One night while going downstairs in dim lighting, I thought I was on the bottom stair, but evidently, there was one more step! Thinking I was at the bottom, I took a wide step out onto what I thought would be the hardwood floor, only to come down really hard on the side of my left ankle. The pain was indescribable, and a trip to the hospital determined that I had torn ligaments. I was sent home on crutches, with little instruction on my rehabilitation. Within a day or two, I contacted my registered massage therapist, Ronda Wiesner, who immediately told me about Karen Shatford, a Certified Athletic Injuries Therapist whom Ronda highly recommended, crediting Karen for the complete and speedy recovery of her mother's injured ankles earlier in the year. Karen's treatment brought me literally instant results, and she had me off the crutches and onto healing the very day I saw her. She used various pieces of equipment (such as ultrasound), as well as manual massage, to work down the swelling and accelerate the healing process. She taught me various home exercises, and gave me clear and specific instructions to assist me in my own rehabilitation between visits. I wouldn't have thought to see an Athletic Injuries Therapist for my treatments, because I am not an athlete. Now that I know such a profession exists, I will not hesitate to return to Karen in the future, should I sustain any other musculoskeletal injuries.

My mother was injured this summer during the Midland Tornado. She incurred injuries to both her feet after our black lab became spooked and ran away, dragging my mom behind her. My mother broke her one foot in two places, and severely sprained and bruised the bone in the other. She was incapable of moving on her own but refused to go to the hospital as she felt it would be inundated with victims from Smith's Camp.....We didn't know what to do, then we remembered that Karen is a first responder and called her. She came down immediately. She assessed my mom and treated her based on the results of the assessment. She splinted her feet and began applying ice. We eventually convinced my mom to go the hospital and Karen stayed with her until the ambulance arrived. At the hospital Karen's assessment was confirmed. Within days of the accident, Karen started a treatment plan with my mom to help her regain mobility of the sprained foot and maintain the strength in her legs so that her muscles wouldn't atrophy as her broken bones healed. She developed a program that helped her progress from being confined to a wheel chair, to using a cane (and literally retraining herself to walk again), to actually walking without aid. My mom is convinced that if it weren't for Karen's expertise, she would still be confined to the wheel chair. We are deeply grateful that we were able to find someone in Midland with such extensive knowledge in injuries and rehabilitation