A physical therapist's role in the medical tent of the twin cities marathon

I had a great time back in the medical tent of the Twin Cities Marathon a few weeks ago. I usually have a team of 4 to 6 PTs that work alongside MDs and students to allow the medical tent to run smoothly and efficiently. It is a delight to be a part of this amazing team of professionals and the experience of the runners.

You might wonder what in the world a physical therapist is doing in a medical tent - a lot! We have a different role than the medical role the physicians hold. We have a different lens to view the specific situations and the medical tent as a whole operation. Our training is heavy in musculoskeletal, so we become the movement experts of the medical tent. We help to differentiate musculoskeletal conditions and help to treat musculoskeletal ailments, mainly cramping. But we have helped to differentiate fractures and sprains, tears and strains. We help to effectively and safely position runners on cots when they need assistance moving and transferring. We help runners change into dry clothes, this may sound minor, but to a cold runner with limited use of there limbs after a 26.2 mile run, this is a big deal.

Our greatest legacy though, as a team of physical therapists, is implementing the idea that getting runners up and moving, as soon as the medical evaluation and findings prove it safe, allows for a significant increased improvement in symptoms quite quickly - mainly cramping and temperature. The longer a runner lays on that cot the longer it takes to get that runner back up. On really cold days we even try to keep the runner upright, either sitting, or even walking for the medical evaluation. We have implemented a circle around the supplies table where the runners and their medical personnel walk in a circle, over and over again, sipping broth, wrapped in a warm blanket, until they are well enough to exit.

If this sounds exciting and you are a licensed physical therapist, or a physical therapy student that wants to join my team in the medical tent for 2022, shoot me an email!