“As a ten-year stroke victim and four year Esophageal Cancer Survivor Amber has changed my life physically and mentally. Amber helps my life 3 times a week with private training. I love watching my body transform inside and out.” – Michele Rifkin
After building my career as a personal trainer and working with a diverse population of clients, I decided to pursue my passion for rehabilitation and earn an Orthopedic Exercise Specialist Certification. This allowed me to increase my knowledge of post-surgical rehab recovery as well as recovery from athletic injuries. Recovery can be slow, challenging and frustrating. Post-rehab personal training (training for injured clients who have been cleared to exercise by their doctor, physical therapist, chiropractor, etc.) not only helps the body to recover from physical limitation but also work towards restoring confidence that was once there before the injury/diagnosis occurred.
Motivation is a key factor in this process. I enjoy finding what each client needs to push them through an exercise and take one step closer to recovery in a safe and effective way. Whether it be music, someone to talk to, or a favorite exercise, everyone has something that keeps them coming back to work towards their goals.
For one of my clients, it is a little bit of everything. Michele loves to jam out to Jethro Tull, joke around and, most of all, box. She is also an Esophageal cancer survivor and stroke victim. When she first started working with me, her goals were simple: To get stronger and healthier. Since then we have worked on balancing on her affected side, building confidence with movement, and gaining overall functional strength. She now boasts about her ability to throw a water pallet at Trader Joes and shows off her “big guns”. Jokes aside, Michele has worked incredibly hard to get where she is today. Through post-rehab personal training her balance is significantly better and her affected side is becoming stronger every day. Most importantly she is proud of what she has overcome and is more confident in her body’s ability to move.
Every client is different and so are the challenges they face. By understanding unique limitations, injury mechanics, and programming components I help clients improve their health, strength and function. Communicating with health care providers for a holistic approach, my goal is to bridge the gap between rehabilitation and full recovery.
