What It’s Like To Be Short & a PT    

  “How’s the weather down there?” “What’s up short stuff?” “You really got the SHORT end of the stick, huh?” I have heard them all before! Kelly Clarkson said it the best, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!” This is the story of a true underdog, or maybe just a person short in stature.

            Let’s start with the family tree. My father is 6 feet tall. Now you may be asking, “Well Ant, what happened to you?” Check this out; my mother is 4’9”. Yeah, you read that right. So, if we are looking at the disparity in height I am right in the middle! Chalk that up as a win for the Ant-Man. I am the second tallest at home (not to brag or anything). My mom asks me to reach the plates on the top shelf (no big deal).

            Now, back to reality. I am not tall by any means. At work, my best friend is that stool stuffed underneath each table. I step on that stool, and I get a glimpse of a view from up there. You may be asking yourself, “What happens when you have a patient who is over 6 foot tall?” I get on that stool and rock the treatment. That is what happens. There are plenty of ways to get the job done. Body mechanics and positioning is key for me. I’ve learned very quickly that I need to be aware of not only my positioning, but the positioning of the patient as well. As you gain experience in the field you learn and adopt different techniques to accomplish the goal. If one way does not work for you, don’t sweat it. Try another way! Every therapist has a different approach.  Find your way and own it!

veiw up there 196x300 1
A View From Down Here 2

            My boss, Armand Diesso, has coined the phrase, “I like to say that Ant is cut from the same cloth as me. He just got the smaller piece.” This one goes out to all of my shorties! Just remember, there is always a way to accomplish what you need to no matter how TALL the task. Let’s end with a few good quotes for my smaller crowd. “A mighty flame followeth a tiny spark.” –Dante Alighieri. “Tiny but mighty!” –Me.

-Anthony Simon, PT, DPT