Anthony Casterioto
3DPT’s May Patient of the Month, Anthony Casterioto, lives an extremely active lifestyle! His job as a police officer in Berlin Township requires him to stay in his best shape. He works out 2-3 times a day (yes, a day!), loves to run and practices jiu jitsu. So when he sustained a torn ACL, his entire life was affected.
The 3DPT West Berlin team incorporated Blood Flow Restriction into Anthony’s PT to reduce muscle loss after surgery and now Anthony’s on his way back to his normal activities and is looking forward to running soon.
Take a look at a snapshot of his therapy using BFR in the video below and hear Anthony’s take on his injury and recovery so far.
3DPT: Tell us about your injury that brought you to physical therapy and how it affected your life.
Anthony: In February of 2020 I completely tore my ACL in my right knee from an impact while in jiu-jitsu class. This was my first major injury that required me to have surgery. I am normally an extremely active person so this injury really hit hard at first. It has had a substantial impact on both my normal routine and work life. I am a police officer which requires me to be physically fit for duty. I have since been out of work and have had to give up a lot of my normal activities due to the injury.
3DPT: Tell us a little about your recovery process. What was/has been the hardest part of your therapy?
Anthony: Just a day after my surgeon confirmed I had a complete ACL tear, I heard from a friend about 3D physical therapy in West Berlin. There I met with the staff who almost immediately calmed me with their knowledge about my injury. They helped me strengthen my leg using the BFR (blood flow restriction device) both before and after my surgery. I give a lot of credit to the staff’s knowledge and their suggestion to use the BFR machine for my quick progress to getting back to some normal everyday activities.
3DPT: What advice would you give to other people who suffered similar injuries?
Anthony: The best advice I could give to people with similar injuries is know that it’s going to be really hard at first but with the right mindset and hard work it will get better fast. I would also advise anyone to get over to 3D physical therapy as soon as possible. The only reason I have bounced back from surgery so fast is because of their commitment to me and getting my leg back to normal. Without the staff at 3D I believe I would be far behind what my current progress is.
3DPT: Why would you recommend 3DPT?
Anthony: I would strongly recommend 3D Physical Therapy because of their endless commitment to their clients. I truthfully don’t think I would be nearly as strong right now without their expertise. Even during rough times with COVID-19 they have gone above and beyond to make sure I never missed a stride.
3DPT: What are you most looking forward to this summer especially if you’re feeling better?
Anthony: I’m mostly looking forward to getting back to working at full capacity this summer. I work as a police officer so I have to be almost fully recovered to go back to regular patrol work.
3DPT: What’s one thing you’ve missed the most due to your injury?
Anthony: One thing I have missed since my injury is running. Before my injury I was working out 2-3 times a day. Being able to run is the next milestone in my recovery and I look forward to it everyday.
Watch this video to see Anthony’s PT with Blood Flow Restriction and how far he’s come so far.
Blood Flow Restriction Therapy has been very effective for many 3DPT patients over the last year (and countless professional athletes!). By adding BFR to the early stages of rehab we can get the same effect as heavy high load weight lifting without stressing the healing injuries. This is important because we are able to minimize muscle loss during those early stages right after surgery. This leads to our patients getting back to sport, work, or their favorite activities quickly and stronger than ever.
To learn more about BFR and how it works, click here.