The New York Times—July 22, 2017
The New York Times featured U.S. professional tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands in an article about her recent knee injury at Wimbledon and her post-surgical recovery at HSS. They reported that David W. Altchek, MD, sports medicine surgeon at HSS, performed the surgery to repair her ruptured patellar tendon.
For tennis athletes, Dr. Altchek said that Mattek-Sands didn’t experience a typical injury. "We see this in the N.F.L. and the N.B.A., but I have never operated on a professional tennis player for a ruptured patellar tendon because their footwork and balance are so good. Bethanie’s just too strong for her body. But this is definitely not a career-ender for her," he said.
Reporter Cindy Shmerler describes how HSS physical therapist Ioonna Felix, PT, DPT, OCS, CTPS led Mattek-Sands through exercises during her appointment in order to reduce swelling in the kneecap and improve range of motion. "With this kind of surgery, you really have to respect the healing process," said Felix.
Dr. Altchek attended the therapy session and was impressed by Mattek-Sands’ minimal swelling and enhanced range of motion. According to the reporter, she was able to fold her knee from 20 degrees to nearly 35.
Read the full article at nytimes.com. This article also appeared in the Sunday, July 23, 2017 print edition.
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