When a senior breaks their leg or hip, it's scary–not just the incident itself but also the threat of losing your independence in the following months and years. For Martha, this was precisely her concern. She broke her femur over New Year of 2022, and Martha feared what that meant for her future. Martha was active, went into the office most days per week, and she had family and grandkids she wanted to keep up with. She was not ready to be done with those things.
Martha found us online because the home care agencies were taking too long to schedule her; they couldn’t guarantee her safety regarding COVID-19 protection, and Martha wanted to work on her recovery.
Martha was limited on our first online assessment–she needed a walker for safety, couldn’t stand on one leg, and had moderate to high pain levels. But what Martha did have, something more important than a person’s physical abilities, was the drive to improve and the willingness to commit to her recovery.
We started exercises that fit Martha where she was physically (doing marches while holding a walker, standing up from a chair, stretching safely). Slowly and safely, we started advancing Martha’s exercises her body was ready for. Martha committed to her 15 minutes per day, she started getting rid of her walker, and she started going into the office a couple of days per week. And that progress continued until Martha was essentially back to normal.
This summer, Martha took a seven-day RV trip with her family while exploring the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore, and the Badlands. Martha walked plenty without a walker, and her hip didn’t bother her. Martha is back to going into the office most days of the week and stays busy with grandkids and running errands. One of the most impressive things is that Martha can stand on one leg (her formerly broken one) for over 30 seconds. That’s well above average for someone in their 70s.
At one of Martha’s follow-up visits, Martha’s hip surgeon told her, “Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it,” he told Martha she’s had one of the best recoveries of any patient he’s had. So Martha continues to work with Dr. Alex. She does a virtual check-in every couple of weeks, keeps up with her changing exercise calendar, and is living the life she wants. Martha can decide what she does daily, but physical limitations don’t.
At motivPT, we'll get you moving in a healthy way. If you have pain, weakness, or imbalance, consider booking with us for an online Physical Therapy routine customized to fit your individual needs. Book your free 15-minute consult to talk with Dr. Alex about your concerns and learn more about how we work!