In this episode we discuss:
Dr. West’s career prior to medicine, and the driving factors that led to her career change
Why she chose to pursue Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, also known as physiatry
Dr. West’s athletic background and how she became involved with CrossFit
What is Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R)
How PM&R works alongside physical therapy and rehabilitation
How physiatry focuses on root causes and functionality
The parallels between physiatry and CrossFit
How Dr. West overcomes the stigma against CrossFit within the medical community
The opportunities she sees to bridge acute rehab/sickness and wellness
What her practice is like, and how she incorporates CrossFit-type practices with her patients
Her response to people who think they “can’t do CrossFit”
How Dr. West navigates the strained relationship between the NSCA and CrossFit, and how she thinks the recent ruling against the NSCA will impact the fitness community
The challenge of corrupt research studies
Three things Dr. West does on a regular basis that have the biggest positive impact on her health
One thing she struggles to implement that could have a big impact on her health
What a healthy life looks like to Dr. West