Carlie’s Journey
How Carlie Overcame Severe Sciatica and Got Back to Golf Without Surgery
Carlie’s Story
In Carlie’s own words — her journey from severe sciatic pain and loss of independence to getting back to golf, movement, and the daily life she loves.
How long did you wait before deciding on physical therapy and what was the obstacle?
I was in pain for over a month and a half before I was diagnosed, trying all the self-help stuff that’s on the internet and it just was not working enough. It even got to the point where it got worse for a while before I was able to get in here.
What was it and how bad was your problem prior to receiving physical therapy?
When I first came in, I was diagnosed with Sciatica. I was having a lot of pain. When I first came in, I was on a walker. So I was in severe pain and really hoping not to have to have surgery or injections, hoping that physical therapy would take care of it… and so far I have been very, very happy.
Did you try anything else prior to PT to treat your problem?
I was on Flexeril and Vicodin. I had to have help just getting to the bathroom. It was pretty severe. I was using pain relievers for the first few days and that knocked off the edge. Even the first few visits here made a tremendous difference, and just being able to get back to some level of normal.
What was your pain preventing you from doing?
I seriously didn’t think I’d be able to golf again. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to do Zumba again. I wasn’t even sure, at that point, if I was going to be able to avoid back surgery.
What would you say to someone who was experiencing pain but skeptical about physical therapy?
There are just so many things you just don’t know until you get in and start working on getting the healing process going. Much to my surprise, after a short period of time, after the first few visits I started feeling better. The dry needling helped a ton! Just getting some kind of comfort back into my body, where I could sit comfortably, where I could even try to walk. Getting in and out of the car was hard. Just to feel like I had some of my independence back was huge! I was nice just to know that there was hope.
Out of all the things that you enjoyed about coming to Preferred Physical Therapy, what did you enjoy the most?
The friendly faces. Everyone here is just so nice. They greet you when you are walking in the door. They take a personal interest in their clients and they really want to see you grow.
What were you wanting to achieve and did we help you to achieve it?
I was hoping I would be able to play golf again because my husband and I usually play golf three times a week. I went out the other day and played golf without any problems and I’m going out again tomorrow. I’m very pleased! I’m back to doing the things I was able to do before I came in.
What to Watch Out For
Recognizing these symptoms? You may benefit from physical therapy.
Pain Details
Pain Scale:
10 out of 10
Description:
Sharp pain and numbness down the leg and pain in the low back and right hip
Visits:
Worse With
Better With
Now Watch the Video to Hear the Full Story…
Hear directly from Carlie about her experience at Preferred Physical Therapy.
