[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/09\/jaxons-story\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/09\/jaxons-story\/","headline":"Jaxon\u2019s Journey: How Cutting-Edge Physical Therapy Fast-Tracked His Recovery","name":"Jaxon\u2019s Journey: How Cutting-Edge Physical Therapy Fast-Tracked His Recovery","description":"<p>After undergoing knee surgery in 2023, Jaxon turned to the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute in Williamsport, Pa. Blood flow restriction therapy helped him recover.<\/p>","datePublished":"2024-09-09","dateModified":"2024-10-16","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\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-1443465548.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/GettyImages-1443465548.jpg","height":867,"width":1999},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/09\/jaxons-story\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Rehabilitation"],"wordCount":574,"articleBody":"Growing up, Jaxon Rounsville experienced frequent knee pain. He later learned it was because of discoid meniscus, abnormally shaped cartilage that made him more prone to injury.Even after multiple surgeries to remove excess cartilage and repair injuries, Jaxon became an avid long-distance runner, rock climber, and basketball player.In 2021, he started school at the Pennsylvania College of Technology to study residential construction management. He began working as a construction laborer in the summer of 2023.During that summer, his leg buckled after a long day at work. He needed another knee surgery to repair the damage, and afterward, he researched physical therapists close to school.\u201cUPMC in Williamsport was the perfect place to go,\u201d Jaxon says.A Faster Path to RecoveryJaxon was eager to return to his active lifestyle, so he chose an outpatient program at UPMC Rehabilitation Institute in Williamsport, Pa.There, he met Zachary Kurtz, PT, DPT, who specializes in blood flow restriction (BFR) therapy at UPMC in North Central Pa.Blood flow restriction uses a specialized tourniquet system on an exercising arm or leg. The tourniquet system inflates to intermittently reduce blood flow. The technology can shorten rehab time and enhance outcomes.Jaxon was hesitant to try BFR at first, but Zachary\u2019s confidence put him at ease.\u201cEveryone at UPMC was incredibly welcoming, friendly, and amazing to work with,\u201d he says. \u201cSo, I was curious enough about blood flow restriction to give it a try.\u201dThe therapy involved wearing an inflated leg band to restrict a precise amount of blood flow, he says.\u201cThis stimulated the muscles, so even a body-weight leg raise was enough to keep the leg from losing muscle,\u201d Jaxon says. \u201cThe time it took me to learn to walk again and to gain strength back in the leg was shortened by an incredible amount.\u201cAfter I was weight-bearing, we moved on slowly into more and more exercises. With the help of the blood flow restriction, I lost less muscle, gained muscle back faster, and gained strength faster.\u201dJaxon says he felt \u201cwonderful\u201d four months later as his therapy wrapped up.He credits Zachary and the blood flow restriction therapy for getting him back to doing what he loves most.\u201cI am doing fantastic now,\u201d he says. \u201cI have started a new internship, I rock climb often, (and) I have gotten back into distance running and playing basketball. I couldn\u2019t have made so much progress so fast without the help of the blood flow restriction therapy.\u201dNow, his ultimate goal is to run the marathon he had been training for before his most recent injury. Thanks to his resilience and his UPMC team\u2019s dedication to Jaxon\u2019s recovery, he\u2019s well on his way.\u201cThe staff was phenomenal to work with and taught me so much while I was there,\u201d he says. \u201cThey took the time to teach me what we were doing and why we were doing it, all while bringing a fun, lighthearted energy to the therapy.\u201dPersonalized Therapy at UPMC Rehabilitation InstituteUPMC Rehabilitation Institute offers individualized therapy services. Our team designs personalized treatment plans to help you safely recover mobility and maintain independence after an illness, injury, or surgery.UPMC is a leader in advanced rehabilitation technology. Our specialists remain dedicated to providing exceptional care, developing new, cutting-edge treatments, and finding the quickest, most effective path to recovery.To find a UPMC Rehabilitation Institute location near you, visit our website."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2024","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"09","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/\/09\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Jaxon\u2019s Journey: How Cutting-Edge Physical Therapy Fast-Tracked His Recovery","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/09\/jaxons-story\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]