Meet Summit Physical Therapist Sam Olson

Sam Olson grew up playing sports in his small Wisconsin hometown. During college at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, his interest in fitness led him to classes in anatomy and physiology, paving the way to a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the College of St. Scholastica and a career in physical therapy with a specialty in sports medicine. He has also demonstrated his advanced knowledge, experience, and skills in orthopedics by successfully obtaining his board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist certification.

“I work with patients with non-operative, pre-operative, and post-operative issues,” explains Sam. “I might help an athlete with hip pain who wants to get back to a sport, or a patient recovering from a rotator cuff repair. My job is to help them go back to work, reclaim recreational activities, take care of their children, or resume their golf game on the weekends.”

Sam puts a priority on developing a good rapport with his patients. He’s found that when he shows people that he is invested in their recovery, it encourages them to be invested as well.

“Patients expect me to perform at a very high level because they want to get back to a high level,” Sam says. “I encourage them to take their program outside of the walls of this clinic. My patients may spend one hour each week with me. It’s a very small percentage of the total time I want them to spend on rehabilitation. What they do at home is much more important than what they do in clinic. Ideally, patients should invest 15 to 30 minutes in their rehabilitation exercises most days of the week—and do them once or twice a day.”

Simply walking and taking stairs correctly is an important part of correcting problems. “We take thousands of steps every day,” says Sam. “When we aren’t walking or climbing stairs correctly, we multiply the small errors in one step by a couple thousand steps every day. When you do the math, you can see that incorrect steps prevent us from maximizing our potential. Rehabilitation isn’t just about the specific exercises I give to my patients. How we hold our bodies and move during the rest of the day is important, too. For people with shoulder pain, their daily posture at the computer can be hugely important. Our posture matters because we spend so much of our day at our desk, in our car, eating, and doing other activities.”

For Sam, an active lifestyle that includes running, training, backpacking, camping, and hiking helps him to meet his patients’ expectations. “I have to walk the walk so my patients have confidence that I can get them back to where they want to be,” he says. “This keeps me motivated to continually develop the knowledge and expertise to rehabilitate the patients who count on me. Their expectations keep me striving to do better.”

Summit Orthopedics offers proactive wellness services

At Summit Orthopedics, we are committed to providing the resources, tools, and expertise you need to achieve your personal fitness goals. Our Summit wellness center is home to proactive wellness classes and training services for you and the whole family. Wellness experts can work with you or your physician to design an exercise program that supports lifelong health through exercise.

Start your journey to a more active self through our wellness services offered at the HealthEast Sports Center. Schedule a free wellness consultation online or call (651) 968-5766. Find the group fitness class that works with your schedule. Visit our Facebook page to learn all about the wellness events we offer to safely promote good health throughout your life.

More resources for you

• Ask Physical Therapist Sam Olson: How Can I Maximize My Therapy?
• Physical Therapists Play A Critical Role In Physical Health

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