Episode Transcript
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Interviewer: It's time for Seven Questions for a Specialist. Today we have Rob Shingleton. He is a physical therapist. I'm just going to ask you seven questions, seven answers. You ready?
Rob: All right, shoot.
Interviewer: All right, here we go. What's the best thing I can do for optimal body function?
Rob: Our motto is exercise is medicine.
Interviewer: All right. What's the worst thing I can do other than not exercise?
Rob: Well, not exercise.
Interviewer: Sure. Is there something else?
Rob: Well, overeat.
Interviewer: Yeah, sure. That's a big one, right?
Rob: Under eat, overeat.
Interviewer: What's the most common problem that you encounter as a physical therapist?
Rob: Probably obesity.
Interviewer: All right. I know you specialize in a specific type of physical therapy.
Rob: I do.
Interviewer: Is that the case in your specialty as well?
Rob: I think as a whole obesity is a very overriding problem.
Interviewer: Why is physical therapy so awesome?
Rob: Wow, isn't that obvious? I think it's just because we get people moving. We try to get them healthy. We try to instill a positive attitude in the patients.
Interviewer: A lot of times you're kind of a cheerleader, aren't you?
Rob: Oh, definitely.
Interviewer: Yeah, in addition to giving knowledge and helping people get back to work quicker.
Rob: Cheerleader, social worker, case manager, trainer.
Interviewer: What can't physical therapy do?
Rob: Well, we can't cure your underlying disease.
Interviewer: Yeah. You just make it a little bit better maybe.
Rob: We can help you get through it.
Interviewer: I thought you were going to say it can't do itself, that it's really up to the patient to do a lot of the stuff.
Rob: Well, we can certainly give you good home programs, but ultimately it's up to the patient.
Interviewer: Got it. Is there an exercise that you think everybody should do?
Rob: Aerobic exercise, whether it's walking or upper body aerobics or water aerobics or . . .
Interviewer: Get that heart rate up.
Rob: Yeah, get your heart rate up.
Interviewer: Why did you specialize in physical therapy?
Rob: Originally I kind of looked into medical school, some other areas in healthcare. I was always involved in sports in high school myself, had a lot of injuries, went through a lot of physical therapy, so it was just kind of a natural transition for me. It was something I had experienced and thought, wow, I'd like to be like that guy.
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