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| Physical Therapy on the Big Screen |
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by Lisa B. Minn, PT - January 10, 2011
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Have you seen Black Swan yet? Well if you haven’t, here’s fair warning: the movie is an old-fashioned fairy tale for grown-ups. By ‘old-fashioned fairy tale’ I mean in the tradition of the Brothers Grimm who scared the pants off children of generations past in order to impress the moral of their stories upon them. You’ll need a strong stomach and a taste for the horrendous if you are going to enjoy the movie. It’s a cringe-inducing ride full of suspense, angst, embarrassment and blood. It’s really quite ridiculous but at the same time, oddly thrilling. Dare I say, this movie gets under your skin?
One small thrill that I got from the movie (that I’m sure millions of other viewers didn’t even notice) is the performance of a physical therapist. There is a scene in the movie in which Nina, Natalie Portman’s character, has a rib adjusted and an ankle mobilized. When I saw this scene, I thought that it had to be a real therapist because she looked so skilled. Sure enough, she is a real PT named Michelle Rodriguez Nouel. Natalie Portman was really injured and when she went to Ms. Nouel for therapy the director decided to film the session and had Portman remain in character. The result is a gritty, realistic scene that lends some authenticity to a movie that is generally outrageous and fantastical.
Hurray for this portrayal of skilled physical therapy in the movies and 'Bravo' to Ms. Nouel!
 Lisa Minn is a licensed physical therapist and yoga enthusiast. She has been incorporating aspects of Yoga and Pilates into her physical therapy practice since 2001 and became a certified yoga instructor in 2004. Her experience ranges from working with athletes at West Point and Georgetown to instructing elderly and wheelchair-bound clients in the fundamentals of Hatha Yoga. Lisa has conducted several lectures and workshops across the US, as well as in Honduras and Peru, where she volunteered her services. She currently resides and practices in Northern California. This and other articles by Lisa can be found at The Pragmatic Yogi.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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| Kenny |
on 18 Jan 2011 at 9:37 pm |
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| I have not seen Black Swan just yet and wasnt planning on seeing the movie, however, because I myself am a PT, will now look forward to seeing this movie and scene. Awesome for our profession! |
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| John |
on 16 Jan 2011 at 6:55 pm |
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| I saw Black Swan this weekend. I too was impressed by the skill displayed on screen. This was no actor. A shout out to Michelle. Great job. Hard to fake the real thing. |
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