Always Ready. Always Safe. Learn More About Our Health and Safety Protocols.corona close
Skip to main content
Back to all

Back to Work and Feeling Great: Lynn’s Success Story

September 30, 2024 | Patient Success Stories
Share
Tweet
Share
By, Allison R. Weder

“I think it’s important to be in a therapy department that cares. I felt very cared for while I was there. That’s what helped me heal.”  Lynn, Phoenix Patient

Lynn Burawski hurt herself at work. She thought she had just injured her gluteus maximus, but the damage was much more severe. She didn’t notice until later. “I started having really bad pain when I moved my arm a certain way. They got me in and told me I messed up my rotator cuff. It was bad enough, and I agreed with the doctor, that we needed to do surgery.” After the surgery, Lynn’s doctor ordered post-surgical rehabilitation. Because Lynn’s case involved her employer’s workers’ compensation program, her case manager directed her to Phoenix Physical Therapy in Lehighton, Pennsylvania for the treatment.

A week after surgery, Lynn walked into Phoenix PT – Lehighton. Clinic Director, Rachel Robb, PT, MPT, LAT, ATC welcomed her for her initial evaluation. “I met Rachel, a very nice person, and we just talked about my procedure and what was going to happen. She was very informative and put my mind at ease. She knew my goal was to get back to work. I was very anxious to get back to my clients.” Lynn told Rachel about some of the specific things she had to do while she was working. “Sometimes I have to do laundry. There may be a time when I have to lift (my clients) up or assist them with getting up, and of course you need your shoulders for that and your arms for that strength.” After learning more about Lynn’s daily work routine, Rachel created an individualized recovery plan, aimed at restoring her strength and mobility.

Rachel Robb, MPT, LAT, ATC and Lynn

The sessions started slowly. “It wasn’t too strenuous. They gave me some arm exercises to do. There was a machine that had bands on it, with a hand holder, and I was using that. It was painful, but I just tried to think of all the good things that were going to come down the road. If it was too painful, they told me to stop whatever I was doing, which is important.” Lynn appreciated the guidance and knowledge the Lehighton team shared during her recovery journey. She also appreciated something else. “And I think that’s another reason I fell in love with that group. I guess it’s compassion! They had compassion and they cared about their job, and they cared about the person they were working with. They listened to me. Everything I asked, they were there, and they answered me.”

Lynn began to see progress a few weeks later. “They knew when to advance me. It was done well. Once I began using the rolling machine, where you have your hand on it and you’re rolling forward and backward, I could feel more strength and my (repetitions) were getting better. That’s when I started to feel stronger and feeling like my body was starting to recover.” Lynn was surprised by the whole-body experience she received while working with Rachel. “She even showed me how to relax my joints. Nobody ever teaches you how to relax. We all carry our stress and everything, but she taught me relaxation. You could feel it where it wasn’t hurting anymore and where you could do things where before it kind of hurt. She taught me how to relax and do things the right way.”

Lynn improved to where she could return to work on light duty. “I wasn’t cleaning. I wasn’t doing a lot of cooking and stuff like that, because I usually use my right shoulder. Doing stuff was hard, but I could still do some things.” Meanwhile the work continued inside Phoenix PT – Lehighton. And Lynn was not alone. Many of the other patients she encountered were focused on getting back to work and back to life. “There are people that worked in all fields. You could tell some of them were probably working in warehouses and they were pushing heavy boxes around. So, they were working with that. There was a gentleman who did something to his foot, and he was talking about how he had to put air conditioners in. I watched them all get better. It felt like a family event, you know?”

It finally came time for Lynn to return to her doctor for an evaluation. He was pleasantly surprised with her progress. Lynn recalls their conversation. “He said, ‘Are you sure you had surgery?’ I said, I feel wonderful. Everything is feeling great. I’m back to where I can do things, where before I was feeling pain. I feel like my right shoulder is young again!” Rachel knew after meeting Lynn for the first time, she would succeed in getting the results she wanted. “Lynn was such a special patient. From day one, she established that she was willing to do whatever it took to get back to work because that was her ultimate goal. She was the kind of patient that every Physical Therapist wants. She attended her appointments regularly and did her homework! Her work ethic and drive made my job easy!”

Lynn is grateful to the Lehighton team for their help with her recovery but also knows it is important for her to put her health first as well. “We all want to feel good as we get older. You need to do what you can to make sure you’re feeling good. That’s therapy for me. I have told people that if they had to go for surgery and need physical therapy after, to go to Phoenix. I said, do it, because that’s the kind of people you want to be with. You walk in there and everybody knows your name. Everybody has an eye on you. I love every single one of them for helping me get where I am in my life because I wanted to get back to my clients. I wanted to get back to something that I absolutely love, and they helped me get there. They’re good group of friends.”

The entire Phoenix Physical Therapy Team is committed to providing our patients with quality physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy in a safe and healthy clinic environment. We continue to follow the guidance provided by the CDC, WHO and public health officials to update you as new information becomes available. Let’s work together to keep each other safe and healthy.

The safety of our patients, communities and team members remains our top priority. We know you have a choice in your care providers and appreciate your commitment to Phoenix and our qualified clinicians.

Here are the actions we have taken to keep our patients, communities and team healthy & safe:

  • Flexible scheduling allows for social distancing
  • Regular cleaning and sanitation of all clinic surfaces
  • Facemasks must be worn by all Phoenix staff and are recommended for all patients
  • Screening questionnaire and temperature checks prior to entering clinics
  • 6 feet of social distancing throughout the clinics

Keeping Our Clinics Safe

Here are some tips on how we can keep each other safe:

  • Handwashing is your best self-defense against the spread of germs. When soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Please stay home if you are not feeling well, especially if you have a fever, are coughing or sneezing, or are experiencing shortness of breath. If a patient shows up with symptoms, the clinic team will work with them to reschedule.
  • Be vigilant. If you have traveled to any of the countries where there are outbreaks of the virus, please follow guidance from the CDC website and our Travel Guidelines.

Here are actions we are taking to keep our clinics clean and safe:

  • Equipment will be wiped down after EVERY use with antibacterial wipes/sprays
  • All surfaces that patients or staff may touch including door handles, countertops, seating, pens at sign-in, bathroom and all other common areas will be disinfected regularly
  • Treatment tables will be 6 feet apart
  • Team members will wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing their nose, coughing or sneezin
  • Clinics will have hand sanitizer available at the front desk and in the treatment areas
  • Any Phoenix team members who are ill will be asked to stay home
  • We will maintain social distancing between patients in the clinic
  • Caregivers that are bringing a patient to the clinic should wait in their car or come back when the appointment has ended unless necessary (i.e. minor requiring a guardian or for assistance needs)
  • When possible, we will treat patients in private rooms to increase social distancing
  • Any patients that have underlying health issues (i.e. diabetes, respiratory problems, etc.) will be given the option to be seen during special clinic hours or can opt to be treated in a private room away from other clinicians and patients
  • All patients should be self-screening before entering the clinic. Our PCCs will perform a secondary screening during the check-in process and before patients enter the clinic including a screening questionnaire and temperature check.
×