I would like to share my SUCCESS STORY with you. Actually it is “DAVE SHERMAN’S SUCCESS STORY”. He is my personal trainer and the one who accomplished what I was told could not be done. I fractured my back and had a very complex surgery which left me in a fully body brace for close to a year. I spent some time in Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Spinal Rehabilitation Unit before coming home to Home Care Physical Therapy, which gradually allowed me to walk which a walker and a nursing assistant. I gradually was able to walk for a few more minutes each week. During this time I was unable to do anything but lie down and stand. By the time the bone grafts healed and the body brace came off I was unable to bend, sit in a chair or even put on my own shoes as they were out of reach.
Another year was spent in Out-Patient Physical Therapy. That left me able to do a little more but still unable to bend, or even sit in a chair for more than a few minutes at a time. I still had to manually lift my left leg to transfer in and out of the car, and was still using Appliances which are made for the handicapped. Needless to say I was quite unhappy about being so physically limited, but the Physical Therapist told me I had reached my maximum and was therefore deemed “Fully Rehabilitated with Permanent Limitations”.
DAVE SHERMAN then entered the picture. He stretched and worked muscles that had not been addressed at all. He set up a daily program for me that, although very difficult for me at the time, quickly became very rewarding. When the day came when I was not only putting on my own shoes without having to use Appliances, but even tying my own laces, I Celebrated! Not a big deal prior to the injury but now a monumental task.
Upon my last return to the University of Miami I was amazing them with a much higher level of strength, flexibility and range of motion than they ever expected me to achieve. Dave also taught me stretching exercises for muscle spasms which have worked so well I have practically eliminated using medications for relief. Working under Dave’s direction, with his knowledge and positive attitude was the answer to my disability. The increased level of activity which I am now capable of was not supposed to happen. I am deeply grateful to be his client. Thank you for the opportunity to share this SUCCESS STORY.