Patient Stories

I came to Nationwide Children's Sports Medicine for help. My injury was significant and the time I would be out was longer than I hoped. I was frustrated, but the staff at Nationwide Children's kept me optimistic for my return. I did everything the doctors and athletic trainers advised. The week prior to my return our team lost in the tournament. It was bad luck for us, but I was cleared and made great progress.

I believe I did so well recovering because I did my exercises and remained hopeful. Watching others play made me rehab my ankle even harder. Everyone going through an injury should trust their doctors and stay optimistic. It did wonders for me!

The important thing is to listen and do what the doctors tell you, regardless if you think you're ready. It was hard to attend basketball practice and not be able to practice. Dr. Pommering said he would have me back on the court in six weeks. I followed his instructions and got to play in my first high school game soon after my recovery. Thanks to the staff at Nationwide Children's Sports Medicine.

During recovery, the hardest part was, of course, sitting on the sidelines. I did become depressed because I was out all of my sophomore year, but things did turn out better. On my down time, I did learn things from my injury like the right way to land and the knowledge of being aware of my body. I also became closer with my family and brother. Now I'm just taking what I've learned and looking forward to my junior year.

Phil

	The most difficult throughout the diagnosis, procedure and post-procedure was having to watch my teammates and friends have fun, as well as watching from the sidelines on Friday nights knowing I would be out there if I wasn't hurt. It hurt even more because this was the second year that I got hurt. Last year, I dislocated my patella and partially tore my MCL on my left knee. This year, I fractured my patella and right tibia. This injury sidelined me for about 3 months. Some of the hardest games for me to sit and watch on the sidelines were when my school played our rivals, Olentangy and Olentangy Liberty. It was also hard to watch our playoff games from the sidelines. However, the happiest moment of this season was when we won the State Championship in Division 3.
Birthday:	July 15
Favorite Food:	Chicken Parmesan
Siblings:	Two sisters, Claire and Tara
Hometown:	Sunbury, OH
Favorite Sport:	Football
Favorite Athlete:	LeBron James
Favorite Sports Teams:	The Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns
Sports you play and how long:	Football (10 years)

I was then referred to Nationwide Children's Sports Medicine. I saw the doctor and was diagnosed with bursitis in my right hip. I had to sit out from sports for a month. That was my toughest challenge. It was hard to sit out when I'm used to participating in some type of athletic event every day.

After my month off, I started rehabilitation with Nationwide Children's. The exercises were painful but paid off. I haven't had any serious pain since December and have participated in all athletic competitions pain free.

The most difficult part was being in the brace and having to sit out of things. If you know someone who has to go through something like this, be as supportive as possible. Help do things with them to keep their mind off their problem.

Any situation like this is going to be difficult. The best thing to do is try to be positive. Be sure to listen to your doctor and when you feel like you're missing out on things, remember that your health is more important than anything else.