Provided by Cayuga Health
Soccer is a game of quick movements, requiring players to think on their feet, running and cutting sharply as they sprint towards the goal. The motions needed to put points on the board can put players at risk of getting benched by an injury. Zade Gomez Fitzsimmons, a physical therapy patient who recently completed treatment at Arnot Health, a member of Centralus Health, went from helping her team work the ball down the field to being assisted off the turf in an instant.
“I was playing in an indoor soccer tournament, and I got injured. I wasn’t sure what happened, but I ended up tearing my ACL and partially tearing my meniscus,” Zade says.
An ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is one of the key ligaments to provide stability in the knee. An injury, especially a tear, is usually associated with a popping sound, immediate swelling and a feeling of instability. Meniscus tears, damage to the c-shaped piece of tough, rubbery cartilage that provides a cushion between the shinbone and thighbone, also produce a popping sound, locking or catching of the knee or difficulty straightening the leg.
With a complete ACL tear, Zade was told she’d need surgery. Before taking that step, doctors used proactive measures to gain a better understanding of the limitations caused by her injury.
“They had me come to physical therapy just to see how much of my muscle had gone away.”
With prehabilitation out of the way, doctors felt that Zade’s best option to return to the game she loves without complications was surgery and appropriate recovery. Physical therapy can put people back on track, but the journey to recovery isn’t always easy. Dealing with, and overcoming, an injury as physically limiting as an ACL tear was a new experience for Zade.
“It was kind of scary at first because you never know what’s going to happen and, in that situation of being injured, you don’t think you’ll be able to get back.”
Arnot Health and Cayuga Health’s physical and occupational therapists are fully trained and licensed to provide rehabilitation after an accident, injury or medical procedure. Every therapist works closely with doctors and other healthcare professionals to help patients heal as quickly as possible based on a person’s unique goals and needs. A treatment plan was individually developed for Zade in order to improve function, reduce pain, and surpass personal goals.
Once she started to notice improvements, Zade said any fear she had completely disappeared.
“Eventually it was fun because my physical therapist, Kerry, makes it really fun. He pushes you, which is exactly what I needed because when you’re down you don’t really want to do anything and if you want to get to the point of where you were before your injury, you have to keep pushing through.”
Persistence and determination helped her recover in ways she never could have imagined.
“I didn’t think I was going to want to play and take it slow, but I’ve been missing it so much, I decided to start practicing.”
Whether she was on or off the field, Zade kept her head in the game, worked hard with her physical therapist and was finally cleared to go back into sports.
With multiple outpatient rehabilitation offices across the Southern Tier, patients can choose from one of several convenient locations to work towards recovery. At the time of her injury, Zade still needed to finish the school year and worked with Arnot Health’s Horseheads Physical and Occupational Therapy office to coordinate appointments that best fit her schedule and needs.
“My therapist embedded confidence in me during physical therapy. I’ve now had that since physical therapy ended.”
With a newfound pep in her step, Zade was able to finish the season with the rest of her team.
Achieving whole-person wellness is crucial to recovery. Centralus Health’s physical therapists focus on helping patients regain function and independence while reducing fear associated with movement.
Some outpatient offices at Centralus Health offer early and late hours for care, opening at 7 a.m. and closing by 6 p.m. Referrals are recommended but not required. Appointments can be made over the phone. For more information about Centralus Health’s comprehensive physical therapy and rehabilitation services, click here.
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Cayuga Health System’s occupational, physical, and speech therapists practice in four Cayuga Health locations: Cayuga Wellness Center, 310 Taughannock Boulevard, Suite 1C, Ithaca, (607) 252-3500; Cayuga Health’s East Campus, 10 Brentwood Drive, (607) 274-4159; 10 N. Main Street, Cortland, (607) 428-8020; and at Schuyler Hospital, 220 Steuben Street, Montour Falls, (607) 535-7121. They also partner with Island Health & Fitness trainers in Ithaca as appropriate for a seamless transition from therapy to appropriately challenging group or individual exercise programs.
Arnot Health’s Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation at five locations: Arnot Ogden Medical Center, 602 Ivy Street, Elmira; St. Joseph’s Hospital, 555 St. Joseph’s Boulevard, Elmira; 123 Conhocton Street, Corning; 100 John Roemmelt Drive, Horseheads; and 7571 State Roade 54, Bath, (607) 776-8635. All other Arnot Health practices can be reached at (607) 737 -7804.
