Growing up, I never thought that today I would be where I am with my baseball career: the first woman in history to make a NCAA Division I men's roster and play in a Division I game for Brown University, the first woman to homer in a collegiate summer league game, one of the leaders of the United States National Baseball Team, and a rising role model for all young women in sports.
I developed a UCL ligament injury in 2020/2021 as a result of overthrowing. Though I visited a few doctors, my arm was not improving despite intense physical therapy. Given my unique status as a woman playing baseball at this level, I felt that many health care professionals were unable to properly address my injury. I had already lost one entire season and I was afraid my baseball career could be in jeopardy. It wasn't until I saw Doctor K. at HSS that I was finally put on the path to recovery.
Dr. K. recognized my condition immediately. What was different about his prognosis was that he treated me as a professional pitcher by recognizing that the root of the injury was that I had never been given a proper arm rebuilding and strengthening program. It was this simple, yet holistic approach that allowed me to easily follow his program and make incredible progress.
I saw Dr. K. again this past year for a check-up and today I am able to pitch with very little to zero discomfort. I have been able to throw at 80 MPH+ consistently and can claim the title as the hardest throwing female pitcher in the world.
As I head into both my sophomore season of baseball at Brown as well as with the Women's Baseball World Cup in the summer of 2024, I am endlessly grateful for Dr. K. and the care I received at HSS to put me on this path.
This is me: www.oliviabaseball.com.
Thank you,
Olivia Pichardo
Baseball / Softball
All by Physician