PT Solutions Helps Marathoner Get Back on the Right Foot

For marathon runner Kristen Simon, the relentless pursuit of self-improvement has always been an integral part of her life. As a former college athlete and now a health and wellness director, Kristen always had to balance the urge to push her limits while at the same time keeping in mind to take care of her body. After training for a high-impact half marathon last December, Kristen rested up and then set out to train for her next step in self-improvement — running in a series of races in North Georgia.

During one morning training session, Kristen noticed it was drizzling. A little rain never hurt anybody so she pushed on and steadied her breathing and sensed that exhilarating feeling of a run pulse through her body along with her climbing heart rate. During her run, she slipped and twisted her foot on the wet gravel. Her foot didn’t hurt too much at that moment so she pushed herself to finish. As she approached the end of her run, she felt a sharp pain in her foot. By the time she got to her car, she could barely walk.

Instead of trying to continue training, she listened to her body and rested her foot. When the pain didn’t subside, she decided it was time to see an orthopaedic physician. The orthopaedist referred Kristen to PT Solutions. Hobbling into the PT Solutions Morningside office wasn’t fun, but as soon as she walked in she realized what a valuable journey it would be.

PT Solutions’ physical therapist and clinic director John Michael Caraway explained to Kristen the reason behind her foot injury and even how the rest of her body was being impacted, including the pain in her uninjured foot because of how she walked to compensate for the pain. The four-month journey was filled with ups and downs but Kristen saw the value in the work that John Michael was doing along with his student intern, Krista. Their positive attitudes and the fun environment kept Kristen engaged during her sessions. By the end of the four months, Kristen had a fully functioning foot and even a new pair of specially fitted running shoes from PTS Sports, PT Solutions’ specialty run retailer.

Back to full capacity, Kristen set out to complete her toughest challenge yet, the Lake Lanier Sprint Triathlon in September. The triathlon started with a 400-meter dive into the lake, followed by a steep hill challenge. From there, Kristen grabbed her shoes and went on a 13.1-mile bike race around the lake. Finishing off with a 5K run, Kristen was in awe of what she had accomplished.

“Feeling the sense of accomplishment was surreal,” she said. “Here I was back in January barely able to walk and by September, I was completing the challenge of my lifetime. I was in a bad place during my injury, not just physically but mentally. With the help of PT Solutions, I was able to not only heal, but also learn how to do some of my own exercises better. I relearned that I have to build up to my performance and to take care of my body in the process. I am thankful for John Michael at PT Solutions. I honestly miss coming into the clinic, but am glad I am fully recovered. I owe it all to PT Solutions.”

All athletes should listen to their bodies. If you are experiencing any type of pain sustained in your pursuit of self-improvement, one of our specialists can help. Call us at 1-844-REHAB04 or come into one of our clinics today.