"I was making a backhand play in racquet ball and came down hard on my left ankle," recalls Beverly. "I immediately thought about my career. I'm a teaching golf pro," she explains, "and I'd injured my left ankle, which is crucial for balance and follow-through. After my initial treatment to stabilize the ankle, I knew I'd need a good rehab program. The nurse in my doctor's office sent me to Ron Berger, and I'm so glad she did!"

Ron Berger, PT, ATC, of ATLAS Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, has specialized training in rehabilitation techniques for specific sports, including golf, baseball, basketball and tennis.

"In the early stages, rehab for a sprained ankle is pretty standard," observes Ron, "but after the initial healing, it's important to continue rehabilitation with exercises and treatments designed to bolster the specific areas an athlete needs in his or her chosen sport. In basketball, we concentrate on restoring quick movement and side-to-side agility. In golf and baseball, which are similar because of the follow-through after the swing, we concentrate on balance and rotation. The specific regimen is determined by the severity of the injury."

"The worst"

"Beverly's was a third-degree sprain, the worst there is," assesses Ron. "She tore the ligaments on the outside of her ankle, resulting in a significant loss of her range of motion and strength. Because of the demands of Beverly's career, we had to design a program that would protect her damaged ankle, build up her strength, and restore her normal range of motion and gait."

That's where Ron's specialized training was important. His insight into the special needs of golfers comes from training with a former physical therapist with the PGA tour. That insight helped him put Beverly on the fast track to recovery.

"We faced a special challenge," adds Ron. "Beverly's schedule is pretty full, making it difficult to schedule time for rehab therapy. Any program we designed would have to draw maximum advantage from the times she could come to the office, and give her sufficient direction to maintain those gains herself when she couldn't come in."

"I'm pretty motivated to improve," says Beverly, "so I was eager to have a program I could manage at home. I think one of the things that impressed me most was the staff's control of my rehab, even when I wasn't at the clinic. I've been involved in sports all my life, and never had an injury," she explains. "All I knew was ‘working through the pain.' Ron and his staff explained that what works in training doesn't necessarily work for recovery. They made sure I understood how much I could do to improve my ankle, and when to stop so I didn't damage it further."

"That's important," adds Ron, "because the type of injury Beverly sustained is slow to heal fully; it might take as long as a year. With her schedule, she won't continue with regular therapy that long, but with the home program we designed for her, and occasional office visits when she needs them, she has a good plan for full recovery."

Beverly notes that Ron has also helped her in areas outside pure rehabilitation. "He's advised me on the use of orthotics that give me added support in my golf and walking shoes," says Beverly. "That's important for someone who's on her feet twelve hours a day!

"Ron and his staff really know what they're doing," she concludes. "Thanks to Ron's specialized understanding, I'm able to concentrate on improvements where I need them the most, and continue working in the career I love."

UPSWING. Beverly is confident her ankle will improve, thanks to on-site and home therapy regimens from Ron Berger at ATLAS.

Make a note...

The professional staff at ATLAS Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, Inc. will be happy to answer your questions regarding this article or related topics. The office is located in the Mandarin South Business Center, at 12421 San Jose Blvd., Bldg. 2, Suite B, in Jacksonville. For more information, please call (904) 292-0195

Ronald C. Berger, PT, ATC, is a licensed physical therapist and certified athletic trainer. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy from Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, after earning a degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in athletic training at Samford University, Birmingham.

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