Jake Nelson is a handy guy. Whether crafting artistic metalwork or occasionally helping out at his family’s Atlantic City restaurant, his hands get a workout every day.
So when over-use of his hands caused pain and threatened his independence, Jake received a lot of advice. “Everybody just wanted me to go into surgery. I was skeptical,” he says.
Jake’s caution was understandable, and it led him to find relief from his pain with physical therapy at Teton Therapy’s Lander clinic. According to the University of Washington healthcare system, physical therapy can be as effective as surgery for certain injuries, with less risk.
“When appropriate, physical therapy offers a more conservative alternative to surgery,” John Reddon, PT, DPT, and Teton Therapy Riverton Clinic Director/Co-owner, explains. “It minimizes any risks related to surgery and can potentially prevent the need for surgery altogether. If surgery is determined to be needed at a later date, you will likely have better outcomes related to pain and function, with a faster recovery process due to the benefits of undergoing a physical therapy program prior to the surgery.”
Jake has been in treatment with Physical Therapist Jason West, MPT. “I really connected with Jason,” Jake says, and the results have been “really good for me. Physical therapy works. It’s been a lifesaver.”
“I was kind of hard-headed when [my hand] started hurting. It hurt for four years or so. Now I have less pain. I’ve retrained myself not to lean on it, and I use proper body mechanics.” Jake adds, “I’m stoked!”
Throughout June, Teton Therapy is celebrating the amazing, inspiring, fun, and funny patients who make our clinics the incredible places they are. If you’d like to be one of these stories, schedule your free pain consultation today by calling 307-857-7074 in Riverton, or 307-332-2230 in Lander.
