Kristen Fitzgerald

soft spoken, thoughtful and caring with a kick of spice when needed

training

• Physiotherapist
• Bachelors Of Science in Physical Therapy, University of Alberta – 2003
• Gunn IMS Certification, Institute for the Study and Treatment of Pain, British Columbia – 2010
• Medical Acupuncture Certification (Dr. Aung), University of Alberta – 2009
• Radial Shockwave Certification – 2010
• Mini-residency in TMD and Oralfacial Pain – 2012
• Runner, golfer, yoga enthusiast and cross country skier

personality

Kristen decided to become a physio because as a child growing up, she was very chatty, I know, hard to believe, but she loves people! She also loved helping people and would walk around with a homemade medical bag just in case she needed to help her brother after he scraped his knee. She knew that she wanted to work with people and be in the medical field when she grew up. She is soft spoken, thoughtful and caring with patients and all those who surround her (including Tayler, Dan and Grant). Don’t let her quiet demeanor fool you though, as she can be pretty tough when needed. With Grant around, she’s ready for anything. Kristen continues to love to talk to people and is the voice of reason at Leading Edge RGC. There is certainly never a dull moment, but when things start skating the line, Kristen is there with her charm and wit to bring things under control. Kristen enjoys laughing at most of the antics and you can truly always feel funny as she will laugh at anything.

• Favorite book – The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, The Time Traveller’s Wife. She loves reading and so finds it unusually hard to pick favorites.
• Favorite sport – Running: it gets her outside, clears her mind and gives her time to listen to real music rather than Grant’s versions.
• Favorite movie – PS I Love You, Good Will Hunting and Anchorman are tops on her list. Be careful not to bring up anchorman with her or the entire treatment will be explained using quotes from Ron Burgundy or Brian Fantana. “They’ve done studies, you know. 60 percent of the time, it works every time.”
• Favorite Hobby – Spending time with her family, especially her two boys.
• Clinical Pet Peeve – People who forget to smile! Or Tayler clicking his pen and twirling it over and over and over.
• Something you may not know about her – She has gone sky diving once. Not something you’d expect from our Cautious Connie!
• Staff say – “She’s great to work for, but she doesn’t like it when other people touch her pen!” (FYI She places a color band on each new pen to identify it as hers.)
• Superhuman Talent – She has 2: if given the opportunity, she could fall asleep under any circumstances in about 1 minute. She can also chew her food exactly 32 times per bite without having to count.

edge

With 16 years of experience in the field, Kristen brings an abundance of experience to her practice. She has advanced credentials in chronic pain management utilizing the GUNN IMS method to treat myofascial pain and dysfunction. In addition, she studied with Dr. Aung to achieve her certificate in medical acupuncture from the University of Alberta, has radial shockwave certification and has undergone further training in the utilization of the Graston Technique. In 2o12, she underwent a mini-residency in TMD and Oral-facial Pain from the University of Minnesota which she has applied extensively for the treatment of our patients with jaw related pain and dysfunction.