Complete healing after snowboard injury
On February 7, 2009, I experienced a compression fracture in my thoracic spine after a snowboarding injury in Keystone, CO. Although I knew I would have a long road ahead to recover, being a very athletic and active woman under the age of 30, I thought I would be back on my feet within a few months.
Unfortunately, in the summer of 2009, I was still in constant pain, and performing simple household tasks like laundry or vacuuming proved impossible. I began to think that my chronic pain would never again allow me to do the activities that I loved like hiking, running and playing volleyball and softball.
I visited 2 other physical therapists, and although I had mild improvement, I was still left with constant pain. I visited a chiropractor that told me my condition would probably continue for the rest of my life; I visited a massage therapist, whose treatment wore off within hours; I switched doctors.
After 3 MRI’s, 4 X-rays, thousands of dollars in co-pays and countless (and probably dangerous) amounts of Vicodin, Naproxen, Amrix and Flexeril, I had had enough. I researched alternative treatments including acupuncture, medicinal marijuana and even Native American spiritual healers.
On the one-year anniversary of my accident, my doctor recommended that I see Eddie Yassa at Dynamic Physical Therapy as a last-ditch effort.
I must admit that I was a bit reluctant at first. After what I had been through, I was skeptical that he could do anything to improve my condition. After only a few physical therapy sessions with Eddie, I saw marked improvement. After 2 weeks, I was pain free for days at a time. After 3 weeks, I was 100% pain (and drug) free.
I attribute Eddie’s success to a variety of factors:
- Eddie actually took the time to listen to what was wrong and treated the cause of my pain – not the symptoms.
- Eddie really thought about my symptoms and performed detailed hip and leg alignment measurements to determine the source of my pain.
- Eddie developed out-of-the-box solutions including the use of shoe/heel lifts in addition to custom exercises and stretches.
- Eddie’s use of technology including the Erchonia Therapeutic Laser was instrumental to my recovery.
- Eddie was patient, positive and seemed genuinely happy and excited on days that I was pain free.
Eddie really went above and beyond the call of duty. He met me at the gym early one Saturday morning and developed a custom workout to strengthen my back and core muscles including aqua therapy. (A workout I still use to this day) I couldn’t imagine any of my previous physical therapists caring for me in this way.
Lastly, after dealing with an increasingly hostile insurance company, Eddie worked out an affordable payment plan with me, making his treatment and care well within my budget.
After 13 months of chronic pain, I am happy to say that I am pain free and on my way to recovery. I’m currently pursuing Yoga & Pilates. I will be competing in a 5K race in June and playing Left Field on our Softball team this summer. I cannot thank Eddie and his team at Dynamic Physical Therapy enough, and am happy to recommend them to anyone recovering from an injury or in chronic pain.
—Kristin M.