Baby Steps

I know that it has been way too long since I last posted something to this blog. I have decided to make it a personal and professional goal of mine to remedy this by posting something at least once per month. I would like to eventually increase this frequency to once per week... but I figured that I would start out with baby steps.
I would like to thank everyone that has taken the time to read what little I have taken the time to write and I promise you I will provide a lot more in the coming months.

Are you living with passion for your life's work, or are you just going through the motions?

At the beginning of May I was fortunate enough to be able to take some time and travel to Chicago to attend the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physician's annual symposium. I have been very proud to be a member of this group of of chiropractic sports doctors for the past 5 years. It is always difficult to find time in a busy schedule to travel across the country and attend conferences such as this one, but I am so glad that I took the time to do so for this one!

I came home from this symposium feeling inspired and motivated to make a difference in my profession! Throughout the weekend I had the opportunity to learn from some of the best and brightest minds in the field of chiropractic sports medicine. What I loved was that not only were these doctors amazingly talented and at the forefront of the profession, but they were remarkably down to earth and approachable. They were eager to share the knowledge that they had acquired over their years of experience for the betterment of their profession.

At the awards luncheon Dr. Dale Buchberger delivered the keynote speach. He spoke about perseverence. He cited examples of notable people in history, such as Abraham Lincoln, who had failed over and over and over again, but through their perseverence they eventually triumphed and were able to change our world for the better. I wish that I had a copy of his speach so that on those days when it seems hard to keep at it I can look back to his words and gain the strength to persevere.

Dr. Spencer Baron was awarded the ACBSP's award for Sports Chiropractor of the Year. I can't think of a better person to be given this honor. Dr. Baron has been incredibly inspiring to me and to many others in this profession. He is always willing to help out another doctor, be they new or old, and he seems to give selflessly of himself at every opportunity.

Dr. Bill Moreau was awarded the ACBSP's Lifetime Achievement Award, despite the fact that he is only halfway through his career! This is a much deserved honor for him. Dr. Moreau is one of my mentors and I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to know him and work with him. He has done so much to further the profession of chiropractic sports medicine. One of the things that I admire most about Dr. Moreau is that he makes anyone who speaks to him feel that they too can accomplish great things.

As I said before, I came home from this symposium feeling inspired and motivated to make a difference in my profession. A great person once told me that rather than saying "each one teach one" we should instead think of the phrase "each one reach one". By following this guideline hopefully I can inspire others in my profession to reach their full potential and to do great things, just as the doctors that reached me have inspired and motivated me and passed the excitement and passion they feel for this profession on to me.

I guess that what I learned most of all from this weekend in Chicago is that we all need to find passion and excitement in what we do. This kind of passion for your profession generates an electricity of its own and can spark the same passion in those around you. We must strive to be the bright shining stars in our lives and help to light the fire in those around us. Without this... we're just going through the motions.

Winter Dew Tour 2009/2010

This past winter I have had the amazingly good fortune to have worked with some phenomenal medical professionals and some outstanding athletes. I have been working with the Winter Dew Tour managing Main Athlete Medical and Rehabilitation - basically, I have been taking care of any non-life threatening issues that may impede the performance of these athletes.

The Winter Dew Tour consists of a series of three stops where athletes compete in either snowboard or ski disciplines on Superpipe and Slopestyle venues. I am constantly amazed at the skill of these athletes as they sail and spin through the air and still manage to land on their feet! The athletes that compete in these events come from all over the United States, Canada, and the World! We worked with athletes from France, Norway, Sweden, Great Britain, Canada, and the US, many of whom will be representing their countries at the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. This year we had week long tour stops in three different locations. In December we were in Breckenridge, Colorado, in January we visited Ogden, Utah, and in February we invaded West Dover, Vermont. All three stops were stunning representations of the quality of winter resorts that this country has to offer.

The company that provides medical coverage for these events is WMI - Winning Medicine International. WMI contracts a variety of healthcare professionals, including medical doctors, osteopathic doctors, chiropractic physicians, nurses, physical therapists, massage therapists, EMTs, and athletic trainers, to provide full medical event coverage for sporting events such as the Dew Tour. As I mentioned before, I have been contracted to manage the operations of Main Athlete Medical and Rehabilitation for WMI. This job has proven to be a very challenging yet rewarding one. On a daily basis at our events I feel as though I am juggling about 10-20 balls while someone is throwing more at me at a rate of 4-5 per minute! But... the best thing is that I wouldn't have it any other way! I love the excitement and I love the fact that at the end of the day I can walk out of there knowing that I accomplished something! The other staff members that I work with are probably one of the most talented groups of professionals that I have ever had the good fortune of meeting. Each person brings something unique and valuable to the table, and together we are able to offer our athletes a safe environment in which they can be free to compete and push themselves to their physical limits knowing that we are there to help them reach their goals. I think that the most rewarding aspect of this job has been having athletes come find me after their competition, trophy in hand, to thank us and tell us that they couldn't have accomplished what they have without our help. This is ultimately why I am in the field that I am - to help people live the lives that they dream of living.

Now that the Winter Dew Tour has wrapped for this season I get to look forward with anticipation for the Summer Dew Tour! The Summer Dew Tour will consist of 5 stops around the United States spread out from June to October. The events for the Summer tour include Skateboard, BMX bike and Freestyle Motocross events and the venues include Park, Vert, and Dirt venues. Since their are more venues and more different disciplines, I can only imagine that the 10-20 balls that I was juggling in the winter will turn into 50+, but I wouldn't have it any other way! What is life if you are not challenging yourself to reach your full potential! I can't wait to see where this adventure will lead me!

A New Adventure

This next week I will be embarking on a new adventure! I am very excited but also a little nervous!

I have had the great fortune to have been able to volunteer my services to work with the Dew Action Sports Tour's summer tour for the past 5 years when they visit Portland. This past year following the Portland tour stop I had the honor of being asked to join the tour on a more permanent basis!

My first experience since this change will be this coming week in Breckenridge, Colorado. I will be overseeing treatment of these amazing athletes in Main Medical as they compete in this gorgeous setting. Please feel free to visit the Dew Tour's website for more information about the tour and the events that they will be showcasing.

I can't wait! Please wish me luck!

What do all of those letters behind your name mean?

Like most medical professionals I have several sets of initials following my name, and if you are like most people these letters probably mean absolutely nothing to you! I figured that I would take this opportunity to explain the letters that follow my name.

The initials that follow a medical professional's name indicate the credentials that they have received. Which in turn indicates some of the training they have received.

My name when written to indicate my professional credentials is

Tamara Lovelace, DC, CCSP, CKTP

DC - Doctor of Chiropractic

The "DC" credential can be used by those medical professionals who have successfully completed the 4 year doctor of chiropractic program from an accredited chiropractic school and who have successfully completed all of the state and federal licensing examinations necessary for the region in which they plan to practice.

CCSP - Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician

The "CCSP" credential can be used by those chiropractic physicians that have successfully completed the 1 year program and the associated examinations leading to the designation of Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. More information concerning this credential can be found on the website for the American Chiropractic Board of Chiropractic Sports Physicians.

This designation indicates that the physician has undergone additional schooling on how to assess, treat, and manage athletic injuries.

CKTP - Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner

The "CKTP" credential can be used by those medical professionals that have successfully completed the training and associated examinations required by the Kinesio Taping Association to ensure that the provider is fully trained in the use and application of this innovative form of taping. More information regarding this form of treatment and the training necessary to employ appropriately can be found on the Website for the Kinesio Taping Association.

If you have any additional questions concerning my credentials, or if you would like me to decipher the credentials of another provider that you are interested in, please feel free to contact me.

Who is Dr Lovelace?

TAMARA LOVELACE, DC, CCSP, CKTP

Dr. Lovelace graduated summa cum laude as the valedictorian from Western States Chiropractic College in 2001. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta with a double major in Physical and Biological Sciences, and in 2004 Dr. Lovelace completed an intensive residency program in chiropractic radiology. In 2005 she completed a sports medicine program in that gives her the designation of Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP). She is currently in the process of completing an intensive program in advance sports medicine, which upon successful completion of her board examinations in 2010 will giver the designation of Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (DACBSP). She is an active member of the American Chiropractic Association as well as the ACA Sports Council, and looks forward to increasing her involvement in the world of chiropractic sports medicine.

Experience with Excellence

Dr. Lovelace has lectured on radiology and sports injuries and offers radiologic consultation services to chiropractors and radiology technologists on film reading and optimizing the operation of their radiology facilities. Dr. Lovelace volunteers her time and efforts at many events. She has provided chiropractic services to the Wiggles and the American Idol Tour, in addition to volunteering her expertise at various sporting events, including the US Figure Skating Championships, the Nationwide PGA Tour, the US Fencing Championships, and the Jim Danner & Nike Pre-National Cross Country Meets. She is one of the staff physicians for the Dew Action Sports Tour and travels around the country to the various tour stops taking care of the amazing athletes who participate in these events. She assists several local high school teams, she has worked with Aloha High School as their team doctor since 2003 and joined the athletic program at Tigard High School in 2009 as their team physician.

Special Interests

Dr. Lovelace grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was an accomplished classically trained ballerina competing and performing nationally as well as internationally, and has performed with various professional dance companies, including the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet BC, the National Ballet of Canada, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Since then she has been involved in competitive paddle sports, including dragon boat and outrigger canoe racing. She has been a member of several elite teams that have received top level designations in both national and international competitions, and has represented the United States at the Club Crew World Championships in 2006 and in 2008.

Personal Philosophy

Dr. Lovelace hopes to use her chiropractic and sports medicine training, along with her athletic experiences and biomechanical knowledge of the human body, to help her patients reach their full athletic potential and improve their quality of life. She recognizes the amazing difference chiropractic has made in helping her to attain her optimal performance in her own athletic endeavors and intends to help others to do the same. She uses a variety of techniques to assist her in this endeavor, including chiropractic manipulative therapy, physical therapy modalities, Graston Technique, soft tissue massage, Kinesiotaping, nutritional support, and exercise. When necessary, Dr. Lovelace will refer her patients for other services that will help them in attaining their goals, as she feels that the patient’s health care goals are the first priority.

Welcome

Welcome to the professional blog for Doctor Tamara Lovelace!

I hope to use this venue to answer some of the more commonly asked questions that I encounter in practice. I will tell you a little bit about myself, who I am, and what my professional goals are. I also plan on blogging about some of the more interesting experiences that I have the good fortune of enjoying. I welcome and encourage any followers to contact me should they have any questions that they would like to see addressed.

I hope you enjoy reading my blog and please feel free to let me know your thoughts!

Welcome to my world!