Patient Testimonials - Sarah

Burke – Fractured Elbow

Sarah, a young gymnast, has a passion for her sport and a determination to compete like that of athletes twice her age. In November of 2004, when she landed wrong on the trampoline while practicing, it was immediately apparent that her elbow was fractured. Sarah was taken to the nearest emergency room for treatment, and while waiting, she bravely put her own dislocated elbow back in place. However, her elbow was still fractured in two places and needed further treatment.

Based on the positive referral of a family friend, Sarah’s parents chose to take her to a surgeon at Commonwealth Orthopaedics who ordered an MRI and placed her arm in a cast for several weeks. Once her cast was removed, Sarah participated in physical therapy at Commonwealth three times a week for five months to rehabilitate her stiff elbow. Although therapy was extremely painful as she had to forcefully train her arm to straighten again, Sarah and her family credit the therapy for her total recovery. 

Her mother recalls, “It was very important to Sarah to compete that year, so we were very faithful to therapy. Without it, her elbow would have healed incorrectly.”

During peak competition season from November through early spring, Sarah was able to go to the gym and stay in shape even as her elbow recovered.  In fact, she competed in the second to last competition of the year and qualified for the State Championships. She then competed at State with a healed elbow—a feat her mother describes as “amazing”!  

Today, Sarah continues to participate in gymnastics with a 100% healed elbow…and with the enthusiasm and endurance characteristic of a champion.