30 Aug Dr. Amy Novotny, DPT
Pain Free Living! A Deep Dive into Breathing Mechanics, Muscle Training, and Nervous System Training …
Dr. Amy Novotny – Health – Pain Free Living – Fitness
Dr. Amy Novotny is an expert in orthopedics, geriatrics, balance disorders, nerve injuries, and chronic pain management.
While preparing for a marathon, Amy discovered a revolutionary approach to chronic pain management that’s canceling surgeries and allowing people of all ages live a pain free life.
Copied from the PABR website:
Dr. Amy Novotny founded the PABR® Institute with the mission to provide pain, stress and anxiety relief to those who seek a naturalistic form of treatment when other treatment methods have fallen short. Her unique approach comes from her experience treating in a variety of settings and with a wide range of patient populations over the past 12 years. Her background in orthopedics, sports, geriatrics, balance disorders, nerve injuries, and most recently, chronic pain; and influences from coursework at the Postural Restoration Institute gave her the foundation to develop this treatment method to address a wide variety of painful and restrictive conditions. Her methods have helped countless people reduce and eliminate pain, stress, anxiety, orthopedic surgeries, sleep issues and the need for medications.
She co-authored two Amazon #1 Best-Selling books Don’t Quit: Stories of Persistence, Courage and Faith and Success Habits of Super Achievers, which share her journey on how and why she developed the PABR® Method.
She has a variety of interests including running 40+ marathons, running 10 ultra marathons (including two 100 milers), completing an Ironman triathlon, photographing wildlife and landscapes all over the world that has led to several of her images being chosen as Photos of the Day, most notably National Geographic Your Shot World Top Photo of the Day.
Episode Summary:
In our chat with Amy, we hear about her unique approach to chronic pain management that has resulted in patients canceling surgeries like knee replacements and rotator cuff procedures. Amy shared her expertise in orthopedics, geriatrics, balance disorders, nerve injuries, and chronic pain, revealing her unique approach that revolves around training the nervous system and the body’s muscles to alleviate pain from the inside out. She presented two cases – one involving a rotator cuff tear and another involving a knee replacement – where her approach yielded transformative results.
As we explored further, we discussed the intriguing connection between our autonomic nervous system and physical health. Amy helped us understand the components of this system – the enteric nervous system (controls the gastrointestinal tract) , the sympathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system – and how they can affect our overall health. Listen in as Amy reveals how stress can cause our muscles to tighten and pull our bones and joints out of position, leading to chronic pain, and shares her insights on how to calm down the nervous system to reduce pain and improve overall health.
We also had a fascinating discussion about how breathing mechanics and discussed the function of the diaphragm, how to position our ribcage to support it, and how the straw method can help us change our breathing mechanics. But the conversation wasn’t limited to health and wellness. We also touched on Amy’s love for Photography and her success as an Ironman triathlete and 100-mile marathon runner. From improving posture and breathing for pain relief to using these techniques to enhance performance in sports, this conversation is a treasure trove of insights and practical tips.
Chapters:
(0:00:00) – Preventing Surgery Through Breathing and Posture
(0:06:35) – Overcoming Chronic Pain and Nervousness
(0:10:03) – Autonomic Nervous System and Physical Health
(0:23:09) – Breathing Mechanics and Photography Techniques
(0:29:24) – Breathing Techniques in Athletics
(0:34:23) – Body Mechanics and Breathing for Performance
(0:40:23) – Breathing and Posture for Pain Relief
Chapter Summaries:
(0:00:00) – Preventing Surgery Through Breathing and Posture (7 Minutes)
Two examples were given of patients who experienced how calming down the nervous system and training the muscles that ‘forgot how to work’ can help alleviate pain. In the case of the rotator cuff tear, the scar tissue that had formed was causing pain, and with the knee replacement, the muscles that were being pulled in an abnormal way were causing pain. Changing the breathing mechanics and coordination of the muscles allowed the body to heal and both patients canceled their respective surgeries.
(0:06:35) – Overcoming Chronic Pain and Nervousness (3 Minutes)
Amy’s background in orthopedics, geriatrics, balance disorders, nerve injuries and chronic pain helps us understand her approach to helping people, which is different than physical therapy. She has developed a way to help people change aspects of their body from the inside out, taking the power back into their own hands by exploring the nervous system and how it influences all systems in the body.
(0:10:03) – Autonomic Nervous System and Physical Health (13 Minutes)
We discuss how our autonomic nervous system can influence our body’s health. We look at the three components of this system – the enteric nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system. We consider how too much stress can be detrimental to our health, and how it can cause our muscles to tighten and pull our bones and joints out of position, leading to chronic pain. Finally, we look at ways to calm down the nervous system to help reduce pain and improve overall health.
(0:23:09) – Breathing Mechanics and Photography Techniques (6 Minutes)
We explore how the diaphragm works, how to position our ribcage in order to support the diaphragm, and how the straw method can help us feel a change in our breathing mechanics. We also take a look at body awareness techniques and how they can help us become more aware of how we use our back and arms and legs for activities. Finally, we discuss the secrets of taking award-winning photographs, such as having multiple elements in the photo and understanding the light and weather.
(0:29:24) – Photography. Also, Breathing Techniques in Athletics (5 Minutes)
iPhone photography is a great choice for many photographers. We discuss how to be a great photographer, and traveling the world to capture unique shots. We learn how to use breathing techniques to prepare for long runs. We also explore how to use the diaphragm and the straw method to support the body’s autonomic nervous system while running.
(0:34:23) – Body Mechanics and Breathing for Performance (6 Minutes)
We look at how to get into a relaxed position, stabilize in that position, and move in that position. We discuss how to change our breathing mechanics to cause relaxation and how to release tension in individual areas of our body. We explore how to apply this knowledge to participating in activities such as pickleball, tennis, golf, and running a 100-mile race. We also talk about how to use the same process for preparing for a speech or an Ironman triathlon.
(0:40:23) – Breathing and Posture for Pain Relief (5 Minutes)
We discuss how posture and breathing can help reduce pain and other issues. We stop sucking in the gut and arching the back, and how to sit in a chair with the ribcage dropped down and the belly out. We also look at how to activate the hamstrings and how to manage stress in the physical body to improve productivity, focus, and creativity. Finally, we learn how to become more aware of how our body is held and how to make small changes to improve our executive functions.
If you’d like more information about Dr. Amy Novotny, Pain Management, or Health, please visit: PABR institute.com
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