Russel Barnes may just be one of the last cowboy kids in Wyoming. But when a shoulder injury threatened his ability to stay tall in the saddle, Teton Therapy made a lasting difference in his recovery.
Helping out with family ranch chores this past March, Russel was riding “one of the bigger, more ornery horses” helping gather lost cattle. “The horse bucked five times before he bucked me off,” Russel explains, “and when I hit the ground, I knew that I broke something.”
The resulting fractured humerus – the long bone that runs between shoulder and elbow – sent Russel on the trail to Dr. Jay Arthur in Casper, and then to Teton Therapy for physical therapy.
For Russel, working with the staff at Teton Therapy’s Lander clinic was actually fun. “I like going there. I like getting stretches done on my arm and I’m glad to get my strength back.”
“Children have a unique ability to heal that’s not seen at other stages of life,” says Teton Therapy Physical Therapist Andrew Bosselman, PT, DPT. “Because their bodies are constantly developing, they have all they need to build and repair tissue whether it’s bone, muscle, tendon or nerves.”
Getting active kids, like Russel, back to doing the activities they love is important, too, says Bosselman. “Children tend to be less cautious and less in tune with the signals their bodies send them, so a quick return to full function also ensures that they don’t needlessly extend their healing process by being too active too soon.”
Russel’s mother Lindsey, agrees. “I’m really grateful that Teton Therapy is helping him get back his range of motion and back to doing what he loves, faster.”
Now that Russel is almost completely recovered, he has one goal in mind: “I’m looking forward to riding bigger, ornerier horses!”
Ready to get back in the saddle and move on from pain or injury? Give Teton Therapy a call and schedule your free consultation today. In Lander: 307-332-2230. In Riverton: 307-857-7074. Or find us on the web at TetonTherapypc.com.
Throughout the month of June, Teton Therapy is celebrating the amazing, inspiring, fun, and funny patients who make our clinics the incredible places they are. Watch this space for more posts about our patients’ success stories, and if you’d like to be one of these stories, schedule your free pain consultation today!
