“I can walk again thanks to Body Gears.” – Cy Monley
Cy Monley’s story is all too common. His ankle problems started with what he calls a “bad sprain” in his youth. That one “sprain” turned into frequent “sprains” that escalated through high school and college. He developed a constant limp and by his 30th birthday he says it was frozen solid.
Cy finally listened to his body’s call for help but didn’t like the options. One physician recommended fusing the ankle which is a common procedure for seniors, but for someone in their 30’s – this would just transfer the mobility issues from the ankle to the knees and hips. After many visits to specialists, Cy finally decided on complete reconstructive surgery.
“I wish I would have known how to listen to my body in high school. Obviously, I injured my body beyond a simple sprain,” said Monley. “I would have enjoyed my 20’s and 30’s a lot more and probably wouldn’t have needed surgery at all. However, I’m happy I now have a second chance to do the right thing.”
Cy tried a number of physical therapists after his surgery but none of them were able to fix the core problem which was to get his ankle in the proper load bearing position so the rest of his healing could take place naturally.
“Other therapists worked on stretching and range of motion, but only Body Gears focused on connecting my entire body by getting my ankle placed correctly under my tibia and calf,” added Monley. “This mentality is night and day at Body Gears compared to any other therapist.”
Though Body Gears sees many clients with ankle injury and dysfunction, Monley’s case was different due to the amount of scar tissue that build up over the years and the type of surgery he had to correct his injury, called a Lim Procedure.
“While he had the surgery, he still presented with massive deficits in strength, stability, and motor control of his ankle to prevent further ankle injuries,” said his therapist, Dr. Mike Anderson, PT, DPT. “He also had severe gait dysfunction, as he was barely weight bearing through the injured leg.”
Monley’s therapy with Dr. Anderson involved clearing out his subtalar and talocrural joints to create room within the ankle joint. There was soft tissue mobilization done to address the buildup of scar tissue and restore normal mechanics to the joint. Dr. Anderson continued Monley’s therapy by mobilizing his navicular, cuneiforms and cuboid (midfoot and forefoot regions) using Functional Manual TherapyTM thereby improving weight acceptance to the leg and his gait pattern. His home exercise program incorporated these techniques to maintain the gains he made at the clinic.
“Through verbal and tactile cuing, we were able to put him in the weight bearing positions we wanted him in, and get his foot and ankle to properly stabilize so he could essentially use his leg again,” said Dr. Anderson.
Today, Cy is enjoying being an athlete again. He rides his bike to work and has picked up what he calls “medium sports.”
Monley said, “I’m not planning to play hoops again, but I can play tennis for an hour. I really missed this kind of activity and am looking forward to a more active life free of pain.”
Dr. Anderson credits Monley’s successful treatment, and that of Body Gears many happy clients, to the comprehensive approach therapists take to each injury, looking at the system as a whole and then breaking it down into mechanical, neuromuscular, and motor control components.
“Each component is addressed at every session, which is another reason we are different,” said Dr. Anderson. “We are able to spend at least 45 minutes specifically treating the body, giving us ample opportunity to assess everything we need to, and then treat it with a purpose of knowing that after every session the patient will be getting better.”
If you can relate to Cy’s story about living in constant pain and you are ready to make a change, click here to meet Body Gears physical therapists and read more about their areas of treatment expertise. We believe that freedom of movement is the foundation of a healthy and satisfying life. We look forward to serving you and we welcome your questions, comments and inquiries. 877-709-1090.
Consider giving the gift of health, healing and recovery to someone you love by purchasing a Body Gears Gift Pack, available here.
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