Ron Vega can tell you what you never want to learn for yourself: what happens after a 15-foot fall from a roof onto a concrete slab. The fall fractured his jaw, his arm and all of his ribs. Ron stood up, walked ten paces, then collapsed.
“My wife and my nieces heard the fall, came out and packed me up with ice as we waited for the ambulance,” says Ron, a self-employed carpenter and construction worker. It took four surgeries to fix Ron’s fractures, then he embarked on a two-year occupational therapy journey at Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute to guide him back to health, as well as back to work.
Far less dramatic injuries can result in occupational therapy rehab too. Yardwork led to injury for Debbie White-Parker. She tore her rotator cuff, which caused inflammation that was so painful that Debbie lost almost the complete range of motion in her shoulder. Daily life became quite difficult without the use of her shoulder. Debbie could no longer do the activities she most enjoyed: playing with her grandchildren, fishing or cooking for her family.
These two very different injuries led to similar journeys for Ron and Debbie: occupational therapy through outpatient care at Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute. The two patients, now back in good health, reflect on what it took to heal: a trusting partnership with a physical therapist, personalized treatment and a commitment to the hard work of rehabilitation.
Expert Rehabilitation Across the Charlotte Region
Outpatient occupational therapy is an essential Musculoskeletal Institute offering. Because its facilities stretch across the Charlotte region, patients can access the services they need close to home. Ron, who lives in Denver, North Carolina, went to therapy sessions at Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute Sports Medicine Lincolnton with Sharlene Childs, an occupational clinician. The facility had everything he needed to heal, and he didn’t have to make the 45-minute drive to Charlotte for high-quality rehabilitation.
“Our Lincolnton clinic has so much to offer. We have equipment in that clinic that can’t be found in many other facilities,” Childs says. “What keeps our patients coming back to us is that we’ve got many different devices here that they don’t have at home.”
Childs worked with Ron to create a personalized rehabilitation plan to allow him to rebuild the strength he needed to return to his work and to his hobbies. Between his office visits, Ron performed at-home exercises to quicken his recovery.
“I treated rehabilitation like it was my job,” Ron says. “I had absolute trust in Sharlene. All the exercises that Sharlene told me to do when I would come home – with the rubber bands and the little balls – I treated all of it like it was my job.”
Engle created a personalized plan for Debbie as well that combined in-office exercises with at-home training. They met in the office twice a week and Debbie continued rehab at home.
“She always sent me home with a plan which included exercises and specific instructions of do's and don'ts,” Debbie says. “She personalized my treatment plan to fit me and she held me accountable for the home exercise portion of my rehab.”
A Personalized Form of Occupational Therapy
Rehabilitation at MSKI is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Creating a personalized treatment plan and establishing close patient bonds is essential for success. Sometimes, these personalized treatments can allow patients to recover without surgery. And, when patients know that their goals guide the process, they’re more likely to feel invested in each session and committed to the process.
“Our treatments and goals are based on our patient’s specific needs and concerns,” Engle says. “We update patients on their progress toward those goals throughout their care.”
Childs says that it’s crucial for therapists to explain to patients, in everyday terms, what each part of treatment does and why it’s important. Patients are much more likely to feel invested if they understand why each step is crucial and that success is within reach.
“We always give our patients hope,” she says. “We have to be realistic, but we always give our patients hope.”
After Hope, Recovery
After four months of rehab with Engle, Debbie regained the use of her shoulder. The first thing she wanted to do? Pick up her grandchild! The two are back to their games and fun. She also headed out to the water with her fishing line again.
“I am able to cast my line again with ease. I’m pain-free,” Debbie says. “We can take for granted being able to do the simple things in life until we’re unable to do them.”
Ron celebrated his progress throughout the two-year rehabilitation process with his wife. The day he could tie his boots again, they celebrated. The day he could return to golfing (at first, one handed!), they celebrated. Then, eventually, when he was able to build a marina on Lake Norman, well, that was call for a big celebration. The recovery, he says, was a team sport.
“You can't do it alone. It's the people that surround you who allow you to get stronger,” Ron says. “Now, I can build and do anything I choose to. And I thank Sharlene for that.”
Even though Ron’s now back to work and back on roofs – the roof part makes Childs shake her head and close her eyes – the two developed a close bond through their work together in rehabilitation.
“I learned a lot from Ron about perseverance and finding the positivity in situations that can seem to have no good ending,” Childs says. “And I learned some interesting things about woodworking as well!”
