13 Dec Testimonial – PT Turned Mailboxes into Miles and Milestones
By Sam in Fishers
During a familiar 2-mile trail run, I felt a sharp pain in my side and assumed it was a cramp. Being an unfortunately somewhat-stereotypical runner, I finished my run and ignored the pain…until I realized I could barely get out of my car once I got home. It only got worse, and I finally saw my doctor who suggested physical therapy. After a stint in physical therapy at another practice, I tried to return to running but experienced the same searing, sharp pain in my side and hip muscle that had initially sidelined me. My husband then recommended the PT he’d seen for a variety of injuries and post-surgical issues: Dr. Brian Pease at Body One.
Brian assessed me and, unlike my previous therapist, didn’t focus on a “structural misalignment” – but rather what he saw as muscles overcompensating for weaker ones, leading to tightness and pain. At each session he checked my muscle tension and stretched them using specific techniques. He showed me stretches to do at home, as well as exercises to improve my overall muscular fitness and flexibility. Under Brian’s care and guidance, I soon returned to running – and initially I measured progress in mailboxes….not miles. I would add one more mailbox/driveway to my route if my run was comfortable and pain-free.
I was able to keep increasing my distance until I’d run farther than I ever had before, all without the searing, pulling pain in my side and hip. That day I sat in my car and took a sweaty, teary-eyed selfie after finishing almost 5 miles of a tough trail run. This past September I finished my first half marathon, and ran my second half-marathon not two months later, Nov 4th in downtown Indy. Regaining my fitness and favorite past-time didn’t break my bank either – my portion of the bill was significantly less expensive than PT bills I’ve seen from hospital therapists. Although I crossed both finish lines this fall on my own, I made the journey with the support, skill, and insight of my physical therapist at Body One. Those finisher medals that hang on my wall belong just as much to my PT!
