In Louisville, KY, our Future Leaders group welcomed Dr. Jacklyn Hammond as a guest speaker: an orthopedic physical therapist, helping people regain independence after suffering from sports injuries. Dr. Hammond is able to diagnose injuries and create custom treatment plans, using tools like dry needling, stretching, and targeted muscle massage.

Dr. Hammond shared her passion for physical therapy and explained to the girls how the body needs movement and patience to heal injuries. Together, Dr. Hammond and the group demonstrated their knowledge of how our bodies build strength. The girls were eager to jump up and show examples of exercises and stretches that make muscles stronger.

As the Future Leaders learned more about physical therapy exercises, curiosity struck and Dr. Hammond was showered with thoughtful questions. The students were curious about workflow and schedule on a normal day, work-life balance, and the academic path to become a physical therapist. The girls showed particular interest in learning about the different techniques Dr. Hammond uses to help her patients heal physical wounds and regain the mental strength to continue pursuing their goals. She further demonstrated that a large part of building strength is patience.

Following questions, the group learned about resistance bands, a tool often used in physical therapy. After learning how to use resistance bands in a variety of exercises, they had the opportunity to decorate their own with colorful designs and positive motivational words.

Thank you, Dr. Hammond for sharing your clinical expertise and for teaching us how to build our physical and mental strength!