A Dancer’s Miracle Through Physical Therapy
Every patient, different or alike, has a passion. For 17-year-old Julianne Long, hers is dancing. Like all sports, what starts out as a recreational hobby becomes a passion. And soon that passion develops into a lifestyle. Julianne began dancing at four years old and her love for the sport became more than just a hobby. Her passion for competitive dancing began after developing a natural skill from countless years of practice. To say she developed an addiction to the sport is an understatement. After years of hard work and dedication, Julianne’s talent led her to the dance program at Arizona State University, where she’d continue doing what she loved. Nothing could stop her from competitively dancing, until the years of sharp twists and overstretching finally came back to haunt her.
During her normal routine performing at a cheer camp the team hosted in November, Julianne suffered an MCL sprain in her left knee. The injury prevented her from performing her school-level competitive dance routines without experiencing significant pain. After the diagnosis, Julianne displayed clear symptoms of patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and stabilization deficits in proximity to her left lower extremity. Julianne began to fear that the injury may result in her no longer being able to attend Arizona State University and ultimately end her dancing career. With her entire future in jeopardy, Julianne turned to ATI Physical Therapy.
Julianne began therapy immediately following the diagnosis of her injury. With dance being the most important aspect of her life, our staff was determined to reunite Julianne with her passion for dance. After one month of therapy, Julianne was discharged and ready to compete again. Her quick recovery led to an improved ability to dance and a new hope for what the future holds.
Now that her treatment is over, we caught up with Julianne to learn more about her experience and how PT gave her the strength to overcome all obstacles.
What circumstances led to you needing physical therapy?
As a competitive dancer, our team hosts a camp for young girls as a fundraiser every year. On the last day of camp, we were showing the girls one of our routines and part of the routine required me to lift one of my teammates in the air. I didn’t have a strong enough grip on her and she was about to fall on her head so as I was trying to brace her fall until my left knee snapped and I fell down on it. I couldn’t finish the routine and had to go to the doctor the next morning. I found out I had bruised MCL and a minor tear.
What expectations (positive or negative) did you have going into therapy?
This was actually my third time going into physical therapy at ATI. I’ve had problems with my right knee my whole life and my orthopedic doctor had me go for two to four month periods. Because it was never a specific injury to treat, most treatments involved continuous stretching and strength exercises to make sure both sides of my body were equivalent in strength. This time, however, it was a whole different experience because I was having a hard time even walking and they had to focus on my MCL specifically. It’s frustrating when you’re being restricted from your sport, but I was excited to be treated as fast as possible.
What was your treatment like? Was it tougher or easier than you expected?
My treatment was tougher than I expected. Not because I expected it to be easy but because I was so restricted and held back with my injury, which led to more frustrations and wanting to give up. It wasn’t the exercises I struggled with, but the mind block I faced during recovery.
At what point during your treatment did you start noticing a difference in your health?
I was supposed to be in PT for two weeks. After the two weeks, one of my therapists did the same tests when I first arrived and saw little improvement. I still couldn’t walk straight and my leg was still in constant pain. It was so defeating and he added on two more weeks. I was frustrated and mad because I was ready to give my all and I didn’t want my teammates and coaches to be upset with me. I kept on wearing my knee brace and I kept icing every day, taking it slow and knowing my limits. Until one night everything changed. I remember showing up to therapy and saying I felt perfectly fine. My therapist disagreed and said I was just tired of coming into therapy. But after one night I was walking, jumping around and starting to dance again. This was only about three and a half weeks into my treatment.
In what ways has physical therapy helped you in your daily life?
If it wasn’t for my therapists Steve, Kent and Paige at the Griffith, Ind., clinic, I would not be dancing the way I am today. For someone who dances six days a week, I was fully recovered and back to my lifestyle by the time I graduated from ATI.
Was there anything in particular that stood out during treatment?
I was actually sad when my treatment ended because I grew really close with all my therapists. I would tell them everything about my day and they would all listen and give me good advice. They even helped me study for my Anatomy tests. It was such a friendly and personal environment and that’s what stood out the most.
How have things been since graduating from your PT treatment?
Since graduating from PT, I’m back to dancing. Our team is currently undefeated for the season and looking to defend our title as regional champions and striving to earn a state title. If I had not recovered from my injury, I would never be able to enjoy these moments with my team and contribute to our success. I’m so thankful for ATI for being my biggest fan and encouraging me to keep pushing. If it wasn’t for their confidence in me, I would have never healed as fast as I did.
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!