As a Kinesiology student, Amy Guest wasn’t aware of the world of pedorthics, but when this PAC member was introduced to the industry, she fell in love right away.
After finishing her degree, Amy first went into personal training. Later, however, she craved a new direction; one that she found by hearing a radio advert from longtime PAC executive board member, Linda Deschamps.
Amy first joined Linda’s team as a receptionist, but would make her way up through the profession, first becoming an apprentice.“I realized how interesting it was – how much I liked it and that this is what I wanted to do,” she says. What was it that truly drew Amy in though? “It was probably, overall, her (Linda’s) enthusiasm for the field,” Amy says. “She’s so involved; she’s on the board and she’s a teacher for the courses at Western… she just has really big love for the field.”
Amy also enjoys the uniqueness of pedorthics. She points out that her favourite aspect is that working in pedorthics isn’t just being in a clinic – instead, there’s a variety to her day, where she is interacting with patients and working with machinery in back areas of the shop she works in.
Of course, Amy’s background in physical training and athletics has helped her immensely in pedorthics. Amy’s mother was a trainer as well, so getting into the training world was an easy step; but it was pedorthics that was her ultimate destination. One aspect that she did not change, however, was her desire to stay in Kingston. The only time she was away was for her aforementioned Kinesiology degree, which saw her stay in St. Catherines while attending Brock University.
When she’s not working, Amy is a true watersport aficionado. She’s a former sailing instructor and, along with her fiancé, enjoys wakeboarding and using their powerboat. This experience, along with other active pursuits that Amy has enjoyed over her lifetime, has helped her care for her clients. “My athletic background has helped me understand what people are talking about,” she says. I’ve been through my fair share of foot and knee pain and all the things we see on a daily basis. When people explain what they are going through and the movements they have to do, it’s really nice to know about sports and running and all the activities people are involved in, both from my athletic, training background and my Kinesiology degree.”
Outside of boating and other watersports, Amy takes time to go camping, plays ball hockey and baseball, and enjoys skiing and snowmobiling during winter.