With Grateful Patient, Trey Box

I have been skateboarding for almost 15 years, it is my social circle and beyond that it’s such a huge part of my self-expression and ability to have a physical and creative outlet. Skateboarding is immensely important to my life. 

I moved to Memphis in Spring 2021. The day after I moved in, I went skating and got injured. I knew something was wrong immediately but didn’t know how serious it was. I got recommended to Campbell Clinic by my dad’s good friend, Coach Brian Stewart who was the head coach of Briarcrest football team at the time. He told me that he sends all his players to Campbell Clinic and they do a great job.

When I fully tore my ACL, I felt the snap and knew instantly what was wrong. I couldn’t walk up the steps to get into my house. It was tough. I went in and got an MRI and was assigned Dr. Bernholdt who worked on snowboarders in his residency. Around here, extreme sports do not have a huge presence, so it was so nice to have a doctor understood what I was doing and what I wanted to get back to.  

The Physical Therapy team was super helpful, and everybody was amazing. They were motivating, really listened to my experiences, and what I was dealing with. The PTs really focused on my goals. I sent clips of what I was doing so we could analyze how I could get back to it (the bails and the falls, they are really acrobatic movements.)  In PT, I worked with them to look through the motions I was doing that were not really typical in the recovery process, and they helped me with some custom exercises. More than anything, mentally, it was my passion and outlet, and it was so hard to lose that. PT kept me sane and Campbell Clinic fought for me to keep coverage for those PT visits.

How has your surgery impacted your daily life and overall well-being?

Now I’m stronger than I was before and can leg press 400 pounds!

Physical Therapy gave me a routine. It gave me the discipline to continue doing the stretches and exercises on my own so I could stay strong. 

I am back to my old tricks and have learned some new stuff. Nothing is physically stopping me from doing what I want to do. 

Were there any moments during your care that stood out to you as particularly meaningful?

Everybody at the Medical Center Physical Therapy was amazing. They were motivating and really listened to my personal experiences, and what I was dealing with. The PTs focused on my goals. I even sent clips of what I was doing so we could analyze how I could get back to it. I worked with them to look through the motions I was doing that were not really typical in the recovery process, and they helped me with some custom exercises. More than anything, mentally, being injured was so challenging- losing my passion and outlet, even temporarily, was so challenging. PT kept me sane.

I’m so grateful to the team, this wasn’t their typical case, it’s a different sport, and they were willing to learn and adapt to what I needed.

If you could speak to someone considering supporting our programs, what would you say to them?

Campbell Clinic really cares and they want their patients to get better. I feel like they supported me in a lot of ways and adapted with me.

I never felt like they were doing a job, I feel like they were concerned with my wellbeing.