Transcript
Hi, I’m Liz Plowman. I’m a physical therapist. I specialize in orthopedic and chronic pain conditions. I practice in Houston, Texas. I’m also a person living with myasthenia gravis.
Like most people who go into physical therapy, I chose the profession because I was injured, and I had the honor and pleasure of working with an amazing physical therapist who helped get me back to playing sports in high school and I enjoyed that.
I enjoyed someone who was willing to work with me with the transformation to get back to the activities that I loved. That’s what really inspired me to do the same. I knew that from a young age I wanted to do something medical. I just didn’t know what that was. But being able to work with people from start to finish, not just to get out of pain or recover from an injury, but to get back their quality of life and the activities that they love, was something that really spoke to me. That is why I chose to become a physical therapist.
I chose to specialize in chronic pain conditions because they’re not easy. Some of the more complex chronic pain conditions are exactly that. They are complex. Once they’ve been going on for a long time, they really start to truly affect people’s quality of life, their identity, their sense of self-worth, their independence. It’s not just recovering from a simple ankle sprain. There is a lot that goes into the recovery of chronic pain, and those people suffering with those chronic conditions really need that extra TLC. That is what I strive to be able to give, and helping someone who’s been suffering for so long get that spark back, get their quality of life back, be able to do things that they haven’t done in years. Being able to play with their children, play with their grandchildren, or go for a walk. Things that we take for granted. But helping them to be able to do that is so fulfilling. That’s why I work with people with chronic pain.
It’s helping people recover their identity, helping people recover their quality of life and the activities that they have been missing out on, and the things that bring them that spark of joy, and how to get that back to them. I would say in the end, having myasthenia gravis absolutely changed me as a physical therapist. It changed the way I practice, but I think in the end it made me a far more rounded, robust, and compassionate provider.
I absolutely love being a physical therapist, and I am so passionate about what I do because I get to help people along their journey to get back to the activities that are meaningful to them and bring them joy.
Everyone experiences MG differently. Please talk to your health care team before making any changes to your health and wellness plan.
