Many years ago, I cared for a family- the patient, a little girl 2 years old. She had been admitted to our pediatric unit with varicella, or as many know it, Chicken Pox. She had not been vaccinated, “No big deal… it’s just chicken pox.” She had a developed a terrible infection of the vesicles […]
Author: Laurie Trezza
A Registered Nurse, turned Personal Trainer, with a specialization in corrective exercise, I bring a unique perspective to the world of fitness. I have journeyed through joint replacement, weight loss and other obstacles, all of these experiences shape the trainer I am today.
This concept was created out of a love and appreciation for movement. I'm sure you have heard the cliché, "You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone!" I kind of experienced that in reverse.... Let me explain...
As a little girl I truly despised running and moving quickly- any game that required speed and agility was just not for me. I gravitated to slower, low impact activities- movement was really just the worst. Why? My knees hurt after a short time of running or jumping. No one really knew what to tell me, they'd shrug it off and run away. I was just "no good" at sports. Despite my lack of fast motion, I did remain pretty active.... but those knees!
As I got into my college years, I finally went to a specialist. He refused to even image my knees. I was "too young" for any type of issue he said. "Take an anti-inflammatory, get some more exercise and ice afterwards. You'll be fine." he continued. That was not what I had been hoping to hear. Maybe I was oversensitive. Oh well.
I graduated from college, got my first job as a Registered Nurse on a busy telemetry unit in a large teaching hospital in the NYC metro area. I got married, a few years later had my first baby, then my second.... then number three (oh, and bonus! it was twins!!!!) Still... those knees.... worse, worse, and worse....
The final straw- at a party, I met another mom, also carrying twins, as we chatted about all things twin pregnancy related, she squatted down to the coffee table below us to retrieve a snack.... Whoa!!!! Her baby-filled belly was even larger than mine (she was further along than I was) and she got up and down like she was an American Ninja Warrior! There was no WAY I could do that with my knees!
Once the babies were born, and life was humming along at a relatively normal-insane pace, I found another orthopedist. He listened, imaged, and found that indeed, my knees were a disaster. For a number of years we played with all types of treatments to prolong the inevitable... total knee replacements.
The year I turned 40, I was given one of the best gifts ever... a pair of titanium and polyethylene prosthetic knees! The surgery was difficult and painful to recover from, but the results were truly life altering.
Since recovering from my total knee replacements (TKR's), I have re-discovered exercise and movement again. It does NOT have to hurt. Exercise and movement does not need to be high impact and harmful to your joints to be effective in changing your body composition and changing how you feel. Exercise and movement absolutely must be, a part of your life to keep you fit both physically and mentally.
Newton's law of physics... "A body in motion STAYS in motion."
I had no idea how impactful motion would be on my life, until I could move without pain. It has made such an incredible change for me, I decide to make it my livelihood.
I've tied my nursing background in with my life experience with joint replacement, and looped that with a certification in personal training and specialization in corrective exercise. I am focusing this work to help others like me- who may be struggling to regain motion and emotional control after a difficult surgery or other life-altering situation.
Physical activity is the most under-utilized antidepressant out there, and in my observations, it seems we have a society that is more depressed than ever. Focusing on movement to better the body, mind, and spirit, that's what my work is about.
Grab YOUR OpportuKNEEty and SHINE!
Keeping a positive outlook is important part of your well-being. Staving off negative energy is a vital part of preserving our energy levels, keeping them in a high, positive place. How does our environment, mainly our home, contribute to our energy levels? Is it possible that negative energy can be absorbed from your home? Absolutely. […]
Since becoming a Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist my goal has been to create personalized programs for my clients, geared toward improving their quality of life, their health and wellness and keep them in motion throughout their lifespan. My background as a Registered Nurse, takes into account the whole being, addressing not just physical […]
What is Epilepsy?
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I am a sucker for a those before and after pictures on Instagram- you know, the ones of the folks who have completely changed their lives- a pic of them first looking not too thrilled, usually holding onto a few extra pounds- the after… huge smile, looking like they conquered the world! I wasn’t always […]
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The Empire State Building has been a part of my love story for my entire life. For as long as I can remember back, my father’s company was a tenant in the Empire State Building. I had a love affair with that tenant’s observatory pass… Sweet talking it away from my dad’s assistant, to whisk […]
Fear Fuels the Fire
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One of the many topics covered in my psychology class in nursing school was grief. The patterns of grief we studied were laid out by a Swiss/American psychiatrist, her name was Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. She was a pioneer in her field of near-death studies. She wrote an incredible book on near-death experiences, called On Death and […]
Total Knee Replacement has been one of the best thing that has ever happened to me. What? Yes, you read that right. It took the chaos of the recovery of bilateral joint replacement for me to appreciate the beauty that can be found in change- and how to embrace change for the best. The “me” […]