When Roberta Brooks and her husband Guy Becken retired, they experienced not only expected changes like a move from Seattle to Lacey, but also unexpected medical developments that led them to Penrose & Associates Physical Therapy. Diving into physical therapy, Brooks is addressing her medical challenges head-on at Penrose. “They keep you going,” she says of Penrose staff.
From Scuba Diving at the Seattle Aquarium to Penrose Physical Therapy
Brooks was a marine science interpreter and scuba diver at the Seattle Aquarium, swimming in the dome tank to feed the fish. When she retired, she began experiencing problems with her lower back and hips due to spondylolisthesis, which occurs when one vertebra slips and moves forward and causes back and leg pain. Her condition reached the point where she could not walk to the mailbox, and she was referred to Penrose Physical Therapy.
“I worked with them for several months, and I felt better,” Brooks says. When she was preparing for a later hip replacement, she worked again with Penrose to condition her muscles and get them ready for that procedure.
“Between my physical therapy and hip replacement, a lot of my problems have been resolved,” she explains. “I can lay in bed at night and not have everything knot up.”
Brooks Says Don’t Let Problems Worsen Before Receiving Physical Therapy
Brooks says her best recommendation for anyone in pain and who would benefit from physical therapy is to begin treatment when daily activities are impacted. “Don’t ignore it,” she says. “Get help. At some point, things don’t get better on their own.”
She says she recognizes that some physical therapy regimens may hurt in the short term, but it’s worth it. “At least in my case it hurt more to ignore it,” she says. “The exercises pay off. There is a huge payoff in the long run.” And Brooks says that Penrose staff help patients in the addressing the mental part how to make physical progress. “What I love about Penrose is, they explain the ‘why’ – why they do it; this is why this will help you,” she says.
“They take everything into account,” she adds. “They don’t say, just do these three exercises. They will do things to keep your whole body going and build on the exercises they give you. They build on your progress.” Thanks to Brooks’ dive into these sometimes-challenging physical therapy channels, she can again walk to the mailbox, and do much more.
Penrose Physical Therapy in Lacey Provides an Experienced Treatment Team
Brooks’ husband and fellow scuba diver also received treatment from the experienced team at Penrose following a stroke. Dr. Jennifer Penrose has been a physical therapist since 2001 with a doctorate in physical therapy. Penrose & Associates Physical Therapy in Lacey was voted the “Best of South Sound” physical therapy clinic in 2023. Visit Penrose Physical Therapy website for more information.
Penrose & Associates Physical Therapy
1445 Galaxy Dr. NE Suite 301, Lacey
360.456.1444
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