Physio on the fly: DI mom helps Navarro stay healthy

As last Sunday morning’s charity pro-am was winding down on the back courts of Credit One Stadium, rising tennis star Emma Navarro stepped off the green clay and made a beeline to Kelly Shannon, who was sitting on a bench a few yards away from the action.

 

Shannon is a Daniel Island mom of two girls, ages 9 and 6, who four years ago moved back to Charleston from the Washington D.C., area “to start my little physical therapy company.”

 

When one networking connection led to another, Shannon found herself meeting with a local tennis player out of the University of Virginia who was looking to add a physio to her team to amp up her professional career. Her name was Emma Navarro.

 

“Somebody that I know that I worked with recommended me, so we met, and it kind of evolved,” she said.

 

Shannon, who has a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from MUSC, is now one of two physical therapists working with Team Navarro, crisscrossing oceans and continents along with Navarro’s coach, fitness trainer, and playing partner.

 

Their job is to support Emma’s health, strength, and conditioning as she continues her ascent to the top of the tennis world.

 

“It’s been fun,” Shannon said. “When I first started with her two years ago, maybe she was ranked 140. She had just been out of college, maybe less than a year at one point. Now she is in the top 10.”

 

With Navarro’s recent success and advancement through later rounds of big-time tournaments, the team has been staying on the road longer. 

 

Despite the travel grind, Shannon said the team is focused on maintaining a daily routine for Navarro, making sure it’s balanced and regimented to help her stay on a consistent schedule of eating, exercise, practice, play, and sleep.

 

“It’s a lot to maintain strength on the road,” Shannon said. “Basically, before she ever steps out on court, she goes through an hour-long warm-up routine, goes through all her mobility, muscle activation, strengthening stuff, and dynamic stretching so she is ready to enter the court and get pumped up,” Shannon said. 

 

Once a match is over, there’s more practice, more stretching, and a focus on body recovery and injury prevention “with hands-on treatment to keep the muscles happy and have them feeling pretty good.”

 

Shannon estimates she travels 16 to 17 weeks out of the year – taking in the opportunity to appreciate historic venues like the lawns of Wimbledon in London, where “the grass is neat,” and the U.S. Open in the Big Apple, which has the vibe and “New York City-energy to it.” Even the smaller tournament towns like Tyler, Texas, and Homberg, Germany, have made an impact on her.

 

“Every Grand Slam has something special about it, but I do like the smaller tournaments. Smaller towns are more fun to navigate, especially in Europe.”

 

With the latest tournament held here this week in Charleston, Shannon said it’s a nice break to be back home. “I have two young kids; and one of the harder things for me (on the road) is my family life, but my husband is extremely supportive.”

 

Shannon spends stretches of time with her family when she alternates tournament travels with another physical therapist. And during the weeks when she is on the road, she is confident knowing her husband and girls are with her in spirit as they rally and cheer Team Navarro on. 

 

“They are some of her biggest fans,” she said. “Emma has been a great role model.”