“If we can remove our egos and understand that at the end of the day, the team is trying to win, the team is trying to make sure everyone is healthy, and the team is trying to make sure everyone can participate, this way we can all get along. “ Dr. Amy Atmore

Description: Welcome to another episode of Finding Small Wins Podcast, a space for conversations that pull back the curtain on sports, where to learn how to upgrade health & performance, and shed some light on how some of the best at what they do are finding the small wins that help them along the way.

Adam Loiacono, your host, is a physical therapist in the NBA & a former performance coach in Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League. 

In this episode, Adam is joined by  Dr. Amy Atmore, who shares her experiences as a performance physical therapist from the NBA and NFL to help us figure out what to do when receiving differing advice from private specialists and the Team Staff. 

Dr. Amy’s experiences working on both sides of the team's sports medicine staff and the athlete's personal performance team can help us learn how to manage the modern-day athlete better.

Key Takeaways:

[1:42] Dr. Amy talks about her role right now.

[2:20] How was her transition from Seattle to Denver?

[2:48] Dr. Amy describes a typical day for her.

[4:30] Dr. Amy talks about the differences between working on the Team Staff and as a private specialist. 

[5:50] How many hours does Dr. Amy spend with her client?

[6:30] Dr. Amy talks about the Team working for her athlete.

[8:06] Dr. Amy speaks of the times when the private and sports Teams differ in their perspectives and/or expectations.

[10:13] Is Dr. Amy, the point person for the team? Or is there another individual who has the final say?

[12:00] What does the integration between the performance team of the athlete and the sports team look like?

[13:52] What has Dr. Amy found to be successful for managing the relationship to help the athlete work with his team but then work with the sports team too?

[17:26] Dr. Amy highlights what she is looking for when an athlete returns to play. She shares what she believes may be successful when managing her expectations of the athlete and the team's expectations from the return to play.

[20:00] How does Dr. Amy balance when the athlete tells her he wants to do something-

but in her mind, it either goes against what she believes in or it goes against what she thinks is 

right at the moment?

[21:40] How do the other practitioners’ opinions, schools of thought, and philosophies, play into what Dr. Amy has to do?

[23:08] Dr. Amy talks about the first transition she made from working outpatient-

to then start her own private business.

[25:02] Dr. Amy advises those considering starting their own business.

[26:05] Dr. Amy shares what the transition from having her own business to working for the NBA was like. 

[27:47] Dr. Amy talks about the most complex challenge she encountered.

[28:45] Dr. Amy emphasizes that the most essential aspect for a practitioner is to enjoy what they do.

[31:12] Dr. Amy describes the key differences between the roles that she had so far in her career.

[32;54] What are the most significant differences between the NBA and the NFL?

[36:30] How is Dr. Amy’s perspective on work-life balance changed after becoming a mother?

[38:02] Dr. Amy advises those who have a family but also work in professional sports.

[38:45] Dr. Amy shares one popular misconception regarding people working in professional sports.

[40:14] What's one thing Dr. Amy only fully appreciated about professional athletes once she started working with them full-time?

[42:04] Dr. Amy shares a common challenge that she faces working as a personal physio for someone versus when she is working in a team.

[42:59] Dr. Amy answers three rattle questions.

Mentioned in this episode: 

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