We recently connected with Kristina Kam and have shared our conversation below.
Kristina , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?
Relentless Hawaii l Imua Warriors
We can’t always control the storms in our life –the wind, the tide, the variables in general. Because where real life happens, is in the deep, where you get called out to life beyond the swells, an unpredictable surrounding of vastness and beauty. Although it may be scary to roam in uncharted waters, it has also served as a space where a deeper understanding and purpose was cultivated.
What my life looks like today is very different from where I thought I would be 14 years ago. Back then, my hopes and dreams only revolved around aspiring to be a Rainbow Wahine volleyball player for the University of Hawaii. Representing the state and playing for the legendary coach Dave Shoji, was more than just a dream; it was a true honor. At that time, the pride and joy of Hawaii athletics was reflected in our women’s volleyball program, which was rich in tradition and highlighted phenomenal athletes year after year. At 10 years old, I attended my first Wahine Summer Camp and made a promise to myself that I would do anything to be a part of that squad. From then on, every decision I made revolved around making my goal a reality, as I truly believed that my collegiate career was going to be the best years of my life. But what was anticipated to be the highlight of my life, ended up being the most difficult part to this day, as it was laden with multiple injuries and setbacks.
I never could have predicted that I would be injured more than I was healthy. As much as I tried to avoid it, I kept finding myself back in an OR to repair another torn ligament or tendon. I had to relearn how to walk and play the sport I love over and over again after two ACL tears, two Achilles tears, and hand surgery to repair a ligament in my thumb that I tore while playing beach volleyball. But although my athletic career didn’t pan out how I hoped, it was all part of a design to direct me towards who I was meant to be: a sports physio and performance coach. Every chapter that was written from then on has led me to my purpose. It was only out of suffering could I have been conditioned to embrace resilience. There were only two choices, wallow in the valley, or use these setbacks for good. I chose the latter.
Embracing adversity to overcome, my story, and the heartbeat of who I have become is within my scars: a daily reminder of what it means to endure storms. But out of adversity, a warrior was forged, being conditioned to choose a spirit of relentlessness no matter what came my way. If you see me standing on a mountain, it is only because I first had to walk through a valley. Never on my own strength, but with the help of many who invested in me, even when I no longer believed in myself. The road to being a physio first started with my own personal experiences as an athlete. Fast forward to the present day, and this journey has come full circle. Before I was the person on the table, being on the receiving end of the one who needed guidance and care. But this panoramic understanding of what it takes to come back from an injury has led me to a career when I am on the other side of that table. It is now my greatest pleasure to be able to help other people feel seen, heard, and comforted in knowing that whatever obstacle is up ahead, I will stand with them in the trenches. Currently, I am humbled to be in a position where I can service athletes from youth to professional in their journeys to overcoming injuries.
From driving across hundreds of miles to shadow elite sports physios and performance coaches in California for a year, to the late nights researching and asking for the opinions of trusted colleagues on viewing a case from a different perspective, to never relenting on a person because I remember when another provider didn’t give up on me many moons ago, it is a great honor to have such a responsibility in this field.
My life has been a series of unforeseen circumstances that led me to walk an unconventional path, but it directed my footsteps to where I was supposed to be; I am who I am because of it. Relentless Hawaii is an embodiment of my journey and everyone who has contributed to it. I am forever grateful to have the opportunity to ride the wave of a lifetime amongst those who sharpen me in every way. Refined by fire, the best parts of me are mere stories of how I have learned to overcome through relentless pursuit, one day at a time. Living this life, to be of a different kind, always.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Aloha!
My name is Dr. Kristina Kam, PT, DPT, XPS, EMR. I am a Sports physio, performance coach, and indoor/beach volleyball consultant based out of LA. To be quite honest, I never intended on becoming a physio, it was never on my radar. But life has a funny way of steering you towards purpose. As an athlete that competed at the Division I level, I succumbed 5 season-ending injuries, all requiring reconstructive surgery and a lengthy rehab. When I was in the trenches, I was fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of compassion, empathy, and be seen by providers who cared more about me overcoming adversity, than I did in myself during the lowest points in my life. It was them who inspired me to keep moving forward when I had lost hope and the will to choose resilience. They changed my life, and had profound impacts on my career today. Out of that, I decided to pursue physical therapy as a profession with an emphasis in sports because being a former Division I athlete created a special place in my heart for others who were in the same boat. When purpose meets opportunity, magic happens.
For those who are pursuing a career in Physical Therapy, it is now a doctorate program. At the time, Hawaii didn’t have any PT programs, so I had to move away to get my degree. Initially, my plans were to move back as soon as I graduated, but I quickly learned that southern California was a hub for high level sports, and I wanted to soak up all that I could while being here. Our last didactic year is a series of three 15 week. rotations, all of which I expressed a high hope to land a sports rotation, but never did. So, while I was still a student I DM’ed elite sports physio’s and performance coaches to inquire about shadowing opportunities because I just wanted to learn. No matter where these clinics where, if I had the opportunity to shadow and pick the brains of experts in the game I went. If it was only for an hour, I went. If it was 100 miles away from me, I drove. For a year I let curiosity and an open mind direct my steps, and wherever I was able to observe and grow, I made it a priority. It is with great humility that I can look back on that year and be filled with gratitude as these incredible individuals didn’t have to say yes to me, but they did. They took me under their wing and allowed me to keep coming back simply to learn. The ones I stayed with the longest, they quickly became my mentors, and with that job opportunities were.
I never intended on starting Relentless Hawaii here. It was an endeavor I thought that I would begin when I moved back home to Hawaii. But opportunities and purpose led to launching it while I was in California. It has been a beautiful journey, but also one that comes with a lot of responsibility. They don’t teach you how to be entrepreneurs in PT school, or how to run your own business per se. But I have been fortunate enough to have had incredible mentors who have established their own businesses to pass down invaluable insight on how to build something from scratch. Real relationships and establishing rapport in the communities I love to serve has been such an amazing experience.
Relentless Hawaii is a company built on services what I like to call “trifecta aspirations, where I can be the same provider that can add value to injury prevention, physical rehabilitation/performance training, and skills/technical coaching for indoor and beach volleyball. Having the ability to overlap between these disciplines has been a surreal experience, one that allows me to take an athlete through the entire continuum of their athletic journey. As a physio, I have the ability to evaluate and treat conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. My approach is focused on one-on-one patient care that identifies the root cause of the issue and curates an individualized plan or care to work towards return to sport, or other performance goals that a client would have. I also love being able to bridge the gap between rehab performance by using cutting edge treatment methods, technology, and a desire to be a life long learner to continue to bring best practice methods to each individual. I also provide consulting for beach and indoor volleyball players, as I have played this sport for over 20 years.
Creative Works provided: Myofascial Release and soft tissue mobilization, cupping, joint mobilization, Strength & Conditioning and High Performance methodologies (sport/activity specific), Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) Functional Range Capacity (FRC) Q-band affiliate, Proteus Ambassador, Reaxing affiliate.
What we Solve: musculoskeletal issues, and performance deficits.
Acute Pain & Injury
Post-Operative Rehabilitation
Return-to-Sport Rehabilitation
Movement Optimization
Recovery
What I think sets me apart from others: I strive to be of a different kind. To me, that means to first and foremost be an ambassador of aloha and to reflect aspects of my culture and upbringing in how I treat others. How we care for one another back home mirrors how I care for people in this field. I also come from a place of understanding. I suffered for many years, went through the trenches myself, and can speak life into the next person on the table because I was once in their shoes not too long ago. I celebrate in my clients victories because it is such a joy to see them overcome adversity and have the freedom to fully participate in the activities that brings fulfillment in their lives. But I also feel much of what they are going through when difficulty arises, or when things may be overwhelming. I am constantly in process of learning, growing, and becoming the best version of myself so that I can best service my clients.
what am I most proud of: Relentless Nation. Their stories, victories, setbacks, and everything in between makes me so humbled and grateful to be able to witness all that they accomplish.
what is the main thing I want people to know about Relentless Hawaii: Relentless Hawaii is truly an embodiment of my testimony. It is a way of connecting with people who are going through similar challenges as I once did and re-igniting hope so that they may overcome. Every fiber of my being is stitched with a genuine desire to help walk alongside you in this journey. Relentless Nation will always get the best of me, and will always be reminded the value of relentless pursuit.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Character and presence. I amassed a lot of my clients from the beach volleyball community because I played it and was involved in that community. Because I played at a high level, did technical coaching, and played on the beaches of California, which is the hub of beach volleyball, clients started coming in week after week. Playing games allowed me to meet new people. And although I never tried to “market myself” or present myself in a manner that highlighted what I did as a professional, being faithful with a few and taking care of a couple of clients quickly snow balled into referrals by word of mouth. I did not have any marketing strategy, I didn’t have any ads or seminars, website, accessibility across multiple platforms. It was just who I was as a person, player, coach, etc on the daily, and how I earned the trust of many on the beach over time.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
The soft skills.
They also don’t really teach you these skills in school. But learning how to effectively communicate with people from all walks of life, being a good listener to allow your clients to feel heard and seen, and expressing general care into their well being. Because people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care -“Theodore Roosevelt”
It is interesting because I had a conversation with one of my clients who runs and owns a very successful business. I asked him one time “What qualities do you think makes a good leader in business?” His reply was, “When things go well, give everyone else the praise. But when things go wrong, I take the responsibility.” That quote had a profound effect on my outlook on being a leader. When that time comes, I hope to be a leader of a company that uplifts my employees to encourage them to be the best versions of themselves and to help them reach their full potential. But also being okay with assuming the responsibility when an unfavorable outcome or occurrence comes into play.
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Image Credits
Christian Straka took the photos at Maverick Community.