Owner, April Ericson, CRNA, MSNA
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April Ericson, CRNA, MSNA
DNP Candidate – Expected Graduation 2022 I started Runners' Edge Alaska because I saw a need in the Anchorage community for the services we provide – bridging the gap between rehabilitation and performance, sports-specific rehabilitation, and optimizing performance to decrease risk of injury. I’ve been an athlete all my life. I was an all-state softball and volleyball player in high school, and I decided to focus on volleyball in college. I played one year of NAIA in Tennessee, then transferred to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where I played collegiate volleyball and focused on Sports Medicine and Nursing. I stayed involved in sports playing softball and sand volleyball for fun. When I graduated with my bachelors in 2002, I moved to Austin Texas and picked up the sport of triathlon. I moved to Fort Worth, TX in 2005 to complete my masters in Nurse Anesthesia (MSNA) and after graduation moved back to the Austin area and continued to be involved in triathlon. I’ve been competing in triathlon for a long time, however there have been many ups and downs with sport and injury since then. I made the best decision of my life and moved to Alaska in 2011. I’ve continued in the sport of triathlon and have completed many sprint and Olympic distance triathlons on and off road, the Mount Marathon race, and also completed a ½ Ironman race in 2016. A back injury had me on the sidelines off and on for the last several years. This was so tough for me, because I’ve never had an injury that plagued me this long. Having been an athlete all my life it affected me significantly. I began to chat with others and there are so many people out there like me. People who aren’t 20 anymore and don’t recover like it. At 40, I needed help learning my new athletic body and how it’s changed over the years and what I need to do to keep it healthy and competing for many more years. At Runners’ Edge Alaska, we strive to connect with the community and return our clients to active lifestyle. I’m on the road to physical recovery and lifelong fitness and you can be too. I’m excited to share our passion with the community. |
Clinical Director, Zuzana Rogers, PT, ScD, SCS, COMT
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Board Certified Sports Physical Therapist
Certified in Orthopedic Manual Therapy Life is not a straight line. I have taken a break in my career to spend time with my kids and family. We have discovered many great places while traveling, but more importantly, I have discovered my true passion and purpose as a Sports Physical Therapist. Having growing kids at home, I feel I understand the struggles of middle school sports (I’ve got one at home!) and I can relate to high school sports drama (I’ve got one heading that way!). I suddenly understand the struggles of 40-something parents who want to get back to being active after some time off (I AM one!). During my physical therapy career, I have helped many high level athletes achieve their Olympic goals, and have returned many other clients to physical activity after significant surgeries. I am super excited to join Runners’ Edge Alaska. The way I will help you is to start with YOUR goals in mind. My goal is to brighten your day and to make it possible for you to return to what you love, whether it is marathon running or being able to enjoy beautiful walk in the mountains without pain. I started my professional athletic career as a member of the Czechoslovak National Ski Team, pushing my training and performance to the boundaries of what my young body could take. Because of my personal experience, I take a holistic approach to physical therapy treatment. This philosophy applies to all my clients, regardless of age and experience, from a young runner – to an Olympic skier – to a recreational hiker looking to get his or her active life back after a knee replacement. Today, after decades of experience, training and study, it is remarkable how much information we have gained about athletics and sports-specific performance needs. My passion to share that information with you drives me tremendously. Not only can I empathize, but I can 100% sympathize with you when it comes to increasing performance and mitigating the risk of injury. I take YOU into consideration. Not as a set of conditions or symptoms, but as a person with physical goals, mental needs and unique social situations. |