Sharon turned to MyoFit Clinic physical therapy when she was told she needed knee surgery
By Dr. Adam Cramer, PT, DPT; MyoFit Clinic
Although MyoFit Clinic physical therapy clinics in Chardon, Middlefield and Ashtabula have remained open as an essential medical provider during the pandemic, my staff and I have also created a path to serve our patients by expanding into telehealth.
E-visits allow our Doctors of Physical Therapy to connect live via video appointments to evaluate, diagnose and care for any pain or ailment our patients might be experiencing. Most of our patients are good candidates for this convenient form of treatment. Without having to leave their home, we’ve been able to help people with anything from post-operative care to joint discomfort and pain in the back, neck, shoulder, feet or hips, carpal tunnel, wellness and weight loss, as well as cardiopulmonary issues, all covered by medical insurance.
Meet Sharon
At 63, with a physically active job in outreach services for the library delivering books to local nursing homes and day care centers, and spending time with her five children and 12 grandchildren, Sharon F. says she had far too busy a life to let knee pain from degenerative arthritis slow her down. When the pain and swelling worsened to the point she could barely go up and down stairs, she decided to take action.
“I went to an orthopedic surgeon who took an X-ray and showed me where the structures in my knee had broken down, where it was bone hitting bone,” she says. “He suggested I needed a total knee replacement.”
She says she was not ready for that drastic of a measure, not having the weeks of time to spare to rehabilitate a new knee. So, the doctor tried giving her a shot of cortisone, which backfired when she had an allergic reaction.
“Then one of my coworkers raved about the physical therapists at the MyoFit Clinic, so I decided to give them a chance,” she says. “I met with Dr. Cramer and he educated me about the outcomes for people who suffered from my kind of knee pain, those who had surgery versus those who did physical therapy. For the first time, I began to have hope.”
We worked out a treatment plan, with Sharon going through therapy sessions with one of our doctors of physical therapy three times per week. The goal was to strengthen everything around the knee to restore it to pain-free functionality. And it worked.
“Within just a few weeks I was able to do the stairs and everything else my life demanded,” she says. “I could not be happier with the outcome.”
When Covid hit, she switched to telehealth visits and didn’t miss a beat.
“Through my one-hour sessions, I’m doing supervised strength training and stretching so my knee doesn’t go back to the state it was in,” she says. “It’s much more convenient to do my therapy at home. I see myself continuing it. Everyone at MyoFit Clinic has been extremely professional.”
Although we’d still like to get Sharon back to the clinic after Covid passes for a few sessions of hands-on manual therapy—since proper mobility and strength exercises are the gold standard for arthritis exacerbation—telehealth is a perfect fit.
High Success Rates, Saving Time and Money
Sharon’s story is similar to many of our patients. People are more likely to stick to their home programs and experience success while saving money and time, not having to leave home during this risky time.
If you or a loved one are currently in pain, have mobility limitations and are unable to leave home, consider telehealth e-visits with MyoFit Clinic.
Dr. Adam M Cramer, PT, DPT is a licensed doctor of physical therapy, Telehealth expert and the founder of MyoFit Clinics in Middlefield, 440-632-1007, Chardon, 440-286-1007, and Ashtabula 440-993-1004. Visit MyoFitClinic.com to sign up for Telehealth E-visits and find out more.