Ohio Valley Put Me Back in the Race

I’ve always been a runner. In 2002, my husband and I started competing in marathons, running 26.2-mile races. We decided to try duathlons in 2007, which includes bicycle racing and marathon running. Ready for a bigger challenge, we graduated to training for triathlons in 2010. A triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run.

In 2012 we competed in our first “Ironman” competition in Louisville, KY. It was an incredible experience, and we were hooked! Now, all our training and competitions build us up for future Ironman contests. In January 2013, I participated in the local “Splash and Dash” competition, where you swim 1,000 meters and run a 5K race. I was outside running when I hit a patch of black ice and fell. I thought I was OK, so I continued running.

Not long after the “Splash and Dash,” I noticed that my left foot often felt numb, and I became easily tired and fatigued. I didn’t have any pain, though, just these strange symptoms. Something was definitely not right. I kept competing, though, since I wasn’t in pain. A friend noticed that I was dragging my left foot when I ran and urged me to get it checked out. In April, 3 months after I fell, I went for medical care. I was diagnosed with 3 herniated discs in my back and nerve damage. The nerve damage caused muscle loss in my left leg and was the reason for the numbness in my foot.

My physician recommended physical therapy, and I chose Ohio Valley Surgical Hospital. With my therapists’ supervision, I was able to continue my competitive cycling, but I was under strict orders: NO running. My Ohio Valley physical therapy team helped me build back my core strength and, thanks to their excellent care, I am running again. They helped me return to what I love, which is high-level competition (and winning)!

Thank you, Ohio Valley.