Hidden Gems: Meet Keiana Wilson of Align Exercise & Ergonomics

Today we’d like to introduce you to Keiana Wilson.

Hi Keiana , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a practicing, registered dental hygienist here in Fort Collins, Colorado who now doubles as an ergonomics specialist and personal trainer for dental professionals. I have always had a love for exercise and how the human body moves and functions, but decided against going to physical therapy school due to the intensity of schooling. I chose to become a dental hygienist because it allows me the opportunity to form relationships with my patients and provide a service that has great impact on not just their oral health but also their overall health. After practicing in Fort Collins for a few years, I recognized how taxing that dentistry is on the body. I witnessed coworkers experience work related pain that negatively impacted their lives outside of the office. I decided I would undergo training to become a personal trainer and an ergonomics assessment specialist so that I can help fellow dental professionals to thrive by living and working pain free. I now teach others how we can train our bodies to be in balance and how to reduce and eliminate pain by strengthening their muscles to better support their bodies. I also provide ergonomic assessments that enlighten dental professionals of how they are currently moving and working in their operatories and provide feedback to enhance their posture and function while they work.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No! Starting my own business has been hard work and it is something that I have to consistently remind myself why I am pursuing it. My biggest struggle is time management. I currently work full time as a dental hygienist and work Align Exercise & Ergonomics on the side. I also am trying to balance time at home with my husband and dogs, church activities and commitments, as well as enjoying outdoor hobbies in our beautiful state. I have to be disciplined to complete tasks each day to keep things moving forward. I also had to learn a lot about the logistics of running a business. Thankfully, I have some great mentors and community that have helped me out.

As you know, we’re big fans of Align Exercise & Ergonomics . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At Align Exercise & Ergonomics I offer virtual personal training and ergonomic assessments for dental professionals. Dentistry is very taxing on the body due to sitting in awkward positions such as twisting, leaning, and reaching as well as completing repetitive motions throughout the day. Now as the name of my business suggests, there are two routes that I take to help my clients live and work pain free. One of those is exercise via personal training. Due to the awkward positioning in dentistry and individual lifestyles, our bodies are typically out of balance, some muscles are overactive and others are underactive and this imbalance can lead to chronic pain. By using corrective exercise and functional training methods, I coach my clients back into balance and symmetry so that they can feel and move their best. Now this style of exercise is very specific to the results we are trying to encourage, I coach my clients how to release tension in overactive muscles and how to strengthen the underactive muscles. They are completing exercises that mimic the movements of their daily lives so that they can train specifically for the tasks that complete most often. The next portion of my business focuses on ergonomics. Ergonomics studies how efficiently you are working in your given workspace, in dentistry we call them operatories. Ergonomics includes things such as your patient positioning, your operator positioning, your operatory setup, your chair, the instruments that you use and much more. I meet with dental professionals in their workspace and observe their current habits and setup and instruct them how to improve and create more efficiency. I provide coaching of their posture and the positioning of the patients and provide suggestions for different products and systems that they can use to optimize their workflow. The best results are found when you combine both the exercise factor and the ergonomics factor, often times if you only complete one you are working against yourself and never reach the full benefits. I believe my business sets me apart from others because it is coaching those around be to better use the tool that they already have, their bodies! They are learning to move in a way that helps the body correct misalignments and imbalances and restore the way that they feel and how they are able to work and how they are able to approach their lives outside of work. I love being able to get to know my clients and learning about what they value in their lives and how having a healthy and functional body through exercise and ergonomics can help them to reach their goals in and outside of work. My services do not provide a quick fix to their issues, but rather teaches them how to address them and build strength for the long haul. I want my readers to know that it is possible to live pain free when you dedicate the time to strengthen your body. You shouldn’t have to go to the chiropractor multiple times per week or barely survive between massages in order to have a long career. Don’t get me wrong, chiropractors and massage therapists are wonderful and I utilize them myself, but you should not be reliant on them to continue working each day.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I live up north in Fort Collins and I have fallen in love with the area! I love the variety of industry and the beauty of the city itself. I enjoy its proximity to the mountains and the activities that it has to offer. Just as anywhere these days, it is growing quickly. This can be a downfall as it impacts traffic the amount of people out and about at any given time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.strivetoalign.com

Image Credits
Personal photo – by Sam Carles