Every patient has a story. Whether they’ve suffered a sports injury during competition or had a fall in their home, they were able to get up and get the support they needed. But not ever patient has a story that simple. For Lauren Rader, she doesn’t have a story she was able to walk away from. Without immediate assistance or a teammate to help her off the field, her story began with the fear of never being able to walk again.
As a high-level soccer player, Lauren’s love and passion was always on the field. Nothing could get in her way until one drive would change her life forever. In what should’ve been like any other day on the road, Lauren was involved in a head-on collision leaving both her legs broken. Thankfully, she survived the violent car accident, but would be faced with a new challenge – learning to walk again. Scared and fearing the worst, Lauren put her trust and future in the hands of ATI Physical Therapy.
After undergoing four surgeries to repair a right tibial plateau fracture and a left tibial shaft plateau fracture, Lauren began therapy at ATI in Puyallup, Wash., where she would meet Amy, Jason, Ian and the team. For the first eight weeks, Lauren spent therapy in a wheelchair, working on strength and range of motion for her legs, ankles, core, hips and upper extremities. Within the first few months, Lauren was already beginning to show progress and began more challenging activities to improve her core strength and work towards her eventual goal of running and playing soccer.
As therapy progressed, Lauren was able to return to work, but was asked to transfer clinics to maximize her visits. As advised, Lauren continued therapy at ATI in Bellevue, Wash., where she met Suzanne and received treatment on a more consistent basis. As the number of visits increased, so did the results. Since graduating therapy, Lauren has returned to her love on the field and plays soccer three to five times a week.
With every great story, there is a great outcome. For Lauren, she overcame all fear and was able to walk away from the injury, forever changed with the help of her new friends at ATI. With Lauren’s great outcome, we felt that the best way to hear her story is in her own words.
Lauren Rader (bottom right) huddles with her friends after finally returning to the soccer field. (Photo Credit: Lauren Rader)
What circumstances led to you needing physical therapy?
I was in a horrible accident a little over two years ago. It was a head on collision. My legs were severely broken. I was in the hospital for almost a month and had over four different surgeries. I came to ATI with scary-looking legs.
What expectations did you have going into therapy?
I entered therapy with a very negative attitude, but left everyday a little more positive. I was so angry and in so much pain that every morning it took so much to get me out of bed. One of my reasons for getting out of bed was that I was going to be going to ATI for physical therapy. Ian and Amy motivated me to stay strong.
There are always people in our lives that inspires us to do our best. Amy inspired me to do my best. Every day I found myself more determined to get back to soccer. I honestly don’t know what I would have done if Erica hadn’t answered the phone and if I hadn’t worked with Ian and then Amy. Amy is more than amazing — she is one of my heroes.
What was your treatment like? Was it tougher or easier than you expected?
I started out in a wheelchair. One leg was in a cast the other was in a leg brace. Both legs have metal and the pain has and will always be there. Everyone knew that, but that didn’t stop them from pushing me to get back to life. Was it tough? Yes, but that was so I could get better. If they would it made any easier, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
At what point during your treatment did you start noticing a difference in your health?
I will never forget when I got to walk on the treadmill, when I was able to kick a soccer ball and jump on a block all for the first time. Those are just a couple of the goals that we made, but there were always new goals (running, jumping, stairs, etc.). The fact that they kept making new goals for me was awesome.
In what ways has physical therapy helped you in your daily life?
Physical therapy was a huge part of my life. I needed to be able to walk again and play soccer just as much. I woke up and counted down the days and hours to when I had a PT appointment, then the days until I could play soccer. I don’t need help getting anywhere anymore. I can do whatever I want and if I need help that means everyone else does too.
Was there anything in particular that stood out during treatment?
Amy, Ian, Suzanne and Jason — everyone had faith in me. They pushed me and never gave me time to think I couldn’t do something. Amy and Jason knew it was time for me to leave Puyallup. I was living too far away so they went out of their way to find me someone much closer to me. Jason drove down here to meet with me and Suzanne. I was so scared and nervous. In the end, I was so lucky. Suzanne plays soccer and was ready to keep me going. Two different locations with the same goal.
How have things been since graduating from your PT treatment?
I am playing soccer and running 5Ks. I play at least three days a week and have ran three 5Ks since I finished PT. I wake up every morning in pain and I go to bed in pain, but that doesn’t stop me. The ATI team has done a ton for me and I want to show them I was worth their time. I will never quit until I cannot stand the pain and surgeons tell me to stop. I talked about how hard it was not playing two or three games a night. We all get older and can play less, it just happened a little sooner for me. So I am very happy. There are random road blocks in everyone’s life. For this one, I had to jump on even when it hurt.
To get a better understanding of the role ATI had in Lauren’s recovery, we spoke with Amy Tevis, PTA, to hear about her experience in Lauren’s journey.
What were the biggest challenges during Lauren’s treatment?
Lauren was very scared and angry about her situation. She was very negative and not willing to accept anything we had to offer initially. She was convinced she would never walk, run or play her beloved sport of soccer. She had many issues with her appearance and people staring at her and looking at her legs. Most of the first two to four weeks of her initial therapy was to gain her confidence, improve her overall outlook for the future and start the rehab process with small successes. One of the biggest successes initially was to get her to come into the gym and be around other patients.
What stood out about Lauren during her treatment?
I could tell Lauren wanted to get better, she just had to believe she could. She was and is a fighter, all we had to do was to show her how to succeed. Once she believed she was improving and could see the improvement, she blossomed and became a fierce, determined young woman. I will never forget the first day she was able to walk with the walker. With tears of pure joy — and some pain — her mom was here to videotape while the entire clinic celebrated her accomplishment. Lauren was always appreciative of what we were doing for her but now she was willing to try anything put forth in front of her. She was not going to look back now.
What do you feel were the keys to Laurens treatment successes?
Positive reinforcement and pushing her to do the things I knew she could do. Pushing her to the edge of her comfort zone, but always allowing her to succeed. She needed tough love or someone to “get in her face” about negativity. Lauren truly is a great success story, one I am most proud to have had a hand in. To this day, I am her biggest fan.
Are aches and pains getting in the way of your daily activities?
If you have sustained an injury and are unsure of the steps needed to get back to life before the injury, stop by your nearest ATI Physical Therapy clinic for a complimentary screening and get back to doing you. Our team will assess your injury, provide next step suggestions in care and get you on your way!