Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Ralston.
Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Many factors play a role in where I am now as a physical therapist in Del Mar.
(1) My appreciation for movement started when I was a little kid. I grew up going to both of my older sisters’ volleyball games and fell in love with the sport. I played both club & high school indoor and outdoor volleyball, and the love of movement and sport drove me to be interested in sports medicine. I was told that being a physical therapist is very physical, and in a very physical medicine, it is important to be strong to support the weight of your patients so that you do not injure yourself. Once in college, I found stress-relief through weightlifting. I have been consistently weightlifting for over 8 years now, and want to bring the same level of stability and strength to those who are in pain.
(2) By the time I was in high school, my grandma’s health and mobility was declining, making it harder to do the community-level activities with her that I used to bond with her through as a kid. She was the most stubborn person with her health, but the only people who could push her to move or take care of her body more were me or her respiratory therapists. Hearing the impact these therapists had on her mood and her quality of life made me want to provide the same to others. My grandma was my biggest cheerleader in life, and my love for treating geriatric clients is largely attributed to my desire to have the same impact on older adults as the healthcare workers who worked with my grandma.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I believe that each challenge in life is presented just in time, whether you feel ready or not, because you become a better version of yourself after each bump along the road. Whether it was personal relationship difficulties, family loss, mental health issues, or surviving seven years of school, everything has helped me become the person and the physical therapist I am now.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an orthopedic physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in Del Mar. I treat a wide range of conditions, from low back pain, foot/ankle pain, neck pain, joint replacements, volleyball athletes, and weightlifters. I find a lot of joy in helping lifters get back to pain-free gym workouts, helping middle aged adults learn to love the gym and gain independence with their own movement routine, yet I have a special place in my heart for my older adult population. Many healthcare professionals don’t have the spark for treating older adults like they do with athletes, but I see older adults as friends, moms, grandfathers, uncles, or widows with beautiful life stories who just want to enjoy life again with less pain.
What makes you happy?
It can be hard to stay happy in a line of work where people come to you in pain daily. Understanding and frequently re-evaluating what makes you happy is so important. I find so much joy in creating memories with the people that I love in my life, whether it is going to concerts, swimming in the ocean, dinner nights, or facetime calls, and doing anything outside. To tie in components of my work, weightlifting a form of movement and a tool that I use to relieve stress, stay grounded, and pour into my own cup both physically and mentally in order to release those natural happiness hormones – even just a 10 minute walk each day can help naturally release hormones like dopamine and serotonin to boost happiness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bespoketreatments.com/team/dr-sarah-ralston/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.ralston.dpt/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahralston
