Kathy Dooley

Anatomy Angel: The Missing Trunk Bursae

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Dooley Noted: 12/11/14 Bursae are fluid-filled sacs located outside of a joint. In the cadaver, they look like fascial pockets. They are packed with synovium, a super-slippery lubricant that prevents excessive friction and erosion, usually at bone. I am convinced that the bursae are severely underestimated as pain generators. It explains why even after injections and anti-inflammatories, the pain quickly returns as you return to your movement patterns. Those strategies continue to irritate bursae, whose … Read more

Anatomy Angel: The Missing Trunk Bursae

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Dooley Noted: 12/11/14 Bursae are fluid-filled sacs located outside of a joint. In the cadaver, they look like fascial pockets. They are packed with synovium, a super-slippery lubricant that prevents excessive friction and erosion, usually at bone. I am convinced that the bursae are severely underestimated as pain generators. It explains why even after injections and anti-inflammatories, the pain quickly returns as you return to your movement patterns. Those strategies continue to irritate bursae, whose … Read more

Be Fascinated

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Dooley Noted: 12/10/14 Yesterday in lab, the rain was pouring down heavily. But the room was full of brightness. The students are gearing up for finals time. For that 2.5 hours, I felt myself pulled in many directions, answering astute questions and helping students find hidden structures. These were no longer the nervous students I met in late October. They were more unsure of themselves then. Anatomy is hard. Anatomy is voluminous. But they braced … Read more

The Best Day of My Life

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Dooley Noted: 12/9/2014 The best day of my life started with a migraine. I don’t get them thrice weekly, like I did at the beginning of this decade. Acupuncture and movement therapy knocked them down to once every other month or so. But it happens. And I can’t tolerate migraine medication. So, I don’t take it. I think I’ve been gifted with too much energy. Sometimes my body can’t focus it. It used to manifest … Read more

Why Your Toning Class Isn’t Working

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Dooley Noted: 12/8/14 I can’t seem to walk a block without seeing an advertisement for “toning” fitness classes. This got me thinking: What does “toning” even mean? I remember nearly wearing out a Buns of Steel video in high school, watching the aerobics instructors in their swimsuits. I thought the same thing then as 20 years later: This video isn’t what they do to look like that. I never got the least bit of tone … Read more

Seminar Review: Strongman Spectacular

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Dooley Noted: 12/7/2014 Eric Moss is a fantastic fitness coach and professional strongman. At a kettlebell seminar, he saw me frustrated with a skill. He told me about the power of the mind and of good, clean technique. With them both, anything was possible. He told me to read “The Mighty Atom.” I was so moved that I knew pursuing strength would be part of my life. He invited strongman Chris Rider to Eric Moss … Read more

What You Never Were

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Dooley Noted: 12/5/2014 Yesterday, a patient made an incredible observation about himself in my office. Patient: “I never used to have to think about bracing my belly before picking up my daughter.” Dooley: “Well, that’s one of the reasons why you have back pain.” You’re not worse off because you have to consciously change an unconscious habit. Yes, it takes work. But you are gaining control that you may have never possessed. Maybe you never … Read more

Questions to Ask Your Surgeon – and Yourself

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Dooley Noted: 12/4/2014 Far too often, I have patients that have little clue why they had the surgery they endured. Yesterday, the conversation read like this: Dooley: “Why did you get a surgery?” Patient: “I had foot pain. I have flat feet.” Dooley: “You have 2 flat feet. Why surgery just on the right?” Patient: “The surgeon said I have arthritis.” Dooley: “Research supports that arthritis is a poor predictor for pain. Any diagnoses other … Read more

The Everyday Glitches

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Dooley Noted: 12/3/2014 As my boyfriend kissed me goodbye this morning, he stated something poignant. “You raised your shoulders when you kissed me. Give me a stronger kiss.” He was right. I dropped my shoulders and hit repeat. I was stealing my own strength and stability with an unconscious, everyday habit. Let’s face it: no matter how many hours you spend in the gym, you spend much more time out of it. Your everyday habits … Read more

While You Were Playing Candy Crush

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Dooley Noted: 12/2/14 I saw your invite to play the latest crush/saga. It interrupted an important email return to a patient. While you played your game, I returned to an inbox full of emails. I wrote patient notes synced to my cloud. I uploaded rehab videos. While you played your game, you thought you should invite me to join. But I will never join your game. I live every moment of my life as if … Read more