Today I am highlighting Rich.
Rich found us about 8 months ago. Here is his story…
“In December 2018, I ruptured my left achilles tendon during a game of basketball (on my 37th Birthday, to be exact). It was a long process through surgery, cast, walking boot, and recovery. My whole life, I have been active and athletic, both in my profession as a physical education teacher and a high school basketball coach, but also it drives my passions around Crossfit, playing sports, hiking, and being outdoors playing with my kids. The injury was a big setback, physically and mentally. I didn’t know where to begin once the standard recovery process was over. I was fearful to try anything and felt like my Crossfit options were behind me. I was frustrated with the lack of information on the best ways to rehab and rebuild strength. Most of all, I was looking for a partner to guide me through the process and help me regain confidence.”
When we met, he was down and out. He had completely lost his identity and was in need of some help. Sure, he was able to go about his day but not in the way that he would like.
“I found myself stuck in this place where the cast was off and my injury was technically repaired, but yet I didn’t know how to move forward. My frustration led me to stay stuck for a few months, moving very tentatively and not knowing how to take the next step. Physical activity is a huge source of energy, joy, passion, and motivation for me. Without it, life felt dull. It affected my mood and my outlook. I suddenly felt like there were so many limits on what I would be able to do post-injury. It was a hard time, to say the least.”
One of the best parts about my job is being able to make an impact in people’s lives and giving them the tools they need to guide them through their own success stories. I love being able to empower motivated individuals like Rich.
He was asked what he felt like before he started your treatment and how it helped.
“Lost. I wasn’t sure where to turn for credible information or how to rebuild my own confidence in myself and what my body was capable of. I also felt very limited, like I had few options and that my athletic days were suddenly behind me. Finding Infinite Potential was a critical turning point in my recovery – on all levels. First, I felt like I found a credible, experienced, and trustworthy coach in Loni. She has the right combination of PT expertise and Crossfit expertise, mixed with a great approach and attitude. She earned my trust by listening to my concerns and addressing them. For the first time, I felt like I had a PLAN. That was a huge step and once again gave me goals to work towards. Physically, I had the direction I needed to make progress. She pushes me and the workouts and routines are hard, but I see progress every week and I’m already so much further than I expected to be. My goal was to dunk the basketball in the new year, which I was able to do.”
Some patients like to be told what to do. They just say, “I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.” I like that but I also use this as a teaching opportunity as well. I teach concepts of PT to my patients, not just dictate to them and tell them what to do. Rich was open to any and all suggestions and I firmly believe that he learned a lot! I also learned a lot about how I can best serve patients like himself. It was a great growth opportunity all around to be able to take him from limping to dunking.
“The home program was clearly mapped out and a solid plan, with every detail plotted and videos to help show me what to do. It was easy to access, follow, and succeed with. I’ve worked with PTs in the past for different issues, but usually left with a printed 8×10 paper of generic exercises to follow. This felt customized for me.”
He has come SO far since we began and I could not be more proud of his accomplishments.
“I’ve done a complete 180 from where I was in early 2019, post-surgery. Today, I am back to many of the activities that I love, including Crossfit workouts, golfing, moderate running, playing with my kids, being able to keep up with the physical demands of my job (elementary physical education teacher), and slowly but surely starting to play a little basketball again. Mentally and emotionally, I am so much stronger and happier to have a plan and a path forward. My mood has lifted and I no longer feel like I’m at the end of my “athletic road”.”
I look forward to continuing to help him on a monthly basis with giving him guidance as he continues to be an active participant in daily workouts and men’s league basketball games. Rich has become a good friend at this point and I am very lucky that I am able to continue to work with him.
“I’ve had a great experience with Infinite Potential and with Coach Loni. From the start, I felt like she understood me and had my back, and that my success was personal to her. She celebrated my small wins and she pushed me to try new things. What a difference it makes to partner with the right people and have the right plan – it makes it possible to set new goals and be successful. I can’t thank this team enough for helping me get back on my path and find my passions again, trust my body again, and enjoy my life with less pain and less fear.”