#423 - Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: What Therapists Need to Know with Abbey Phillipson

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Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: What Therapists Need to Know with Abbey Phillipson

In this episode, I sit down with Abbey Phillipson, a strength and conditioning coach and disability advocate who lives with classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Abbey shares how she went from being the kid who sat out of gym class to helping people with disabilities find their place in sports and strength training.

We talk about her childhood diagnosis, spinal surgery as a teenager, and what changed for her when she started building strength. Of course, we get into proprioception, too! Abbey describes what it felt like to struggle with body awareness and how learning to move differently became an important part of understanding her own body.

But this conversation goes beyond movement. Abbey shares the healthcare experiences that led her to advocate for people with rare EDS types and why knowing a diagnosis isn’t the same as knowing the person in front of you. For my fellow OT practitioners, there’s an important reminder here about listening to lived experience, questioning our assumptions, and helping clients participate in the things that matter to them. 

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