Submitted by Dr. Jennifer Penrose of Penrose & Associates Physical Therapy
It happens every week in our clinic that someone has suffered for years thinking, “It’s just aging and it is what it is.” Or, “I’ve had it for so long that I will just have to live with it.” Or, “I’ve tried physical therapy before and it didn’t work.” And then after several weeks working with us they start to see results. You see our model of one-on-one care with a licensed therapist for your entire treatment is becoming rarer.
In fact, Dawn Hill was one of those patients. She has told her story before and gave us permission to use her story. Dawn was battling pain in her ankle and foot due to plantar fasciitis for almost 25 years. It started on a vacation in Scotland where she spent most of her two weeks hiking. “Every day I’d limp in, but I wouldn’t give up my hike the next day,” says Dawn, an obviously tough woman who loves being active. She came home with an unwelcome souvenir. Since then, Dawn has needed orthotics, but the pain continued.
Ivy is Dawn’s adorable Maltese/cairn terrier mix, who loves taking long, brisk walks, but chronic pain in Dawn’s foot started to shorten them. “The brisk walking got really painful,” Dawn recalls. “And, of course, you try to doctor them yourself before you go see someone. Finally, I went and saw my podiatrist because it wasn’t getting better. I couldn’t walk two blocks without the burn being unbearable.”
Dawn says her experience at Penrose was amazing. They started by videotaping her on a treadmill to assess how she walked and how her gait caused pain. Then, they fitted her for new orthotics. “My old orthotics just weren’t supporting my arch like they should,” Dawn explains. “So, not only did I need physical therapy to build up the muscles, but I needed better orthotics.” Penrose fitted Dawn for her custom orthotics by measuring all the joints in her foot and ankle and then taking a cast. “I could see an improvement pretty darn quick,” she adds.
We took the time to look at her walking mechanics, give her orthotics that work for her (not too rigid and not too soft), worked on her foot and ankle for hands-on treatments to restore normal flexibility and motion and allow healing to occur in the tissues and gave her corrective exercises.
Dawn’s program lasted about eight weeks and within that time, she said she saw a 90% improvement. “I still have little flair ups, but nothing I can’t handle.” Thanks to Penrose Physical Therapy, Ivy is getting her daily walks again and Dawn can get back to her many activities including golf, yoga, aerobics and Zumba.
“Jennifer was such a blessing to me,” Dawn says. “She pays attention to how you feel, what hurts and what’s getting better. I have gone to other physical therapy groups over the years, but this is by far the best I’ve been to.”
This story is similar to many we hear in the clinic. We can often solve issues that have gone on far too long because we allow our licensed therapists to spend one on one time with our patients at every visit for the entire visit. Many clinics have therapists see 2-4 patients an hour which makes it difficult to solve chronic conditions as they only get 10-20 minutes with you per visit. We give our patients time which is often needed to solve things correctly. We would be happy to help you if you have suffered far too long with something. Our mission is to be the wellness center for the 50+ crowd so you can stay mobile, active, and independent well into your 80s and 90s! If you are suffering from aches and pains that you think you have to live with, give us a call at 360.456.1444.
If you would like more information on how help with your foot pain, visit the Penrose & Associates Physical Therapy website, call 360.456.1444 or stop by 1445 Galaxy Dr. NE Suite 301 in Lacey.
Read more about their services on the Penrose & Associates Physical Therapy blog.
