Bend physical therapist helps athletes, Olympic hopefuls reach top performance level

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Ellie Meyrowitz is doing what she knows best: living out her dream, by helping athletes reach theirs.

"I don't have a knife, I don't have a drug, I don't have an MRI, so being able to put the human body back together with my hands is what I love most as part of being a physical therapist," Meyrowitz said

Meyrowitz knows all too well about the injuries these athletes experience. as she used to be one herself, an elite swimmer during her college days at Indiana University.

Now, she's an elite physical therapist at Rebound Physical Therapy in Bend.

"No matter what their goal is, I'm trying to rehab them into either a performance level or into being pain-free,” Meyrowitz said.

Angel Piccirillo, who is part of Littlewing Athletics, an elite running club in Bend, is one of the many athletes Meyrowitz treats.

Piccirillo competed in the women's 800-meter race at the Olympic Trials in Eugene.

Meyrowitz helped make that possible.

"It makes such a difference to have someone who understands runners, understands their bodies and can problem-solve through all the crazy things we come in with,” Piccirillo said.

Piccirillo fell just short of punching her ticket to Tokyo this year. But there's no off-season in this sport, so Meyrowitz will continue to help her find that edge.

"What can they run through and not harm their body? What can they run through but would hurt their body? So it's constantly navigating and talking through strategies, because there's always something in the books for them,” Meyrowitz said.

Meyrowitz also treats Rebecca Mehra, Mel Lawrence and Sadi Henderson, other Littlewing runners who competed at the Olympic Trials.

They all see Meyrowitz on a regular basis to keep their bodies ready to run.

Although Meyrowitz says the satisfaction of healing patients with her hands is such a rewarding feeling, the relationships she forms are just as special.