist if you don't support all women (regardless of where that woman stands). On the other end of the spectrum, people relate feminism with negativity, calling us "snowflakes" and dismissing our experiences because "it's not that bad." Both of these are trash messages. So, what exactly is feminism? What is a better way to think about how we show up for the...2021-03-2639 minHello Body!Hello Body!Physiotherapy & weight stigma with Dr. Melissa CioffiEpisode 17 of the Hello Body! podcast with your hosts, Melissa and Katy. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Melissa Cioffi, owner of New Quest Physical Therapy in Beacon, NY, and host of the Finally Fearless podcast. Dr. Mel brings her services to her clients in the comfort of their own homes, whether that be in person or virtually. She is passionate about helping women learn how to use their bodies in ways they’ve always believed they never could! We talk to Dr. Mel all about weight stigma in the world of physiotherapy, and sh...2021-03-1555 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE27: The Reason Why You're Not Getting Better"Physical therapy didn't work for me." "I don't know why I'm in PT: my doctor made me go." As a physical therapist, these were 2 sentiments that I heard over and over again when evaluating a new client, especially when I was working in the traditional setting. But what exactly do they have to do with each other? On today's episode, we are diving in to why you may feel like you've "tried everything" but nothing really helped whether that be if you were/are recovering from an injury, getting pain-free so that you...2021-03-1232 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE26: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and the Pelvic FloorWomxn with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, or EDS, are oftentimes given very lack-luster advice in regard to their health and wellness. Because of the nature of EDS, a connective tissue disorder, pelvic floor dysfunction is very common. I want you to know that if you have EDS, you don't have to grin and bear things like pain with sex and leaking when in fact there are way better answers out there! I was given the amazing opportunity to speak with Rebekah James about how EDS affects the pelvic floor and what we can do about it! It's not all...2021-02-1935 minThe Postpartum RevolutionThe Postpartum RevolutionReal Talk: It's A Revolution and We Won't Be Softspoken with Melissa Cioffi, DPTWarning friends, this episode is explicit. So hold on to your hats because today is all about truth bombs and real talk. Joining us we have, Melissa Cioffi, a pelvic health PT, whose story begins fresh out of  school where she jumped into corporate healthcare and was ready to change some lives… only, that’s not what really happened. Four years later and Dr. Mel realized that the system was failing her patients, doctors, and herself. So, she said f*ck the system and set off on her own practice. 2021-02-121h 01Finally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE25: Is It Normal for Sex to Hurt?Womxn everywhere are constantly being told that a "normal" part of life, especially after giving birth, is that sex can be "a little painful." Like, forever. This couldn't be further from the truth. Taking into consideration that you've been cleared for vaginal penetration after giving birth, sex should never be a painful endeavor. And if trash "advice" like "just relax," taking a drink before doing the deed, and shoving dilators inside of you hoping for the best never worked, you're in the right place. Today, we are talking all about why you may...2021-02-1241 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE24: Why I Don't Take InsuranceThe most common question I get is "Do you take my insurance?" Because we pay so much into our medical insurance plans, most of us believe that using it is in our best interest regardless of what service we are seeking: however, because physical therapy is such a nuanced service, same issue will NOT be treated the same way depending upon who you see. And insurance for sure plays a role in that. This episode dives into most of the reasons why I do not participate with insurance companies, and the answers may surprise you. Find out...2021-02-0545 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE23: Are Elimination Diets 'Healthy?' - A Chat With Jenna JBesides both being incredibly awesome (ha!), Jenna J and I have one thing in common: after both trying a popular elimination diet, we both finally said F*** you to diet culture.  I had the amazing opportunity to chat with Jenna on her IG all about our experience and why aesthetic pursuits of weight loss over actual health in regard to elimination diets was not the best choice for either of us. This episode is not meant to shame any of you who have tried and/or are considering trying an elimination diet: it is mainly meant to b...2021-01-291h 03Finally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE22: Answering Your Questions About the Pelvic FloorDuring the last weeks of December, I asked my Instagram followers to hit me with all their questions regarding health, wellness, and everything in between. There were so many great questions that I didn't want to miss, so I turned this into 3 episodes to cover them all! Today we are covering all things pelvic floor (my favorite!!). I can't even tell you how excited I am that you are all so interested and want to learn more about the part of our bodies that most of us had no clue existed, let alone how to condition it...2021-01-1536 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE21: Answering Your Questions About Physical TherapyDuring the last weeks of December, I asked my Instagram followers to hit me with all their questions regarding health, wellness, and everything in between. There were so many great questions that I didn't want to miss, so I turned this into 3 episodes to cover them all! Today I am covering all of your questions related to "general" physical therapy, meaning categories of PT that do not fall under a speciality like pelvic floor (that's next week!). This episode will cover answers to the following questions: When should I see a PT vs a Chiro? Can...2021-01-0837 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE20: Answering Your Questions About Health and FitnessDuring the last weeks of December, I asked my Instagram followers to hit me with all their questions regarding health, wellness, and everything in between. There were so many great questions that I didn't want to miss, so I turned this into 3 episodes to cover them all!  Today I am covering your questions that have everything to do with weight loss and fitness.  -Why don't you promote weightloss as a health behavior?  -If you were an MD and had an overweight client come to you about knee pain, what would you suggest they do...2021-01-0133 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE19: Surviving the New Year (A Miniseries) - "I Don't Accept New Clients In January"- A Chat With Personal Trainer Jen BorrusoIf we can guarantee anything (yes, even during a global pandemic), it's that shamey messaging and marketing comes in hard and strong in December and lasts pretty much into January. Most fitness professionals and diet-toters are so ready for you to make that resolution to start a new workout program or lose weight, banking on you basically screaming  "Here, take my money." Not Jen Borruso. Jen is a personal trainer in AZ who refuses to take on new clients between the months of December and January. Why? Tune in to find out! Follow Jen on I...2020-12-2348 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE18: Surviving the New Year (A Miniseries) - Being Honest With Your FitnessWe've all been there: trying new workout after new workout, only to quit about 6 weeks in. Then, December rolls around with something else, complete with the promise of changing your life for good. So what happens: you buy it, you try it, you stick with it for 6 weeks, and then you stop. You chalk it up to not having enough discipline BUT it's probably more likely that this workout wasn't for you to begin with. You bought it on the whim of a brand new body and a brand new you. Before you jump onto the next...2020-12-1827 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE17: Surviving the New Year (A Miniseries) - Before You Buy That New Workout...We all know the drill: come December and January, there is always a new workout program or gym offering SOME kind of special. But you have to act NOW or else you're gonna pay out the ass if you wait another second! Stop. Breathe. Listen. Operating out of a sense of urgency without actually diving deep and realizing what we REALLY want is what keeps us stuck at best, or keeps us from reaching any type of goal at worst. There is a lot more to fitness and exercise than what infomercials and ads lead you to...2020-12-1122 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE16: Surviving the New Year (A Miniseries) - Setting BoundariesSeeing the shit storm marketing throughout 2020 that preyed on people's shame and insecurities for the sake of making a buck, I'm anticipating this will be even more exacerbated leading up to and through the first month or so of the new year. This "new year, new you" messaging is SO detrimental to how we view ourselves and our self-worth, and just needs to die with the rest of the garbage that is 2020. Because I feel so strongly about this, I've decided to create a miniseries throughout the month of December: kinda like an auxiliary for you to...2020-12-0432 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE15: What's Normal "Down There?"Douches, vaginal rejuvenation surgeries, bleaching creams, razors, waxes...when it comes to issues "down there," what is actually normal?! I've drilled it into your brain that when it comes to womxn's pelvic health, no matter what age you are or how many kids you've had, peeing/pooping yourself, having pain with sex/penetration, feeling a heaviness in your vagina, and always feeling like you have to pee are all COMMON complaints but NOT normal.  But what exactly IS normal? There are so many products and services that claim they are to benefit our vaginal health a...2020-11-2043 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE14: The Truth About KegelsI know you've seen those posts on Facebook, all like "Did you do your billion kegels today?" Your MD prescribed kegels because you can't stop peeing your pants when you cough, sneeze, and exercise. But do you really need to be doing kegels?  Are you even doing them right?  What are you supposed to be feeling down there, anyway?  And what does your kegel program actually look like (and yes, there SHOULD be a kegel program)? If you've never thought about any of this and thought that sneaking in quick "pelvic flo...2020-11-1335 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE13: Integrating a More Well-Rounded Approach to Your Fitness - With Morganne FrazierBeing well-versed in your body and its capabilities is so important when embarking upon a fitness journey: yet, we are never instructed on what to look for or what to pay attention to when we are navigating exercise (there is a LOT more to it than you think!). It goes WAY beyond aesthetics and what your instructor looks like. But what SHOULD we be mindful of when putting together a fitness program? Today, Morganne Frazier and I are discussing some myths and fallacies that are placed upon us in the health and wellness realm in regard to...2020-11-0656 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE12: Being a Better HumanWith the most important presidential election just around the corner, it's imperative that we stop being garbage humans to each other and actually learn how to LISTEN. I am seeing so much hate and disrespect towards each other and the main question I keep posing is "How the fuck did we get here?!" One skill which many people seem to be lacking is empathy: this is what divides the children in adult-sized bodies from actual adults. It is what helps check our egos at the door for the sake of actually taking someone other than ourselves into...2020-10-3028 minDPT to CEO: The PodcastDPT to CEO: The Podcast#3: Melissa Cioffi, New Quest Physical TherapyDr. Melissa Cioffi is a mobile physical therapist specializing in women's pelvic floor dysfunction. Fearlessly serving the women of Westchester, Dutchess, Putnam, and Orange counties in NY, as well as Western Fairfield county in CT. She gives busy moms the tools they need to live a pain-free, active life that they can share with their families for years to come! Find Melissa here: https://www.facebook.com/MRCDPT/ https://mcioffidpt2.wixsite.com/newquestpt | Follow me on Instagram: @drmorganmeese | Join my Facebook Group: Cash-Based Healthcare Entrepreneurs (PT, OT, SLP, Healthcare) | Ready to start your own cash based practice? Let's talk...2020-10-2832 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE11: My MD Didn't Listen to Me - A Candid Interview with Kaitlin M. BrazilWe are switching gears today with an interview with one of my favorite people in the world, Kaitlin M. Brazil! Kaitlin is a mom of 2 boys who experienced urinary incontinence with her first child about 5 years ago. Symptoms worsened over the years and she was eventually referred by her urogynocologist to receive a urethral sling, which brought on a slew of other issues that Kaitlin continues to face today. Come join us for this very real, very candid interview and hear Kaitlin's story about how surgery may not always be the best option. If her story sounds...2020-10-2347 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE10: What You Should Know About Arthritis (Even in Your 20s)In honor of Bone & Joint Health Week, this episode is all about one of the most common diagnoses out there: osteoarthritis (OA), or normal wear and tear on your joints. I know what you're saying: "But Dr. Mel, I'm only 28. I don't have to worry about arthritis yet." Did you know that OA can be apparent in people as young as 19? Most importantly, however, I want you to know that OA isn't this scary diagnosis that predicts a joint replacement in your future. Women are too often dismissed for what's ailing and paining them, having...2020-10-1623 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE9: My COVID Weight Gain and What I Did About ItIn this VERY transparent episode, I dive deep into how I gained the COVID 20, and what I did about it. And the answer might surprise you. As a health and wellness professional, I felt shame around the fact that I gained 20 lbs during quarantine: I should know better, I should do better. But what does this type of thinking actually afford anyone? In this episode, I wanted to be as transparent as possible, letting you all know that even as healthcare practitioners, we are not perfect. However, how we go about treating ourselves in spite of things...2020-10-0242 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE8: What Is PCOS and What Do I Need to Know?September is National PCOS Awareness Month and given that womxn aren't really given much info when it comes to their reproductive health, we are bringing this topic to light! PCOS, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome affects 3-15% of womxn aged 12-51, affecting more BIPOC womxn than white womxn (Side note: I always say "Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome" because it sounds more grammatically correct to me, so that's why you'll hear me say that in the episode). It is one of the most common issues affecting the endocrine system (the control center of our hormones) in womxn. HUGE DEAL! 2020-09-2530 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE7: The One Thing You're Probably Not Paying Attention to That's Damaging Your HealthToday is all about how being authentic with yourself affects your mental, emotional, and physical health. This episode is purely anecdotal: I am not nor do I claim to be a mental health professional. But, I do believe that authenticity and sticking to our values and boundaries throughout our professional and personal lives is a great way to stave off stress and live lives that are actually worth living! So wtf am I talking about and how can you implement this in your everyday life? I gotchu. We are talking about all of that and more in...2020-09-1826 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE6: Peeing Your Pants Is NOT Cool...Or NormalI know you've been told that because you're a woman, have given birth, or are of a certain age, things just "are what they are" and it's "normal" to be racing to the bathroom being that you might piss yourself. Ladies, THIS IS NOT NORMAL! But it is very common And there is also help! Today we are talking about why urinary incontinence happens, the different types, and what you can do about it! Link to my Pelvic Pride DIY course: https://www.yournewquest.com/pelvic-pride-diy Follow me on...2020-09-1146 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE5: Why Hustle Culture is Making You Hate Your LifeWe are taught to wear busyness as a badge of honor. That if we are busy, it means we have finally made it: WE ARE SUCCESSFUL! But why is this actually doing us more harm than good? We are getting down to it in today's episode (and, spoiler alert: I might belt out a tune in this one. BTW I was totally sober, so that's who you're dealing with). Follow me on IG: dr.mel_dpt Send me an email: mcioffidpt@newquestpt.com Work with me: www.yournewquest.com2020-09-0429 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE4: What to Look for When Hiring a Physical TherapistDespite what many people think, not all physical therapists are created equally. You also might be surprised to know that choosing a clinic based of whether they take your insurance OR its proximity to your house are probably not the best metrics off which to base where you should go. I gotchu. This episode Has everything you need to knowing when choosing who to hire as your PT (and yes, this should be a hiring process!!!). You take the time to research what car you're gonna buy, what phone you're gonna get, but why don't we EVER...2020-08-2839 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE3: Why You Might Want To Hire a Physical TherapistIf one thing is clear regarding physical therapy, it's this: no one knows wtf we do!  When someone asks me what PT can help with, I always give this answer: I can help you overcome anything physical that's keeping you from living your damn life. I know: SUPER broad! That's because PT is a very broad discipline. We don't just help people who've had surgery or who are older. We literally help all ages, all injuries, basically all gripes with what's physically going on. These problems can range from overcoming vertigo or dizziness, balance issues, j...2020-08-2130 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE2: Shame in the Fitness GameI am so tired of seeing shameful social media posts focusing on those who've gained weight during COVID: you are surviving a pandemic. You're wearing a TON of different hats now (wife, mother, girlfriend, teacher, colleague, staff member, HUMAN). Stress is at an all-time high. So it really grinds my gears when fitness coaches, "gurus," and yes, even physical therapists are capitalizing on this and shaming you into losing weight. Besides your weight being the least interesting thing about you, being shamed into a crappy exercise program does a few things: it sets you up for immediate...2020-08-1427 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelE1: Why Your Xray (Probably) Doesn't MatterOne of the most frustrating things I encounter as a physical therapist is when a client/prospective client receives an imaging report (xray, MRI, CT scan) and is basically scared to move due to the "findings." There is a TON of fear mongering going on in the medical profession, for what reasons I'm still unsure. We are told never squat if you have "bone on bone" arthritis, never do crunches if you have a herniated disc, never move in ways your body was intended.  But why is this probably awful "advice?" Why might these diagnoses and reports b...2020-08-0729 minFinally Fearless with Dr. MelFinally Fearless with Dr. MelBecoming Finally Fearless: Welcome EpisodeFor the past few months, I have been doing a YouTube/IGTV series called Fearless Fridays; every Friday, I would release a video exposing some BS that the health and wellness industry was perpetuating all for the sake of making a buck...at your expense. Things were great...until I realized I absolutely HATE being behind a camera. My passion for giving women the tools they need to live the lives they deserve did not diminish: my desire to be on camera did. I'm still educating, still informing, still getting salty...except now you can...2020-07-1013 min