2023 Phoenix Physical Therapy Success Stories

Patient Success Stories

The Phoenix Physical Therapy family of companies provides the best care to patients every day. Patient stories are the story of our company and our “why”.

Our patients tell that story best.

Taking Ownership of Your Care: Larry’s Success Story “My whole quest was to avoid back surgery.” – Larry, Phoenix PT Patient Larry Weiss was diagnosed with two herniated discs. Larry recalls how this happened. “It was an overuse injury. At the time I was caring for my elderly mother, and she had fallen, and I was trying to lift her off the floor.” Simple movements became painful for Larry. “I would have to stop walking, catch my breath, and then walk a little more. Standing from a seated position was a leap of faith. There were times my lower back would go into full muscle spasm. I was not enjoying who I was and where I was at that point.” After months of pain, Larry visited an orthopedic surgeon who said his injury was in a “tricky location,” but he believed he could remove the damaged discs, fuse the vertebrae, and “things would be just fine.” Larry froze. “As soon as I heard him say, ‘tricky location,’ I didn’t want to hear anything else.

I asked him for other options. He said we could try physical therapy, but I had to do everything they ask me to do.”

Larry had experienced some success with physical therapy in the past, but he believed this time would have to be different. Remembering the surgeon’s words, he knew this time he had to stay focused on getting better than before the injury. Larry chose Phoenix Physical Therapy – Scott Township, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania because it was close to where he lives and works. He met Kajja Huber, PT, DPT on his first visit. “The first evaluation was hopeful. I was very determined at this point that I was going to get better, and that physical therapy was going to make me better.”

Larry credits his son’s positive experience with physical therapy for pushing him to have a determined attitude from day one. “My youngest son Michael was a varsity lacrosse player. A congenital defect in both knees sidelined him and he soon required surgery. Afterwards, he went to physical therapy to rehab his knees. He treated his recovery like a religion. He went as often as he could, and he did all the prescribed exercises. He wanted to get to the point where he was better than he was before the injury.” Larry was inspired by his son’s motivation to surpass expectations.

Larry’s therapy sessions began with light stretching and flexibility exercises. “There was a lot of waking up tissues that were damaged and underutilized. Initially, the exercises did not feel very good, because I was asking tissues to participate in ways they had not been used before. My back was angry.” Kajja spent one-on-one time with Larry making sure she was focusing on his goals with an individualized plan created just for him. Larry remembers her description of the muscles knots in his lower back as she used heat and manual therapy to work on some of the paincausing areas. “She would say, ‘it’s like a rock garden back here.’ Some of it was quite painful, but she would talk through it with a calm and reassuring voice. That was often the best part of the visit. It was a reward for the hard work done.”

Determined to reach his goal of becoming pain-free again without surgery, Larry prepared a satellite physical therapy location in his own home. “I decided I was going to take on physical therapy and do everything Kajja told me to do. She printed a list 1

of stretches and exercises to do at home with pictures. I set up a home physical therapy office in my upstairs bedroom complete with a yoga mat, exercise ball and exercise stretch bands. I was trying to do as much as I could at home as what Kajja did for me in the Phoenix office.”

Larry’s recovery journey did not always go smoothly. “It was an up and down process. At first, the progression was in a positive direction.

After the first three weeks, I felt like I was gaining some control, I was able to stand up a little straighter, and I could walk a greater distance. But then, I must have slept wrong, and the muscle spasms came back. They were not as severe, but they did come back.” Larry was grateful Kajja encouraged him to keep moving forward after he experienced this small step backward. She adjusted her plan and steered Larry back onto the right track. “Over the next several weeks I was feeling progressively better to the point where I didn’t need to go to the clinic as frequently. I was still doing the exercises at home, because I knew I couldn’t stop the momentum now.” Like many health plans, Larry’s insurance limited the number of covered visits with Phoenix. Still, he was not back to where he wanted to be. “I asked Kajja if there was any way I could continue my therapy. She said, ‘let me give your insurance company a call.’ She impressed upon them that the reason why I was doing physical therapy was to avoid a much more expensive surgery. I was grateful that Kajja was able to convince them to approve several more visits.”

Larry is not only grateful for Kajja’s help relieving his physical pain, but he is also appreciative of how she put his mind at ease during every session. “She is a very capable and caring person.” Larry is quick to point out how the entire clinic team made him feel comfortable and cared for. “Jim (Mousadis, PT, DPT) is the Clinic Director. He is a great guy and a proud father. He reminds me of myself when I was younger. He never has anything negative to say about people. I can always tell how well a business is operated by how the staff interact with each other and how they speak about their clients. (Patient Care Coordinator,) Darla (Hauser), keeps the trains running on time in that office. She gets the ice, the heat pads and keeps the office equipped. Darla almost never sits down for more than a minute! She brings a nice personality to that office.”

Larry met his goal of avoiding surgery and surprised himself with some other achievements. “I’m in better shape than I was 15 years ago, in terms of muscle and 2

bone tissue density and my ability to remain in balance. Before PT, I could not stand up and dress myself without pain. After PT, I am able to walk straight and tall. I strongly endorse the work that Kajja and the rest of the staff at Phoenix do. They restored my quality of life well into the future because of their encouragement for me to continue.” Kajja points to Larry’s full dedication to his therapy as one of the main reasons he reached his goal. “His success is through much of his own commitment to staying consistent with his home exercise program and taking ownership over his rehabilitation at the appropriate time.”

Larry continues his hard work at the Scott Township clinic through a program call Phoenix Fit. For a fee, the program allows patients to progress past their physical therapy goals to reach overall health goals by using the equipment they understand and feel comfortable using. “I go four days a week. The fee is a small price to pay for the ability to keep the momentum going. The clinic is a low-stress, judgment free, friendly atmosphere. In many ways, I feel like these people have become like family.”

Larry offers this advice to those who may be hesitant to try physical therapy.

“Consider the alternatives - lying on the couch with pain medications or having surgery are not for me. I like that physical therapy allowed me to take ownership of my care. The patient is the quarterback of their own recovery. You have reduced your chances of getting better if you relinquish that role. It doesn’t only happen in the physical therapy office. The Physical Therapists at Phoenix are there to coach you, but the credit for good results is shared by the patient who is determined to be better.”

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Getting his Strength and His Smile Back: Ray’s Success Story It was an early morning in July. Ray Ulmer got out of bed and began to get ready for work. “I did all my usual morning things but after I took a shower, I looked at my face and it looked like it was drooping on the right side.” Ray brushed it off and continued his routine until he caught a glimpse of his right eye. “I thought, am I having a stroke? I called work and said I wasn’t going to be in. I said to my wife, hey, we are going to have to go to the hospital.”

Ray has a team of healthcare professionals associated with the University of Pennsylvania Health System, including an Oncologist he trusts as he battles cancer which has gone into and out of remission for six years. Ray called his Oncologist who directed him to go to a brand-new hospital, about an hour away, to see a Neurologist. “They took me right in and started doing everything. I felt fine, it was just the face issues affecting me. They did a CT scan, MRI, and 30 different blood tests. Eventually, they ruled out a stroke.” The doctors told Ray he would need to stay the night and more tests would be necessary. One of those tests was a spinal tap.

“They took seven tubes of fluid from my spine. What a way to start the morning!

Within an hour and a half, the doctor came back and said I had spinal meningitis.”

After the meningitis diagnosis, the doctors suspected something else. A few more blood tests would reveal Ray had Lyme disease accompanied by Bell’s Palsy, which was causing his facial drooping. Ray learned the Lyme disease was likely responsible for the meningitis and the Bell’s palsy. Lyme disease is caused by bacteria transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tick. Ray does not remember being bitten by a tick.

Ray was shocked by his sudden diagnoses. He spent a week in the hospital being treated with medication for the Lyme disease and meningitis. The Bell’s palsy would require rehabilitation with a Physical Therapist. Ray began searching for the right physical therapy clinic. “I looked around for a clinic in the Easton, Pennsylvania area. I checked into a few places, but most said the first available appointment was a month away. Phoenix Physical Therapy said they could get me in tomorrow. I said, great!”

Ray began his physical therapy journey by meeting Barrie Jo Wambold, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC. Barrie Jo, the Clinic Director at the Phoenix Physical Therapy - Easton clinic, evaluated Ray to determine his deficits and goals.

She created a customized plan to help him get back to living the life he deserves. Ray says the Bell’s palsy affected much of his right-side leaving weakness and mobility issues. “It hit my face, eye, mouth, tongue, neck, shoulder, right arm and a little on my right leg.”

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His therapy began, with exercises focused on his face. “We made faces and I had to move my tongue from side-to-side. My face must have looked crazy. They put a tongue depressor in my mouth, and I had to push it to the right side and then push it to the left side.” Ray remembers how one of the clinic team members went above and beyond to make his exercises fun. “One day, I complimented a butterfly one of the girls had on. The next day, I was doing exercises with my face, and she came back and said, ‘here is your tongue depressor!’ She had painted butterflies on my tongue depressor! Remarkable! They have taken my heart and I feel like I have family there.”

The work was just beginning. Ray remembers when the sessions started to include a focus on improving his stability and strength. “After we worked on my face, we did other parts of my body. We used bands on the wall and used the steps. I would step sideways. We used a balance board, and I had to step over it and then do it the other way. I do a lot with my job and my feet go over all sorts of terrain. So, I needed that to get back to work.” Barrie Jo used her creativity to help Ray strengthen the muscles he needed to use again. “We set up an obstacle course. We used rubber mats and foam things. I’d fill a bucket with weights and carry it going down the middle of the room, up one side and then the other. We filled a box with weights, and I had to lift the box off the shelf.”

After three months of commitment and hard work, Ray was discharged. “My eye still has some goofiness to it but from where I was that July morning when I went to drink water and it was running down the outside of my mouth, it is way better. Hopefully, everything will eventually come back to normal. I have at home exercises. I have my tongue depressors!”

Ray also signed up for a program at the Phoenix PT - Easton clinic called Phoenix Fit. For a small fee, Ray can continue an independent physical fitness routine using the equipment he is comfortable with alongside the Phoenix team he has grown to care about.

“They’re great people. They’ve helped me like a miracle. I want to keep up with it because I may need more cancer treatments. I need to stay up with my workouts.”

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Unfortunately, Ray’s cancer came back shortly after he was discharged. But Ray believes he knows the secret to staying strong during cancer treatment. “At the hospital they had a complete, full gym I could use while I was doing treatment. I worked out and kept myself strong. I was able to go to work after many days. I had some crazy reactions, but we got through it. But I think keeping up with my exercises really helped me get through it.” This time he has his Phoenix family to lean on. “All the people there, it’s like we are family. I’m talking like I’ve been going there for 40 years. We talk family, friends, sports, our kids.” Barrie Jo agrees. “As a Physical Therapist, I strive to treat all my clients, as if they were a member of my family. Ray was no exception to this, and when I heard what a long hard road of recovery had brought him to see me, I really wanted to help him to not only achieve all his goals, but ultimately exceed them. The Bell’s palsy had left him struggling to smile, and I wanted to help him get that magnetic smile back. Ray put in the hard work in physical therapy and accepted every challenge I gave him, all the time maintaining such a positive attitude throughout.

This attitude allowed him to ultimately regain his contagious smile back, and over exceed his goals. He currently continues to spread positive energy in the clinic, as he continues with the Phoenix Fit program, and encourages others to reach their goals. He truly has been an inspiration to me and so many others at our Easton clinic!”

When asked where he gets his positive attitude, he has a special person in mind. “I get it from my wife.

She helps me a lot. We could be negative, but she’s always there to lift me up. I just have to get out there. I have family, grandkids. I know a lot of people are going through things that are just as bad or worse. As long as I get to wake up and smile that’s all I need.”

Barrie Jo Wambold, PT, DPT with Ray

Ray has new plans now after recovering from Bell’s palsy and retiring in January. “I want to go to the Outer Banks. My son just moved down there. I want to spend a whole week and do nothing. I want to go on a cruise. I want to keep working out.”

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Moving More and Pain-Free at 73: Julia’s Success Story “You expect the pain. You expect that same old, same old pain. But then you get to the parking lot and realize: my hip is not hurting!” – Julia, Phoenix PT Patient Julia is 73 years old with arthritis in both of her knees. She had been fighting the pain with injections of a fluid that acts as a lubricant and shock absorber for the joint. But then, Julia says her insurance company stopped paying for the shots. “(The pain) was getting worse and worse. I could only walk about 20 to 50 feet and then I would get shooting pain into my hip. I went to the doctor, and he said I was eligible for a knee replacement, but he wanted me to try physical therapy first.” Julia’s doctor also prescribed cortisone injections to go along with the PT. Julia was relieved. “I have a lot of physical problems and the thought of surgery is really frightening.”

Julia knew she could choose her physical therapy provider. She chose Phoenix Physical Therapy after having a positive experience there ten years earlier. “I had adhesive capsulitis in both my shoulders. I couldn’t move my shoulders at all. I chose Phoenix then and was very happy, and that’s why I chose Phoenix this time.” Julia scheduled an evaluation at the Phoenix PT, Scott Township location in Pittsburgh, feeling confident they would have the expertise to help her. “On my first visit, I walked through the door, and I was met by (Patient Care Coordinator,) Darla (Hauser). She is a wonderful woman. She knows what she’s talking about as far as setting up schedules and she has a good sense of humor. She got me set up right away.” Up next, Julia met with Clinic Director, Jim Mousadis, PT, MPT, who created a plan just for her, taking her goals into consideration. Julia wanted to walk longer distances and focus on her balance.

Julia worked hard at each of her sessions completing a variety of exercises aimed at strengthening her muscles and increasing her flexibility. Julia remembers how Jim adjusted her plan depending on how each exercise felt.

“Jim would say, ‘if this causes any discomfort let us know right away.’ Sometimes it hurt, and they either modified or changed (the exercises) for me. I had one of the therapists talk to me and say, ‘you need to be up higher on that table to work on that ball with your foot.’

So, they watch and make sure you are doing it right.

They all know what you are up to. I never felt alone.”

Clinic Director, Jim Mousadis, PT, MPT

The exercises continued each week, building on what Julia had done the week before. “They were trying to build up the strength in my knees. I did a sidestep where they would put an elastic band around my knees, and 7

I’d walk to the side. My hip was screaming, but it was good for my balance. Then, I would go up on a step. I’d have to hold onto the railing next to it. My last session there I did all the steps that I was supposed to do without holding on to the railing. I could not believe it.” Julia could feel the progress throughout her physical therapy journey. “After my second session, I noticed a marked difference. It was a combination of the cortisone shots and the physical therapy. And then, I just kept feeling better and better.”

Julia knew her time with Jim at Phoenix was coming to an end. But she also knew the hard work she had been doing needed to continue at home. “They gave me printouts of all the exercises I do so I could take them home with me. I do three or four each day. There are 8, so I rotate. I want to be able to do the things I used to do. I may not be able to do them as well, but I still want to do them. I want to be able to walk longer distances. I gave up going to the shore with my sisters and daughter because I couldn’t walk on the sand. I couldn’t walk to get into a restaurant. I gave up going to dinner. I want to avoid surgery.” Julia believes she will get back to doing all the things she loves to do now that she has the right tools to keep her body strong. Jim knows her determination will help her succeed. “From day one, she always had a positive and optimistic attitude, not only with her rehab, but everything in her daily life. She was always so appreciative and complimentary of everything we did for her. Her positive attitude and good effort were contagious in the PT gym!”

Julia says the best result of her Phoenix experience is not about being pain-free. “I feel safer and more confident. I’m actually going to start parking further away from the door instead of in the handicapped spots. I’m also going to go to the mall because it has been a while since I’ve been able to do that. I couldn’t walk that far.

I’ve already been to Walmart to buy cat food and cat litter. I got in and out without any pain. It takes you by surprise. It’s something you realize afterwards. Oh my, I did this! You expect the pain. You expect that same old, same old pain. But then you get to the parking lot and realize: my hip is not hurting!”

Julia is grateful for everything the Scott Township team has done for her. “All the staff were very kind. I have some memory problems and they were willing to explain things more than once. In addition to being kind they were very patient with me. I cannot sing their praises enough. They were so good to me. They’re just very nice people in addition to being good Therapists.”

So, what is Julia’s advice for those who are nervous about trying physical therapy for the first time? “Suck it up! Go! Once you’re there you will see. We all tend to make things worse in our head than it really is. Take a deep breath and go. The benefits far outweigh any fear you might have. I’m just very pleased with Phoenix. I would recommend them to anybody.”

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Getting His Arm Back: Jim’s Success Story At 70 years old, Jim Greenamyer had never had a single surgery. But a rotator cuff injury and torn tendon in his shoulder meant his time as he calls it, a “surgery virgin” would be over. Jim was not looking forward to the down time his doctor warned him about. “I’ve worked hard all my life with two jobs most of the time. I just don’t quit.

But my doctor told me it would be six months. I would be in a sling for two and a half months, I wouldn’t be able to touch my ears for three months, and at six months I would start getting my strength back.” The thought of being inactive worried Jim, but the thought of not being able to do the things he loved because of pain, pushed him to schedule surgery right away.

After a successful surgery, Jim’s doctor prescribed post-surgical rehabilitation. Jim chose to go to Phoenix Physical Therapy in Salem, Ohio. “It is right around the corner from me. I rolled in there three days after surgery. I had never had physical therapy before. I’m wary of everything. I know one guy who had the same surgery and can’t raise his hand above his head, and it’s been a year!” Despite being unsure, Jim began his sessions with Salem Clinic Director, Michael Chaffee, PT, MS and Danny Sawman, PTA. “We got going and it went pretty well. They saw me three times a week. They started by seeing how much movement I had in my arm to see what I could handle.

Of course, Patient Care Coordinator, Samantha Sekola set me up on a nice schedule every day at 8 o’clock. I really need a set schedule.” Phoenix strives to make sure every patient is comfortable with their schedule and aims to make sure each appointment is setup ahead of time so there are no surprises.

Each patient also receives a personalized therapy plan focusing on an individual’s goals. Jim wanted to get back to working on his cars. “Mike and Dan worked (my shoulder) a little bit. It hurt, but I did what I could. I noticed a change about two weeks into it. I was out of the sling in a month. Then I was out doing stuff in my garage. I was told no sanders, no grinders, so I turned wrenches. I didn’t do anything up high and I was very careful. I followed their instructions.” Jim loved getting back out in the garage, but there was still a long recovery road ahead of him.

As the exercise intensity increased in the Salem clinic, Jim reached more milestones.

“They worked on strengthening my arm. We did the stretch strap over my shoulder, and we did the door frame. I would move my arm up the door frame. Then, one of the biggest things I did was put my arms on the door frame and try to step through and push my arms back. That really seemed to help. I could comb my hair at 5 weeks. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is!” Because of the type of surgery Jim had, he had to endure sleeping upright, in a chair each night. He could not risk damaging the repairs his surgeon had done. “I started sleeping back in the bed probably a month and a half, two months in. Things got better every week. I’d come home sore.

They would have to give me a popsicle to make me feel better at the end of each

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session. Just kidding. But I never had a problem going there. I had to get better. I couldn’t just sit. I needed my arm back.”

Mike and Dan, and Jim’s hard work, gave Jim his arm back. “My doctor gave me a full release after three months. Everything is great! I’m at five months now, and I’m out (in my garage) pounding away on stuff. And I’m sleeping again! Dan asked if I was going to get a gym membership now. I said, no. I said, Dan, you only have a certain number of heartbeats and I’m not going to waste them running. I won’t lift a barbell, but I’ll lift transmissions and rear ends. I had the surgery to get back to doing the things I love to do.” Mike is proud of the hard work Jim put in to get himself where he is today. “Jim worked hard from the onset of care all the way through the day of discharge. He was, also, fun to be around. I'm glad to see him succeed and get back to all of his normal activities.”

Jim is grateful for what Mike and Dan did for him. He also points out they are professionals. Jim recalls seeing a friend of his getting treatment at the Salem clinic. He asked Mike why he was there. “(Mike) said, I can’t tell you. And I respected that. I’m kind of a private person. I didn’t want anyone to know I had surgery. So that’s important that Mike is that way. Mike and Dan…I don’t know how you do it any better! I’m a perfectionist and Mike and Dan were great.”

From being unsure about physical therapy before his first session, to seeing how it can help you get back to doing the things you love, Jim poses these questions: “Do you want to get better?

Do you need your arm to comb your hair. If you want to get better you need therapy. I was very skeptical. Is it going to be fun? Probably not, but it is going to make you better.”

Michael Chaffee, PT, MS and Danny Sawman, PTA with Jim

Jim plans to continue working on his cars, pain-free. He also plans to stop by the Salem clinic to show off his latest project, a ’55 Chevy race car named “Inappropriate.” You will have to ask Jim and Mike the details behind the name. We will just say Mike, more than once, had to tell Jim, “This is a family place, Jim. That’s inappropriate.”

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Back to Doing the Things She Loves: Christina’s Success Story Imagine having a terrible headache for several weeks; a headache so bad, you decide to go to the Emergency Room for help. This happened to Christina Sharpe.

The ER doctor gave her a headache cocktail, a combination of medications to treat her severe pain, and sent her home. The medication worked for about 24 hours, but the headache came back. Christina reflects on that day. “I had double vision. I lost my balance in the bathroom, so I laid down. I got up later and went to the kitchen. I walked from my stove to my sink, and I got so dizzy, I fell over. My husband caught me and then I started vomiting.” Christina and her husband, Matt, decided to go to Henry Ford Hospital in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Christina is a nurse and used to work in the Emergency Department there. Her former co-workers took good care of her and after several tests, doctors determined Christina had a vertebral artery dissection or VAD. A VAD is a flap-like tear of the inner lining of the vertebral artery, which is in the neck and supplies blood to the brain. After the tear, blood enters the arterial wall and forms a blood clot, causing a stroke. Christina had a VAD on her right side.

Christina spent about a week in the hospital while experts searched for answers, and she struggled to come to terms that the right side of her body was severely impacted by the stroke. “The doctors were trying to figure out why I had this stroke and if I was going to have more strokes. There were no answers. It was really scary. It was hard to believe that I couldn’t walk. I was in total shock.” Christina was encouraged by the Physical and Occupational Therapists who treated her in the hospital. They agreed she would likely recover, but they were unsure about the timing. “I remember asking, how long is this going to take? And I remember calling my boss and telling him I’ll be back Tuesday or Wednesday. My boss jokes with me now and says, ‘I knew it wasn’t going to be Tuesday or Wednesday.’”

It would be a long road to recovery for Christina, but she had a support system she could count on. When her doctors asked about whether she wanted to go to an inpatient rehabilitation facility, Christina was quick with an answer. “I said, no, I want to go home. We had to add some railings and things to my house, and my husband was able to do that. My mom, who is a Nurse Practitioner, flew in from Florida and stayed with us for a month.” A decision had to be made quickly about where Christina should go for outpatient physical and occupational therapy.

Beginning stroke rehabilitation right away can help ensure the best possible outcome. “I wanted a place where I could do both OT and PT, and I wanted it to be close to my house.

We were calling places, and they would say, ‘we do this, or we do that, but we don’t do both.’ I was having to depend

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on someone to get me to therapy. I couldn’t depend on someone to get me to two separate places. So, that was the most important thing.”

Christina discovered Advanced Physical Therapy Center, part of the Phoenix Physical Therapy family, offers physical AND occupational therapy. Christina chose the Fenton, Michigan clinic, which was close to her home. She began her therapy journey by walking through the doors at Advanced PT, using a walker. Stephanie Jarrett, PT, DPT and Renae Deshaw, OTRL evaluated her and immediately made her feel at home. “When I got there, they just said, ‘yes, you have these things going on, but we can help you.’” Stephanie and Renae talked to Christina about her long-term goals. She wanted to get back to work as a nurse in a prison, and she wanted to get back to her passion. “My husband and I have a small flower farm in Holly. We both work outside the home and it’s a thing we do together outside of work. Everyday I’m out there, it makes me feel like I’m getting back to my life again.” Renae knows it is important to make patients feel comfortable from the very beginning. “My philosophy is to try and give everyone as much information as possible. I want them to know everything I know to a level that they understand, so they feel good about it. We both asked about her goals. I think just bringing those things up in her first visit made her feel better.”

Christina’s first short-term goal was to walk without the walker. Many of the exercises she completed for the first few weeks, focused on achieving that milestone. “I started by walking, holding on to the bars. Then, they had me use an exercise bike. I remember they had to strap my leg in, in the beginning. And I remember when I moved from the bike to the treadmill, and I had the gait belt on. Stephanie said, ‘you are going to walk for seven minutes, and then you are going to rest and then we will do another 7 minutes’. And Ashley, (a PT student in training) held on to me and I did it!” Stephanie remembers how it took some time for Christina to get used to the idea that she would recover. “I feel like the more she gained confidence, she became more trusting of us. At first she was very nervous, but as she got stronger and saw how good she was doing with it, she felt better.”

A month after her stroke, Christina graduated from using a walker to using a cane for the first time. The path to get there was not always smooth, however. “I remember when I was at the bars over by the mirror. I didn’t realize the mirror was there. I was trying to walk over the hurdles, and I caught sight of myself in the mirror.

I thought, oh my gosh, this is my gait. And what I was trying to do wasn’t hard. I was 12

trying to lift my leg 3 or 4 inches off the ground. I couldn’t believe how hard it was and I started crying.” Stephanie and Renae were right there to lift her back up with words of encouragement. Renae remembers that day too. “It is important to show her how far she’s come. She thought she was going backwards. She didn’t realize what she can do now that she couldn’t do before.” Christina took the advice of her therapists. “You need that encouragement. It’s hard to see the progress. I think once I moved from the walker to the cane, I thought, OK, we are getting there. That’s visible progress.”

Stephanie and Renae followed Christina’s lead when it came to each therapy session. They listened to her concerns and altered their plans to focus on the milestones she wanted to reach.

“What kept me coming here was they were letting me take change of my therapy. I have to do CPR at my job. I explained I have to do it on the floor, because of where I work. So, Stephanie and Renae talked with each other and decided to try the Bosu ball to mimic the action of CPR. I practiced getting up and down off the floor and added the compressions on the Bosu ball.” Christina is grateful she chose Advanced for her rehabilitation. She feels it is important for the patient and therapist to collaborate to achieve a successful outcome. “Sometimes people think if you go to occupational therapy or physical therapy, (the therapists) are going to somehow cure you.

That’s not what happens. It’s a partnership and you have to be willing to put in the work and you need to have practitioners who are willing to help you reach your goals.”

About four months after her stroke, Christina reached her rehabilitation goals with help from the team at Advanced PT-Fenton. She is back to work and is once again enjoying her flower farm with her husband. She has this advice for people who may be usure about what physical or occupational therapy can do for them. “It makes all the difference being able to get back to your life. It’s hard to come here and be vulnerable. But I’m so glad I kept coming. It has to do with the practitioners here. These guys are amazing. I feel like they’re part of my family now. I think when you are nurse, you are used to helping other people and not really in a position to receive help, and they have done that for me. I feel like they will be in my heart forever. It’s a life changing thing that happens to you and when you have people who want to see you succeed, it makes such a difference in your recovery and your confidence in yourself.”

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Looking Forward to Life Without Knee Pain: Sherry’s Success Story Sherry Brouse, who is in her 40’s, struggled with knee problems for years. “I had been in pain for the last several years, but was told I was too young for (knee replacement) surgery.” Doctors recommend people wait as long as possible to undergo a knee replacement because the artificial joints only last 15 to 20 years. If someone younger gets the procedure, the joint will likely need to be replaced again.

Sherry lived her life in pain with only short-term fixes until her doctor decided, despite her age, it was time for total knee replacement.

Knee replacement surgery is a treatment for pain and disability in the knee when other methods of treatment are no longer working well. Metal and plastic parts are used to cap the bones that form the joint, along with the knee cap. Many people who require the surgery are unable to do normal activities that involve bending the knee. Sherry’s life was significantly impacted by her pain, and she looked forward to the surgery so she could get back to the things she loved to do. Her doctor recommended post-surgical rehabilitation, so Sherry chose Phoenix Physical Therapy because it was near her home and in-network with her insurance. “I was pretty helpless after surgery. I couldn’t walk without the assistance of a walker. I couldn’t really even dress myself.”

Sherry’s first appointment at the Phoenix Physical Therapy Lewisburg clinic was just a few days after her surgery. Sherry was unsure what to expect. “I had never had physical therapy before. I was very nervous because I was in so much pain. My therapist, Chris Herbster, PT, took it slow with me and helped me to understand what to expect.” Chris is the Clinic Director at the Lewisburg clinic. “Sherry came home the same day that she had her total knee replacement and was in a great deal of pain her first day of therapy, but despite a great deal of struggle, she stuck it out and was able to overcome.”

Sherry’s therapy sessions began slowly. “Most of the exercises, at the beginning, were focused on the mobility of my knee and muscle strengthening.” Chris took cues from her, giving her exercises he knew she could handle while ensuring her recovery was progressing. “It took a week or two until I started seeing real improvement. I had a lot of swelling at the beginning that caused me pain and that made it hard to do a lot of the exercises.” The work in the clinic continued for several more weeks. “(Chris) had me perform prone hangs, straight leg raises, quad and hamstring sets, and I spent time on the bike at the beginning of each session to loosen up.”

Sherry grew to trust Chris and the entire Lewisburg team as she reached milestones in her recovery. “The staff there were amazing. Chris asked me every day how I was feeling and was understanding if I didn’t feel I could handle certain manipulations.

He would push me for my own benefit, but would also not cause me any more pain than he had to. Barb was at the front desk and was always very pleasant and accommodating with appointment scheduling. She would even come back and help set things up if Chris was really busy.” Chris was impressed with Sherry’s 14

motivation to recover. “Sherry is the kind of patient we would like to have all the time. She is full of energy, ambition, and has a great attitude.”

Sherry is now back to enjoying life again, doing the things she needs and loves to do.

“Because of physical therapy, I can now walk over a mile a day with no assistance. I have no problems doing housework and I am back to enjoying walks with my husband and dog.” She is grateful for the care she received at Phoenix. “I would like to thank Chris for not letting me give up in the really tough times and for the continued encouragement. Thank you for pushing me past the pain so that I could be pain free again.”

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Physical Therapists to Count On: Michael’s Success Story Foot surgery.

Back pain.

Knee surgery.

Rotator cuff surgery.

Back surgery.

Sciatica pain.

Michael Furdella has had his share of medical issues for years. But he always knows where to turn to feel better. Michael has been going to Phoenix Physical Therapy in the Richland Township – Johnstown, Pennsylvania area for 15 years. “When I came into the clinic for the first time, I had to hop. Doctors told me I would only be able to walk with a cane. After months of therapy at Phoenix, I was able to run up and down the lane the clinic is on.” Michael tried other places, but could tell right away what makes Phoenix different. “They are very professional and even when there is a lot of people in there, they treat you like you are the only one. It’s not like the other PT places where you do your exercises, and you leave. They are constantly writing down your progress and they keep good records.”

Michael’s latest round of therapy is for sciatica. Sciatica, which is very common, is nerve pain from an injury or irritation to the sciatic nerve which originates in the buttock area. The pain can travel all the way down the leg. Michael’s pain is especially bad. “I’ve been to pain clinics. I’ve had injections. I’ve tried medications. I’ve tried everything. The hard part is having to stand for long periods.” Michael’s wife weighs in. “He can’t sit and watch TV either because it hurts. He can’t sit down for long.”

Anthony Damiano, PT, DPT is the Richland Township Clinic Director. He created a treatment plan for Michael that includes strengthening exercises for his core.

Michael understands repetition of these exercises will build muscle to support his core, ultimately helping to relieve the pain.

“Anthony keeps coming up with new exercises, so I don’t get bored. He’s always trying something different. I sit on the big ball, and I do stretching exercises with that.

Then I have a smaller ball that I use to squeeze between my legs. Then I use a band around my legs, and I stretch outward. Then I do the table exercise where I put one hand down and one leg down, and the other hand up and the other leg up.”

Michael is struggling to find complete relief from his pain, but he is confident Anthony will do everything he can to find a solution. “It’s impressive how Anthony 16

tries to help me. He went to a class on core problems. He came back with some new exercises just for me! He actually spent his weekend learning new things and brought them back to me!”

Michael is grateful for Anthony and the entire Phoenix team. “Missy (Melissa Ribblett, PT) is good too. She is very professional and down to earth. She is very friendly and congenial. So is (Patient Care Coordinator), Tina (Homyak) and so is Annie (Anne O’Leary, PTA). I’m very thankful to them. They’re so nice. But they’re nice to everybody. It’s not just me.

They treat everyone with the same degree of professionalism. They get right down to business, the business of physical therapy. You can’t ask for more than that. I’d recommend them to everyone.

If you need physical therapy, try Phoenix at least once. I guarantee you won’t go anywhere else.”

Michael is slowly seeing progress and hopes to one day, be pain-free. “I know everything takes time. My pain isn’t as bad or stabbing as it was at one time. I was able to go work on the public address system at my church. I worked for 2 hours, and there were times I had to sit on the floor and lay on the floor. I couldn’t have done that 3 months ago. I’m sure I’ll continue to see improvements.” Anthony agrees and believes Michael will reach his goals. "During each physical therapy appointment, Mike puts forth great effort and shows that he is motivated to get better. He even goes above and beyond to help motivate and encourage other patients in the clinic; his positivity is contagious."

Michael wants everyone to know, Phoenix is a comfortable, friendly physical therapy clinic. “I want to go where everybody knows my name, just like ‘Cheers’!”

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Anthony Damiano, PT, DPT with Michael

Finding Relief after Five Years with Physical Therapy: Denise’s Success Story “You get part of your life back where you can be more confident and comfortable.” – Denise, Phoenix PT Patient Denise Harshberger lived with balance issues for five years. After seeing several doctors, she was prescribed medication and told to be careful while walking. Despite being cautious, Denise would still fall regularly. “I had serious falls at least twice every six months. I had bruises. I hurt my back and ended up in the hospital. I would fall and I couldn’t get back up. I ended up with a walker.” Denise was in pain physically and she also struggled mentally. “This was affecting my life dramatically. I went from playing basketball and dancing with my children, and then everything ceased. You start losing yourself. It’s not losing control, it’s one thing to start losing control when certain things happen in your life, but when you just feel lost, there’s nothing you can do. I started staying at home.” Denise had gone into a depression.

Denise’s health issues left her searching for answers from a variety of different doctors. Eventually, an ear, nose and throat specialist determined she may have vertigo due to tiny calcium carbonate crystals coming loose from their normal location in the inner ear. The symptoms include the sudden sensation that you are spinning or that the inside of your head is spinning. Denise was shocked. “I looked at him like he was crazy. I had never heard of this in my life. I’ve been educated on many different things, but I had not heard about this one.” Thankfully, Denise’s doctor was knowledgeable about how a Physical Therapist can help people suffering from this type of vertigo. Denise was hopeful, but still unsure how it could work. “I was beyond skeptical about physical therapy helping my vertigo. I thought this is a crazy idea, but I also thought, it can’t hurt. I decided to go.”

Denise chose the Phoenix Physical Therapy Bellwood clinic in Altoona, Pennsylvania for her treatment. Clinic Director, Lori Seiler, PT, MPT evaluated Denise on her first day. She remembers learning about her years-long struggle. “I evaluated Denise after about 5 years of dizziness and fear of falling, during that time she had many other medical issues and I believe they took the front seat when seeing her doctors.

All she wanted was to be able to walk better when I evaluated her. Initially, she was seen for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, which resolved in a few treatments.”

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV is one of the most common causes of vertigo. Lori used what is called an Epley maneuver to treat Denise’s BPPV. The maneuver is a noninvasive approach that involves a series of head movements that help place the calcium carbonate crystals back into the right location. Denise was scared, but Lori put her mind at ease. “Lori talked to me about it. She did an examination and explained things very thoroughly to where I understood. I still looked at her like she was crazy. She said you have to trust me.” The maneuver worked. Denise’s BPPV was gone.

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The next step was to work on Denise’s balance and strength that had suffered because of the vertigo. The hard work began right away but Denise felt comfortable and in control. “I go as fast as I want to. If one thing goes fast and another part is going slow, that’s fine. I’m in control. That’s important to me. The therapist is there to guide me and help me along the way and that means a lot. I’ve been out of control for a long time, and that’s the reason why I agreed to do this.” The exercises Lori included in Denise’s unique program, built just for her, progressed from easier to difficult. “We did some visual, A to B exercises. You look from point A to point B first from a stationary position, then while standing on a foam piece that is unstable, then you progress to walking and moving your head. I would stand on one leg with my eyes open and then closed. I had to really focus on my balance.”

Lori worked with Denise for several weeks to reach her goals. “After about a month and half of vestibular therapy she has had a significant improvement in her balance, has minimal to no complaints of dizziness. She is very happy with her progress and I'm happy we were able to help her with what she needed and wanted help with.”

Denise is thrilled with her new-found confidence. “I can walk! I’m not worried about falling. I can drive with no problem. I go to the grocery store or wherever I want and don’t think anything of looking from the top to the bottom of a shelf. I don’t worry about getting dizzy. It’s a big deal, a big relief. I’m very grateful that I can do things and think nothing of it.”

While Denise is back to enjoying life again, she hopes her story will help educate people about the benefits of physical therapy for vertigo and balance issues. “I think doctors should be educated as well. I think they need understand so others won’t suffer as long as I did.” And Denise has this advice for those who are skeptical like she was. “Try it! I would strongly suggest that someone who was in my position to try it. Otherwise, you are going to lose control and it’s just going to get worse.”

Denise is happy she chose Phoenix Physical Therapy to be part of her healthcare team. She knows if she has another issue, she can count on Lori to help. “Lori will always have a special place in my heart because she changed my life in a way I don’t think she will ever understand. She gave a part of my life back to where I’m able to do things. She’s a wonderful person and she treats every single person the same.

She’s meant to do what she’s doing.” And Denise is quick to point out the entire Bellwood team works together to make the entire therapy experience a positive one.

“The staff there just makes it comfortable. They are all special. They all work hand-inhand. They all treat you like you are person, not a number, not a paycheck. That is very important. It means a lot and you don’t realize it, but it does. You can feel it.

They laugh, they recognize you, they ask how you are doing and that means a lot.”

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Navigating a Long Road to Recovery with his Physical Therapy Team: Rod’s Success Story Rod Bucks loved to hike, canoe, and watch his beloved Penn State Nittany Lions on the football field. He was active and had big plans for when he and his wife retired.

Then, a spinal cord stroke threatened to take that all away. It happened during the height of the COVID epidemic and during a time when the Bucks were leisurely moving, as Rod calls it, from New York state to Center County, Pennsylvania. They took possession of the home they had built in December of 2019, but they did not become official Pennsylvania residents until October 9th, 2020. Rod describes what happened on October 20th. “I woke up and felt a strange sensation in by back. I went into the bathroom, and I felt my legs get weak. I made it to the toilet, and when I got up from the toilet, my legs collapsed. I was able to crawl to the bathroom entrance, then I could not move my legs at all. We had to call for an ambulance.”

After four hours in an MRI scanner and two days in the hospital, a Neurologist finally diagnosed a spinal cord stroke. Rod remembers what the doctor told him. “It was between the T12 and L1 (vertebrae). He described it as a section of my spinal cord that was three centimeters long and two millimeters wide that was without blood supply because of a blockage. I had limited sensation in my legs.” Shocked and trying to absorb what had happened, Rod was sent to an inpatient rehabilitation hospital in a wheelchair, unable to walk. He was scheduled to spend two weeks recovering, doing physical therapy to see what function he still had. None of the experts would give Rod any solid answers about what his future looked like. Would he regain feeling in his legs? Would he walk again?

Rod contracted COVID during his time at the inpatient rehab facility. “That interrupted my physical therapy and extended my stay. I was in isolation for 16 days.

This was early in the COVID cycle.” Rod thinks about his wife, Teri. “I don’t know what she went through when I was admitted to the hospital and then to the rehab hospital and then I had COVID. She couldn’t visit me! Luckily, I was on the ground floor, so she could see me through the window.” After a tough four weeks, Rod went home, where adapting to his new reality was even tougher. “We had to quickly sell the two cars we had and purchase one I could get in and out of. I had to have a hospital bed for months. I was just not able to sit up on my own. I had to use a bedside commode. It was incredibly life altering for both of us.”

It was the end of November now, and the next step was for Rod to find an outpatient physical therapy facility and begin sessions immediately to push for the best outcome. Just having moved to Center County, the Bucks did not have a healthcare team in place. The coordinator at the inpatient rehabilitation hospital recommended the Phoenix Physical Therapy, Bellefonte clinic. “I did not know what to expect. I did not know what kind of progress I would make. I had hope. I’m a reasonably positive person, but I had no idea.”

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Rod began with an evaluation by the Clinic Director. She created a unique plan just for him that included the goals Rod wanted to meet. They started with core and leg strengthening exercises. “I would lie on a table and move my legs around. They were simple things I could even do at home in bed.” Then, as Rod rebuilt this strength, it was time to try standing with a walker device. “The first time they got me on my feet and tried to get me to walk, there was one therapist on each of my legs to make sure they didn’t buckle. They even enlisted the help of my wife. She was there with the wheelchair to scoop me up if I lost it.” Slowly Rod began to see progress. “There were little things but to me they were incredibly big steps. Then, the ability to get up with a walker instead of a wheelchair was huge. I no longer needed the hospital bed. I didn’t have to use the bedside commode. I could use the walker to get to the toilet.”

After five months of therapy, Rod was becoming proficient with his walker. His sessions included challenges, while working with Kristen Lehner, PTA, that mimicked things he would encounter during everyday life. “I remember going outside with the walker and first just walking on the sidewalk outside of Phoenix. We would walk the length of the sidewalk. Then we would walk in the grass and find terrain, and go up little hills and uneven spots. My stamina wasn’t great. Up through May, I was still just using the walker.”

Kristen was hopeful Rod could soon begin working toward using a cane. She felt confident it was another milestone he could reach. Marissa Hockenberry, PT, DPT agreed. Marissa joined the Bellefonte team as its new Clinic Director and began leading Rod’s care. “Marissa wanted to assess me. So, she told me we were going to try something. She brought me to a room with a table where I could stabilize myself if I started to fall. She handed me a cane and I walked with the cane! I was shocked.

This was something that happened many times with Marissa. She would tell me I was capable of doing something before I was convinced, and she was always right.”

The hard work continued. In fact, Rod completed a total of 266 therapy sessions over two years and three months at the Bellefonte clinic. He is quick to say, he was never bored. “Marissa was really inventive. She was really creative with the exercises we would do. She would try to change things up to keep things interesting. There was a park, and she would take me out on uneven ground. We would go up hills, and we would do side hills. We would do different things that were really quite functional.”

Marissa always had Rod’s goals in mind. “Rod had incredible drive and motivation with very specific goals of what he wanted to be able to accomplish and do again. He never backed away from a challenge even when my techniques may have seemed unconventional to him. He was very dedicated to his lengthy rehab and never lost his drive even if a complication arose. He would just analyze, smile, and keep putting one foot in front of the other.” While the sessions were always interesting, Rod admits it was difficult, at times, to see he was continuing to show improvements.

“We would have Penn State interns come in, and Marissa would describe to them where I started and the progress I had made. She would always describe it as incredible progress. When I heard Marissa describe me to someone else, it really 21

helped me understand how much physical therapy helped. She was kind of like a cheerleader too.”

The progress continued for the Rod-Marissa team. “Marissa took me back into the same room and I took my first steps. Now, I’m able to walk around without the cane at home. When I go out in public, I still use the walker because I’m not sure what I’ll face.” Rod then set his sights on another goal. He wanted to be able to walk up his long, sloped driveway. “Being able to go up is a big deal. Around Thanksgiving, 2022 with my son here, I was able to go up the driveway.” And the goal setting continued.

In the early 2023, Rod decided he would like to walk down his driveway. “It is much easier to go up the driveway than down. Marissa came to the house, and she spotted me, and I was able to go down the driveway. That was incredible. That was a really big milestone.”

Rod knew he chose the right place for physical therapy. “My interaction with Marissa was fantastic. I told her I felt like we were a team on my recovery. It wasn’t like I was a patient. I would listen to what she was telling me, but she would definitely listen to me too, and together we got to where I am now. And it wasn’t just Marissa it was the whole clinic. I felt like we were a team working on my recovery. I was a part of it, and they were a part of it.” Rod’s wife was also a part of it. “I don’t know where I’d be without Teri. The burden I put on her. The care she had to provide. She had to drive me; she had to deal with loading my wheelchair into and out of the car. She had to deal with all my needs. She was always running errands for me. I was finally able to run an errand for her! I picked up something for her at Kohls.”

Rod continues to recover and is hopeful his deficits will all slowly disappear. “One of my goals is to get back to our regular Penn State football season seats. Since I’ve had the stroke, I had to have an accessible seat. The first year I used my wheelchair. The second year, I used the walker. We are going to try our regular seats this coming season. I also want to get to the point where I don’t need to use the walker in public.

I’d like to just use the cane. Marissa and I talk about the 3 canoes hanging in my garage. I’d love to canoe again. We have plans to travel and this has put a big interrupt in our travel plans. That’s a big deal for me and my wife.” Rod knows he can reach those goals if he keeps up the exercises he learned at physical therapy. “I have a recumbent bicycle and a weight machine. Marissa is happy with what I have, and she knows I will continue at home. I want to improve even more.”

Rod is grateful for the whole Bellefonte team. “I’ll miss them. I’ll go back and see them. I am so grateful. I cannot imagine better experience than I had. They really became like family. The progress I made is so related to the care I received at Phoenix.”

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Getting Back to Doing the Things She Loves: Neelam’s Success Story “If I could not dance…I would go into a depression because I cannot do the things I love.” – Neelam, Phoenix PT Patient Neelam Puri is a dancer, a traveler, and a grandmother. Knee pain made enjoying life difficult. “I had arthritis. I had terrible pain for more than 4 years. The last year was really bad.” A trip to India prompted Neelam to try physical therapy to help ease the pain. She did not want to cancel the trip. She chose Advanced Physical Therapy Center, part of the Phoenix Physical Therapy family. The Goodrich, Michigan team came through for Neelam. “I came (to therapy) for two to three months. I requested they get me good enough to go to India. We did strengthening and flexibility exercises, and I used the TENS so the pain lessened.” A TENS machine delivers small electrical impulses to affected areas of the body. Those impulses can reduce the pain signals going to the spinal cord and brain, which may help relieve pain and relax muscles.

The weeks of therapy enabled Neelam to travel, but she could not fully enjoy her time abroad. “I went to India, and it was so tough walking. I had to take (medication) at the end of each day, but it would affect my stomach. If I stopped taking it, the pain would come back. It was a vicious cycle.” Neelam almost gave up one her favorite things to do. “My husband and I love to travel a lot. I told him he was going to have to start going alone. He said ‘no, let’s do whatever needs to be done’.” That meant a total knee replacement for Neelam.

Three days after surgery, Neelam returned to the physical therapy family she trusted. Clinic Director, Amy James, LPTA, Heather Luna, PT, DPT and Shelli Mora, LPTA welcomed her back. “It was great coming back. They already knew me. It was important to me to come here after surgery because they had already relieved me of pain so I could go on my India trip. They did a good job.”

The exercises began right away, but only at the pace Neelam could handle. “That’s why I’m comfortable here. They give you your own pace. It is very patient-centered.”

Neelam’s first few sessions started slowly, with exercises that delicately worked her newly reconstructed knee. “The initial ones were the easy ones now. We did leg raises a lot. We used bands to pull the leg, which worked on flexibility.

The best one was for stretching. You sit on the chair, touch your foot and count to 10 three times.” Neelam quickly began reaching the goals she set with her therapy team. “Every week I would see progress. Every 23

week I was getting more strength, more repetitions, and more confident about me. I was on a walker for two weeks. Then I moved to the cane. But I only had that for a few days. I hit little milestones.”

The exercises continued and increased in intensity as her knee healed. “I used the foam roller behind your knees. They put a weight on my upper thigh, and I lift it. After some progress, we increased the weight. I told them to do 15 pounds instead of 10. I told them I wanted to up it. They adjusted my routine depending on where I was. I really appreciated that.” Neelam also appreciates the treatment she receives when she calls the clinic. “There are times when, for whatever reason, you can’t come in. When you call, they never make you feel guilty and they’re always open to rescheduling.

Some other offices make you feel badly for calling. I feel they understand that you have a life and if something happens they will accommodate you.”

Neelam is excited about the progress she has made and is making plans for a painfree future. “I plan on dancing, vacationing, and living my life as an active woman in my 60s. I have that spirit because of my knee working. If I could not dance and I could not go, I would go into a depression because I cannot do the things I love. I have grandchildren who visit. Grandchildren are an integral part of my family unit.

My husband is important and vacationing with him is important. Dancing is important. I’m on my way to being able to do all of it.” Amy is impressed with Neelam’s drive to accomplish everything she sets her mind to. “Neelam took her rehabilitation seriously and, in her eyes, there was no substitute for hard work. Neelam made a point to push herself each and every physical therapy visit to achieve the goals set.” And Neelam is grateful for the Advanced PT-Goodrich team for helping her reach those goals.

“All the women work as a team. They back each other up. They are professional and they will tell you good advice. Heather, Shelli, and Amy became part of my team. When I was worried about whether I would recover because I couldn’t straighten my knee, they would tell me every case is different and encouraged me. They joined me as a team in making me

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successful. It’s family. A Physical Therapy family!

I couldn’t have done it without this office.”

Neelam shares this advice for anyone hesitant to try physical therapy. “Doctors can only give you medicine and each medicine has a side effect. If you want to relieve pain in a natural way, a healthy way, try physical therapy. You feel so good.”

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Committed to Healing: Joanna’s Success Story In 2020, Joanna Dennstaedt fell and seriously injured her shoulder. She saw a doctor right away, but before she could get an MRI to further evaluate the injury, the world shut down. Joanna remembers how the COVID Pandemic delayed her recovery. “My MRI was put off nine months. The pain of the injury had worn off and I got a little better. But when I finally got the MRI it showed I had a torn labrum and I needed surgery. I thought, when am I going to have time for that? I put it off and put it off.”

Joanna tried to live her life like she wanted, doing the activities she loved to do. She participated in CrossFit and regularly went to the gym for the exercise she craved and needed, physically and emotionally. Eventually, the pain held her back and she knew the surgery needed to be done.

Joanna is no stranger to injuries, surgeries, and rehabilitation. “I have had multiple knee surgeries from sports in college. I went through cancer, which included surgery and cancer treatment eight years ago. So, when the doctor said this is going to be painful; this is going to be rough, I was like, I’ve been through a lot, I’ll be ok.” But the repair was not at all what she expected. “It was a grade four tear. I had several anchors put in around my whole entire capsule coming out with a 270degree repair. I had a Bankart and a slap tear, and then a medial tear across my whole labrum. It was terrible and the surgery was terrible.”

Joanna had a long road to recovery ahead of her, but she was ready. “I didn’t want this to put me down. I was really motivated to get back to CrossFit and to working out.” Joanna needed to wear an immobilizer for ten weeks following surgery. “It’s a “Catch 22.” The longer you immobilize, the more work you’ll have to do later, but I needed a longer immobilization for the amount of healing that needed to take place. After the 10 weeks of healing as soon as I came out of the brace I started physical therapy to work on range of motion, pain relief, and strength.”

Joanna started a long adventure with physical therapy after surgery. “I went to a place my doctor had referred me to. I went a couple times, but I felt in that place I was not going to make the strides I wanted. I wanted someone who was going to be hands-on. I wanted someone who was going to really motivate me. I wanted to be held accountable. I wanted to be pushed.” Joanna knew she needed to be proactive and stay in control of her situation. She decided to find a clinic that better suited her needs. Joanna heard a new Phoenix Physical Therapy clinic was opening in 26

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The Clinic Director, Kelly Clancy, PT, DPT is a Messiah University graduate and so is Joanna. “I didn’t know Kelly personally, but we overlapped as friends when we were students at Messiah. When I heard she was there, I thought I should give it a try.”

Joanna immediately knew the Phoenix PT clinic was different. When she walked in, she noticed several comforting details. “I liked that it was new, clean, and maintained. Staff was friendly and Kelly was motivated to get me better. And Kelly told me right away, ‘We are going to do this together.’ Through blood, sweat and tears, I felt like she was committed to my healing. That’s what I needed. That’s what I was looking for. I feel that’s what everyone should be looking for.”

Comfortable and confident she was in the right place now, Joanna knew her therapy journey could finally begin. “In the Kelly Clancy, PT, DPT with Joanna beginning, it was just really small muscle movements, small techniques to gain strength and range of motion. I would do a few little exercises and then Kelly would spend a lot of hours with me stretching that capsule. She got to know me and how much I could take. She would push me to my limits.” Joanna would use an arm bicycle, heat, ice and a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, machine. A TENS machine delivers small electric impulses to the injured area which can help relieve pain and relax muscles. “As (my therapy) progressed, I was there three times a week, an hour and a half each time. So, we kept adding things as healing progressed. We took some steps back, too. Often, there were some weeks where we were going backwards. One step forward, two steps back. I needed to have an open mind about that. Slow and steady wins the race.”

Joanna’s doctor told her to expect a full recovery to take up to 12 months. “I worked hard, hard, hard, for about six months. Then, I felt like I hit a plateau. I told Kelly, ‘I think this is it.’ But she was so encouraging, she didn’t let me quit. She would say, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ like it wasn’t an option not to come.”

Joanna was grateful for the encouragement and Kelly’s expert knowledge. “That’s why it is important to have a place with high quality therapists. (Kelly) 27

knows where you need to be and where you want to be. She knew I had a long way to go and knew my goals. (She was) not just treating a patient because it’s her job. She actually cares about me getting back to where I want to be.”

Around eight months into her recovery, Joanna noticed real progress when she carefully returned to some normal activities. “I would go to the gym one day a week and the rest of the time I would go to PT. I would see the translation. I was starting to get back to doing what I want to do, but I still had Phoenix alongside.” Joanna’s sessions continued for several more weeks. While Kelly held her accountable, Joanna pushed herself.

Kelly is proud of their teamwork. “Joanna was an absolute pleasure to treat. She had one of the most significant shoulder repairs I've seen in my career, and it was awesome to have the chance to work together to return her back to some pretty ambitious goals. Jo is not someone who likes to hear "no" or "you can't do that," so it was a challenge, daily, to find things that kept her engaged and invested in her rehab, but also stayed within the safety of her post-surgical protocol restrictions. It is incredibly rewarding to work with patient's like Jo and see them get back to the activities that they love.”

Joanna is relieved she is able to be active again. “I’m back in the gym and I’m doing most everything. I still have healing, let’s be honest. I’m in my 40’s. There are some limitations that naturally start to happen that I need to be content with as well. But at the end of the day, I do love that I have in my back pocket, a place that I know is loving and supportive for physical healing. I’m a very active person for my mental and physical health. I have an exhausting, draining day job, and movement has always been important to me as long as I can remember. It is my goal to be able to stay strong and healthy to take care of my organization and my family.”

Joanna’s daughter is now attending therapy at Phoenix Physical Therapy – Mechanicsburg for a pulled hamstring. Kelly was the first person she thought of, “because of that trust. These people are my friends for life now. After you walk through a season like that, and people come alongside you in your trauma and healing and help you, you build a really close relationship with those people.”

Joanna shares a final thought about her experience. “I always tell people to find the right place even if it takes a few tries. I felt like Kelly was going to be on my team. She was going to help me heal and we were going to do this together. I wasn’t just another number. That is her approach to medicine and Phoenix’s approach to patient care.”

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Loving her new Pain-Free Body: Darlene’s Success Story “I looked forward to going. Every day when I walked out of there, I would feel like I was stronger.” – Darlene, Phoenix PT Patient Darlene Kloss was a Certified Nursing Assistant for 30 years, which meant she was always on her feet and bending her knees. After Darlene retired, she remained active, enjoyed life, and loved to travel until arthritis pain in her knee started taking its toll. For five years she struggled, trying many different treatments. Darlene recalls one trip to Florida. “Oh my gosh, it was so painful. I decided I’m not going to do this anymore.” Darlene took her doctor’s suggestion and had total knee replacement surgery.

Typically, after total knee replacement, physical therapy is prescribed. Darlene was on board, after hearing from her water aerobics friends about the important role PT can play in making a full recovery. Those friends also offered advice about which therapy clinic to choose. “We talk about everything. Some of the girls said they liked Phoenix, so I said, I’m going to try Phoenix too.” On her first visit to the Phoenix Physical Therapy location in Bradford, Pennsylvania, she knew she had made the right decision. “I was so happy. When I walked in there, I felt that they were going to help me. They came right over to me, and they were very welcoming. I knew I was in the place I should be. It was very nice, bright, and clean.” Kylie Howard, PT, DPT created an individualized plan for Darlene’s recovery after learning about her goals. At 75 years old, Darlene has plans to travel and keep up with her water aerobics and Zumba.

The first few days of physical therapy were rough on Darlene. “I had the surgery Monday and on Wednesday I was at physical therapy. The first part was when it hurt the worst. You had to lay down and stretch your leg out straight with the bands and that hurt.” But slowly, Darlene noticed improvements and more exercises were added to her sessions. “I was on the bike, I did the balls, I did the Kylie Howard, PT, DPT with Darlene exercises with the bands and weights around your ankles. I would climb up and down the stairs. I stood on the cushions on the floor to work on my balance. I went 3 times a week and each time they would always give me an extra exercise to do.” Darlene began reaching her goals and was proud of her progress. “Every day when I walked out of there I would feel like I was 29

stronger. I walked with a walker for a week and moved to a cane. I walked with the cane for a week and then started walking on my own. When I walked out without the cane, I felt like I accomplished something. I was there for six weeks. When I left, I was pain free. I really was. My knee was pain free.”

Darlene believes some prehabilitation exercises, exercises she learned from her Phoenix therapists before surgery, may have helped her recovery progress. “For two or three weeks I did my exercises at home on my bed. And I still do them (after surgery). I still do my knee bends and my stretches. Once in a while, if I don’t do them, it gets a little stiff in there. So, I do them at home too.” Darlene also maintains a positive attitude. “It’s a mindset. You have to be positive. There is so much negativity, if you think positively and spread positivity, it helps. And the girls were very encouraging too. (Kylie) would say, ‘take your time and it will be ok,’ which it was. I knew that somebody cared about me, and I knew that the work I was going to put in would be beneficial. I knew I was going to be pain free and my knee would be very strong.”

Darlene took her new, strong, pain-free knee and body to a whole new level after surgery. “I’ve lost 82 pounds now too! I think the exercise I did at physical therapy helped me with more than just my knee. It made my whole body better. And (my therapists) gently encouraged me to do it. They want you to get better. That’s what they are there for, for you to get healthy and be able to walk out normally. For five years, I had a limp. I don’t even have a limp anymore.”

Darlene makes sure she lets everyone know about her experience at Phoenix PTBradford. “I tell everybody. (My friend) wasn’t going to do physical therapy. I said, please do it, and she is going to Phoenix now too. I told her, those girls were absolutely fabulous. They really were. I cannot say enough about them. They were kind and compassionate. They know their jobs. They know what to do to make you better. You need that guidance. They became like friends to me. They got to know you personally and that’s nice. You weren’t just a patient.”

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When a Phone Call Leads to Family: Tina Swartz Success Story Tina Swartz is used to living an active life. She and her husband have horses, live on a pond, and they take care of their property together. But in 2017 she learned she had a rare condition. A doctor told her she had septic arthritis in both her knees. Septic arthritis is a painful infection in a joint or bone that can come from germs that travel through the bloodstream from another part of the body. The infection cleared in both her knees but just over six months later, it came back in the bone of her leg.

This time, it meant Tina would require an above the knee amputation of her left leg.

Tina had surgery in May of 2018. The recovery was difficult, but her husband, Gary, was there for her. He helped her with everything from toileting to bathing to preparing food. Eventually, it was time for Tina to begin physical therapy and learn how to properly use her prosthetic device. In August of 2018, Tina began searching for a physical therapy clinic. She called two. One phone call led her to a recording.

The other, a person answered, so she scheduled an appointment with them.

Tina entered Advanced Physical Therapy Center, part of the Phoenix Physical Therapy family, in Goodrich, Michigan with some unrealistic expectations. Tina remembers that day. “I figured in two weeks I’d be walking. I thought I’d go in and slap the thing on and I’d walk. But I was at rock bottom. I could barely move. I was 70 pounds, and I was skin and bones.” Tina met Clinic Director, Amy James, PTA. She helped Tina understand she had a long road ahead of her. But she also let her know she and the entire Goodrich team would be by her side with an individualized plan, encouraging words, and the expert knowledge she needed to reach her goals.

The hard work began right away. Tina needed to learn how to balance again and regain her strength. She also needed to learn more about her prosthesis. Amy contacted the prosthesis manufacturer to expand her knowledge of Tina’s device. She learned how to help Tina independently don and doff her leg, and suggested ways to improve comfortability. Then, the duo worked together to make the prosthesis work for Tina. “The way I was, I had to start slowly. I was bed bound for a while after the amputation.

Everything goes. You have to balance first. I started with standing and then walking along the rail with support. Then, I started really slow with the walker. I would walk for two minutes. It was hard work. Now I do five minutes, then I rest and do five minutes again. I’ve come very far.”

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There were a few bumps in Tina’s road to recovery. She had to pause therapy at the Advanced PT-Goodrich clinic to have fusion surgery on her left wrist. She also needed several knuckles replaced in her right hand. Advanced Physical Therapy Center offers occupational therapy at many of its nine locations. Tina spent several weeks at the Grand Blanc clinic with Renae DeShaw, OTRL and Keira Boggs, COTAL rehabilitating her hands. Tina also broke the femur in her right left leg. The break needed to be held together with a plate and screws. Then, doctors needed to replace the plate with a rod after the screws malfunctioned, slowing Tina’s progress even further.

These obstacles did not stop Tina. She has been part of the Advanced family for over five years and is motivated to keep progressing now, more than ever. “I knew I was in the right place by the second visit, so I just kept scheduling. There were times when I said – uh, I don’t want to go to therapy. But I made myself go. I still do that. I make myself go. You get up and do it. I never regretted it. I was lucky. I had no pain. Other than the phantom pain of my limb, I have no pain. The only thing I cannot do is ride the bike. But, if that’s the only thing I cannot do, that’s great!” Gary understands where she finds her positivity. “I think she is looking further down the road at what she needs to do and what she wants to do. And if you don’t come that’s not going to happen.”

Tina is back doing many of the things she did before the amputation. She strongly believes, without physical therapy, her life would be very different. “I’m walking! I couldn’t do that before I started. I had to go to the wheelchair and use the wheelchair for everything. I’m gaining my independence. I’m capable because of what I’ve done here. I’m driving (my husband) up the wall, but you know.” Gary weighs in, “She’s had 52 years of practice.”

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Tina is grateful for the therapists at Advanced PT, and how they find ways to drive her to keep going. “Amy pushes you gently. It’s the mom voice and that’s what I need. She also knows if she challenges me, I’m up for it. She knows exactly what I need.

It feels awesome. I know she is making it happen. She knows what I can do before I do.” Tina has two more goals on her list of things she would like to accomplish. “Amy has to teach me how to get back up when I fall. And I’m going to walk unassisted, without help.” Tina works hard at home too, to help make those goals a reality. “I have a counter and an island in my kitchen, and I’ll walk around it five times. I keep my feet moving. Anything where I can walk I will.”

Gary knows Tina will not let anything stop her. After seeing her progress over the years, he is also grateful for the time she spends at therapy.

“It’s like family. You improve when you see other people going through what you are. It’s like PT comradery.” Tina agrees. “All the people here are super nice, and they know what they’re doing. To have someone you feel is like family is even better. It makes me want to come every day. They are a gift.

I’m glad I have someone like that in my life. I’m so glad they answered the phone.”

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Never Giving Up: Ricky’s Success Story Ricky Joiner, or Mr. Ricky as he is lovingly known around the town of Prattville, Alabama, manicures the tee boxes at his local golf club every morning. He plays golf three days a week and has four busy grandsons with a packed schedule. At 62 years old, Ricky is living life to the fullest. But a stroke nearly took that all away. Ricky looks back on that day. “I was at work as a water treatment operator. I had just gotten back from the river. I’m lucky I did because there was nobody with me at the river. I reached for the refrigerator, and I fell flat on my back.” At the hospital, it was determined Ricky had a major blood clot in the back of his neck. He required surgery and a stint. “I don’t remember anything from the first ten days. They had to roll me over in the bed. I couldn’t see; they had to feed me with a feeding tube. They had called the family in. They expected me to die.” But Ricky is not one to give up. He survived the stroke, but would need extensive rehabilitation.

Ricky spent nearly a month in the hospital. He remembers coming home. “I was in a diaper. I wasn’t able to bathe myself. I wasn’t able to walk; I was in a wheelchair, and I had a feeding tube. They set up an office in the house for my wife. She could work at home and take care of me. I’ve been married to her for 39 years. It’s been the best 39 years.” Ricky has a wonderful support system with his wife and children. He did physical therapy at home and slowly regained some of the things he had lost. He started speaking again and using a walker after gaining some strength in his legs.

After about six months at home, it was time for Ricky to find an outpatient physical therapy clinic. Ricky chose Phoenix Physical Therapy in Prattville. “I knew Corey. He coaches my oldest grandson in baseball, and I coached his wife in softball. They were very nice to me. I felt very comfortable going there.” Clinic Director, Corey Walker, PT, DPT welcomed Ricky to the clinic. The first appointment was spent evaluating Ricky’s condition. The stroke affected his whole body, but much of the weakness was on his right side. Corey also asked about Ricky’s long-term goals. “I’m a big golfer and Corey said he was going to get me back to where I wanted to be. He knew what to do. From there, they just went with it.”

The hard work began right away. Ricky recalls an exercise he refers to as the bird dog, where you begin on your hands and knees. “You lift your left arm and right leg at the same time. Then you switch to your right arm and left leg. It’s a very hard position to get into and when I left I could do it pretty good.” Ricky also practiced going up and down steps. He used resistance bands and the leg press. Ricky looked forward to the beginning of his sessions. “The first thing you do is check in and then you go onto the bicycle. I could turn up the bicycle little by little each time. The bicycle helped a lot, and the leg press helped a lot. I was really weak in my legs. You don’t walk for nine months you get weak.”

Ricky made progress each week, but he was particularly excited to reach several walking milestones. “One day, Corey said, ‘let’s try walking with the rollator.’ He had me walking with the rollator for a little while with help. Then he said, ‘let’s try it by 34

yourself.’ And I did it. He pushed me.” Ricky graduated from the walker to the rollator. The next step was trying a cane. “Once I could walk 100 yards there and 100 yards back (with the rollator) I built enough strength to walk with the cane. Then I worked up to walking by myself. It took about a year.”

Courtney VanDeventer, PTA was also part of Ricky’s therapy team. One of her specialties was particularly helpful as Ricky looked to the future. “Courtney knew some golf exercises. That was such good stuff and really good exercises. I get emotional about it. I didn’t think I’d ever walk without a walker again and now I’m playing golf.”

Corey Walker, PT, DPT with Mr. Ricky

Ricky spent five months with the Prattville team. He attended sessions three days a week, an hour each day. “They keep me doing exercises all the time. They don’t let you sit still. By the time I left I was sweating.

And everyone pitches in. When something got hard they would say, ‘work the best you can. If you can’t do it that’s fine. Do as many as you can.’ I would push myself to do those exercises. When I got (done), I knew everybody’s name, and everyone knew Mr. Ricky. It's a family. It was so good just to walk in and see the smiling faces. It made you work so much harder.” And Corey found the time he spent with Ricky was rewarding as well. “Mr. Ricky is one of those people you see out in the community that always has a smile on his face and brings joy to every room he walks into. He is someone I look up too not only for his character, but his drive to be the best man he can be no matter what the world throws at him. He is truly an inspiration.”

Ricky is grateful he found experts he can trust at Phoenix PT-Prattville. “They know what to show you to strengthen your muscles. You may think you know what to do but you might not do the right thing. They’re trained to teach you what to do. They know what muscles to target. Everything has been straight uphill. I wasn’t going to quit. That’s the biggest thing. Corey and them, they’re not going to let you quit. With 4 grandboys, I’m not giving up.”

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Enjoying Life Again: Kim’s Success Story Kim Tennant is an active woman in her 50s. She enjoys life to the fullest. “My friends and I play cornhole on Thursday nights. In the winter, I’m in a dart league. I like to bake. These are things that are important to me.” But a terrible fall at work left Kim with four tears in her rotator cuff and two tears in her bicep. “I went to catch myself with my right arm and did quite a bit of damage. By the time I went through all the workman’s compensation (process) they scheduled me for surgery in June. I went from March to June hardly being able to use my arm.” And that was just the beginning. The surgery to repair Kim’s heavily damaged shoulder was rough. “They had to cut and shorten my bicep tendon to reattach it, and they had to shave the inside of my bones from inflammation to get everything to go back together.”

After the surgery, Kim spent seven weeks in a soft cast and sling with her arm being held still at a ninety-degree angle. She slept in a chair and could only take the cast off to shower, her arm hanging at her side. The recovery process was painful. Kim describes a complication she faced. “My hand and arm had been swollen after the fall, and it only got worse. Because I couldn’t move my arm or hand for so long, my hand became swollen to four times its original size. The fluid went all the way up into my shoulder and down my side.” Kim desperately needed help to release the fluid.

Kim was directed to physical therapy for both the swelling and the rehabilitation of her shoulder. Her doctor recommended two clinics. “A few years back, my husband had two strokes, and we were really pleased with what (Phoenix) had done for him. I called and they got me right in.” Kim chose Phoenix Physical Therapy in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania. Clinic Director, Bradley Meholic, PT, DPT, evaluated Kim and knew the swelling had to be addressed first. Kim was grateful to learn relief was on the way.

“They taped my fingers. I wore compression sleeves. And for the first two weeks they did passive therapy where they moved everything for me, just to get things moving and the fluid out of there. I started seeing progress after about a week and a half. By about two weeks, I could start doing some of the therapy by myself.”

After months of struggling, Kim knew she had found the best place to recover. “I was so discouraged by the time I got to physical therapy. Usually, you think when you have surgery, things are going to get better. But I came out and I was worse! (My therapists) were absolutely wonderful. They were so uplifting and encouraging. They said it was just a bump in the road. And they would get everything moving in the right direction. I felt like I was special when I went in there.”

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Kim was pleased with the appointment scheduling process as well. “I went every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I kept the same consistent schedule the whole way through. They even kept the same times for me. It was great to have a consistent schedule, and I only had to miss one appointment. I was at work; I hated to call to cancel. But they were great about it and said, ‘No problem, we will see you on Friday then.’”

After about four weeks, the fluid and swelling in Kim’s arm was gone. Now, her physical therapy team, that included Adriana Azzato, PTA, and Jolene Cortina, PT, DPT, could switch gears and begin rehabilitating her shoulder. Kim was ready. “I sat on the exercise bike that had the moving arms. I would put my hands on the handles, and not use my feet. They had me push and pull my right arm, using the muscles of my left arm. They also had a pulley system there that would work the same way. I would hold on with my right arm, but I’d use my left arm to pull my right arm up and down.”

Kim began to see real results, and soon, the passive work turned into active work for her right arm. “The pain was going away. The more they stretched it and they had me doing the left arm to move my right, the less pain there was. And they built on from there, adding bands to pull and weights. Around six weeks I started using my right arm more.”

The hard work continued, and Kim kept her goals in sight. “They did not baby me, but they did encourage me. It was such a good support system there. All the therapists worked together so well. I never felt like I was wasting my time, or I was just a patient. You get to know them personally and they worked to help me achieve those things that were important to me. When I got back to throwing cornhole, I was so excited. When I went in and told them I was able to do it, they were so excited too.” Kim is beginning to get back to doing the things she loves. “I still have weakness, but that’s just building my strength back over time.

I have all the motion back.” Kim plans to keep doing the exercises she learned at Phoenix PT-St. Mary’s.

“They printed out every exercise I did, step-by-step for me to do at home. I have them all in a binder where I can reference it.” Bradley is confident Kim will achieve everything she sets her mind to.

“Besides being a pleasure to work with, Kim showed outstanding perseverance and dedication to performing her rehabilitation both in the clinic and at home. This perseverance was key to helping her overcome some of the difficult obstacles involved in her recovery - especially in the early stages. From an outside perspective - that had to be a hard thing to Kim and the St. Mary's Team do sometimes! However, it was a rewarding 37

experience to watch her stick with it - all with a smile on her face - and return back to her prior level of function. She deserves a lot of the credit and the team here was happy to be a part of her journey!”

Kim leaves this advice for people who may not be sure that physical therapy is necessary after surgery. “You need that expert guidance. You need someone who knows the anatomy of your body and how it should work. I’ve learned a lot about my shoulder and my arm. And I’m so glad I chose Phoenix. At bigger facilities you might get lost in the cracks. This is smaller and it was like I had a second family there. They made me feel comfortable and they’re genuinely concerned or excited.”

Kim gets emotional thinking about the time she spent with her therapy team. “If they told me back in August I’d be where I was today, I wouldn’t believe it. They did so much for me. Not only the physical part but the mental part. I don’t think I could put enough thank yous into words for what they’ve done.”

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Overcoming Fear and Pain with Help from her PT Team: Linda’s Success Story “Our backs, our necks, we hit the windshield, and I hit the steering wheel. My CRV was totaled. We went to 2 different ERs.” – Linda, Phoenix PT Patient Severely hurt and traumatized, Linda Saturnino had a long road to recovery, after a serious car accident. “I was rear-ended by a 22-year-old going 77 miles per hour in a Dodge Charger. I was stopped at a stoplight. It was the biggest bang and shock to me and my car.” Linda was driving. Her sister was in the front passenger seat and her niece was in the back. All three were badly hurt. After two months of healing, Linda needed help to further restore her body and regain her strength and mobility. She went for a consultation at Advanced Physical Therapy Center, part of the Phoenix Physical Therapy family, where she met Kraig Carpenter, PT, DPT. “I really liked Kraig.

He examined me thoroughly and gave me a plan right there. It gave me hope. I didn’t have hope. I stayed in my bed, hardly moving. I thought I was going to die I was in so much pain. He gave me hope when he gave me this plan.”

Linda started her six months of therapy sessions at Advanced PT-Davison with massage, ice therapy, traction, and dry needling. The team slowly added exercises that would rebuild her muscles and get her back doing the things she loved to do. “I was a daycare worker. I loved doing that. I’m a retired nurse. I have always been active, but I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do. I was very depressed and not used to being debilitated. I felt so depressed but the minute I walked into Advanced with all those smiles, I felt better. They were all working together as a team. I never felt like I bothered them, or I was intrusive.” Linda met goals along the way as the Davison team implemented the unique plan Kraig laid out just for her. It was working! “They went with my flow. They did push me, but only when they knew I could handle it. I didn’t get to go back to work, because the daycare closed but I did become a nanny for three children. I was able to bend and run. The best part? No more depression!”

Advanced PT helped Linda put the physical and emotional pain of the traumatic accident behind her.

Now her attention turned to the arthritis pain in her knee that had been bothering her for years after she retired from nursing at 67. After X-rays and MRIs, her doctor recommended Supartz injections for the pain.

These injections, directly into the knee, are utilized when other forms of arthritis medications have not been affective. Linda looks back on the time when they helped her. “I had the shots for four years. They helped for a while, but at the end, I waited so long I couldn’t even get out of bed. It was more pain than I wanted to live with.” Knee replacement surgery, followed by physical therapy was the next option for Linda.

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Linda knew right away where to go for PT. She trusted the Advanced Physical Therapy team after her experience following her accident. This time, she went to a clinic closer to her home in Goodrich. Her initial evaluation was two weeks after surgery. “I was leery.

The pain was excruciating but I saw Heather (Heather Luna, PT, DPT), and she told me she could help me. She had a plan and set goals with me.”

Linda had two goals she wanted to reach, first. She wanted to graduate from using a walker to using a cane, and she wanted to be able to drive again. The hard work began right away, with flexing, squatting, leg presses and navigating a ladder laid out on the floor. Soon, with the help of Heather; Clinic Director, Amy James, LPTA; and Shelli Mora, LPTA, Linda blasted through her goals and was able to move on to others. But, as Linda recalls, not every session runs as planned. “One day, I came in and my pain level was at a seven. I didn’t know how I was going to get through the therapy session. I told Amy and she knew right away that I shouldn’t do my usual exercises. She took me to the table and massaged my knee and put some anti-pain medicine on it. She just talked to me and talked me right out of the anxiety of not wanting to be there because of the pain. I still came in because I knew they were going to help me. They adjusted my exercise program and later I got to the exercises I usually do. I walked out with a pain level of four.”

Linda is thankful she found a physical therapy clinic where she feels comfortable and knows she is not wasting her time.

“They make sure to have an eye on me. They watch you here, and if you are not doing the exercise correctly, they will come and show you. They don’t reprimand you. They do it in a way that you don’t feel stupid. I am so grateful for their experience and know-how, and how they have helped me and others I see around me. I appreciate them very much. I had other physical therapy places that were recommended, but Advanced has helped me so much. I’ll make sure to come to where I know I get help.”

Linda is looking forward to the day when she is fully recovered. Until then, she is committed to attending her physical therapy sessions and finding the support she 40

needs with the Advanced PT-Goodrich team. “I want to get back to where I was: being a nanny, going to the gym, doing water aerobics. I’m afraid still, but I have hopes of getting back to where I was before knee surgery. And when I ask the therapists why I didn’t bounce back quickly, they say it just takes time and everyone is different. I’ve come to trust these women. I believe in what they’re telling me. They know what I need and they’re so skilled in what they do. I believe 100 percent in physical therapy.”

Amy James, PTA with Linda

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With over 150+ community-based outpatient clinics, our passionate and experienced team of clinicians provide physical therapy, occupational therapy, occupational health, athletic training, massage therapy, and more. Your life should be pain-free and filled with activities that you love.

With help from the Phoenix family of companies, you can recover, recharge and rise!