Dr Ed Stiles' protege, Mica Sale, said it best and I can’t put it any better into my own words...
“Our bodies are incredible adaptors and most of the time the area of pain is not the problematic area. Problems begin when a person has multiple areas that need compensation, which in turn causes the body to function inefficiently. It is at this point that a person may have a minor accident, major trauma or simply bends over to pick up a piece of paper from the floor and develops sever pain.”
Dr. Ingrid Pailthorp Ratz was born and raised in Annapolis where she continues to pursue her passion as a physical therapist, pilates instructor, and postpartum exercise specialist. When she is not in the office she is out in the community, spending time with her family and friends, or enjoying the great outdoors. She received her doctorate of Physical Therapy from University of Maryland and through continuing education over the years she has been trained extensively in manual therapy techniques. She continues to seek out opportunities to learn.
“I will always be a perpetual student. The human body was designed to Move and to Move well, which drives my passion to keep learning. We can only give back when we give to ourselves first. For this to happen both mind and body needs to be strong.”
-Ingrid Ratz
My Philosophy
I believe that it is so important to keep moving. This looks different to everyone, but the minute we stop moving we put our health at risk. I want to help you stay active! I also believe that there is a mind / body approach to healing. You can not have one without the other. This is why it is so important to learn strategies to calm the mind, and decrease the fear surrounding pain. Research shows that if we are in the “Flight or Fight “part of our brain also known as the sympathetic nervous system, pain centers increase in our brain and release stress hormones which can interfere with healing. Sometimes with pain and fear around our injuries and limitations we can find ourselves stuck in the Flight or Fight Response. My approach to physical therapy and training is evidence based with a huge emphasis on patient education. We work together as a team to empower and facilitate autonomy while decreasing dependence.
The Ideal Client:
Someone looking for an individualized program to help them achieve a specific goal while receiving one on one attention for 45 minutes. At Form and Motion PT we are function based and goal oriented. We address the area of greatest restriction in the musculoskeletal system followed by behavior modifications, strengthening, and movement pattern retraining. The role of the patient and client is to be an active participant both inside and outside the walls of this practice.
After the birth of my two children, I have developed a real passion for helping postpartum moms. My journey into motherhood has made me a better practitioner, in ways I could never have imagined. I want to help moms avoid some of my mistakes and benefit from the pearls I have picked up since that incredible day I became a MOM.
My Postpartum journey/story: click to view