Carol is a spunky 74-year-old who loves cycling and kayaking. She has a zest for life and loves being able to pursue her hobbies. When she injured her shoulder, she was unable to cycle or kayak as a result of the pain that she was experiencing. Her sleep was also suffering as she was unable to get into a comfortable and pain-free position.
A friend recommended that she try KCP Physical Therapy in Charlotte.
She began seeing Joyce Kight, a physical therapist who assessed her shoulder and recommended that she see an orthopedic surgeon. The doctor performed an MRI, which came back normal. He recommended that they treat it as a shoulder impingement and address the soft tissue in the area.
After weeks of treatment, which included dry needling, weight training, stretching, manual soft tissue work, and using pulleys and bands, Carol was not progressing as hoped. Trainer Karina Buechner, KCP Exercise Specialist, says “Carol has always been the kind of person who says ‘whatever we have to do, I’ll do it.’ She was religious about doing her exercises and did anything we recommended. The ‘s-word’ (surgery) was the last option for her. She wanted to exhaust all of the non-surgical methods of treatment first.” But, after trying all of the protocols to heal her shoulder with marginal results, the KCP team knew that there had to be something more under the surface than just a soft tissue issue.
Joyce suggested a return visit to the orthopedic surgeon. She provided care records to the doctor, detailing the treatment plan and Carol’s progress. She suspected that surgery might be needed to help alleviate the pain. Carol appreciated the direction and says, “The advocacy was wonderful.”
The doctor agreed and decided to perform surgery. He found a bone spur, bicep tear, and labral tear that had not shown up on the MRI. After the surgery, Carol was cleared to begin rehab. She again chose KCP for her physical therapy needs. She says her range of motion is now back and the pain has decreased substantially. She still has some restrictions but is progressing. As she moves out of rehab at KCP, she is now joining their Personal Training Program. As a training program client, she will be able to participate in up to three group workouts per week (in-person or virtual) with other training clients interested in challenging but safe exercise offerings.
Most importantly, she is back to cycling and kayaking again.
Why does she choose KCP for her physical therapy and fitness needs?
“I’m happy here,” she says. “I love those guys!”
The feeling is mutual. Karina says, “Carol comes in a good mood and is ready to work. She likes to joke around, and she’s just really enjoyable to work with.”
Joyce says “Carol has the potential to go back to 100% of where she was before this journey began. And she is SO committed to that journey!”
