[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/03\/georges-story-crs\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/03\/georges-story-crs\/","headline":"George’s Story: Recovering with Blood Flow Restriction Treatment","name":"George’s Story: Recovering with Blood Flow Restriction Treatment","description":"In September 2020, George Patek nearly lost his leg in a car accident. He sustained an open distal fracture of his tibia and fibula, above his ankle, and underwent surgery at that time. George had surgery and participated in physical therapy that same year. But his fracture still wasn\u2019t healing nearly six months after the […]","datePublished":"2022-03-14","dateModified":"2023-04-17","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/rehab","name":"UPMC Rehabilitation Institute","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/rehab","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc-rehabilitation-institute\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/GettyImages-846421676.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/GettyImages-846421676.jpg","height":325,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/03\/georges-story-crs\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Rehabilitation","UPMC Stories"],"wordCount":456,"articleBody":"In September 2020, George Patek nearly lost his leg in a car accident. He sustained an open distal fracture of his tibia and fibula, above his ankle, and underwent surgery at that time.George had surgery and participated in physical therapy that same year. But his fracture still wasn\u2019t healing nearly six months after the accident.\u201cI was in constant pain, hopping around on one leg,\u201d George says. \u201cI was feeling hopeless and lost, convinced that my pain would never go away and that my mobility would be forever limited.\u201dHe moved back to western Pennsylvania to be with his parents and family and started shopping for canes to help him get around easier.As luck would have it, George\u2019s niece had personally completed physical therapy at UPMC Rehabilitation Institute’s outpatient rehabilitation location in Uniontown for a softball-related shoulder injury. She recommended that George give them a try.Healing with Specialized TreatmentGeorge first came to UPMC Rehabilitation Institute in September 2021, a year after his accident. His fractured bones had still not healed, and he had very little strength in his leg.Physical therapists Corey Dascenzo and Jim Burns met with George, reviewed his medical records, and evaluated his current condition. They designed an individualized exercise program and began working with George to help him regain his strength.\u201cThe people here are great,\u201d says George. \u201cFrom the minute you walk in the front door, everyone is so friendly and helpful, they motivate their patients, and they get excited every step of the way as we make progress!\u201dAbout three weeks into rehab, a specialized treatment method \u2014 blood flow restriction \u2014 (BFR) was added to George\u2019s exercise program. When provided by trained physical therapists, the use of BFR can increase strength and promote healing without using heavy weights and stressing injured limbs.In George\u2019s case, within seven weeks of adding BFR, his strength increased and his scan showed that his fractures had healed. He now had solid bone in his tibia and fibula.George is now walking, running, and hoping to play hockey again. \u201cThanks to UPMC Rehabilitation Institute, I am pain-free, and I have a positive outlook on my future.\u201dAbout Outpatient Rehabilitation in UniontownThe UPMC Rehabilitation Institute\u00a0outpatient rehabilitation location in Uniontown is conveniently located in northwest Uniontown. The location offers free on-site parking and is handicap accessible. Outpatient rehabilitation services at the Uniontown location include:Balance therapy.Blood flow restriction therapy.Functional capacity evaluations.Hand therapy.Industrial rehabilitation.Neurorehabilitation.Occupational therapy.Physical therapy.Speech therapy.Sports rehab programs.For more information about UPMC Rehabilitation Institute, or to make an appointment, call 1-888-723-4277. Editor's Note: This article was originally published on March 14, 2022, and was last reviewed on December 6, 2022."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2022","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"03","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/\/03\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"George’s Story: Recovering with Blood Flow Restriction Treatment","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/03\/georges-story-crs\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]