After a traumatic foot injury, Kathy Smith of Johns Creek works with Medical Fitness and Wellness Group of Johns Creek to regain her mobility, posture, range or motion, and strength

Pictured left to right: Mike Hardy- Owner Medical Fitness and Wellness Group, Kathy Smith- client and patient of Medical Fitness, Dr. Dan Lambert- Chiropractor with Medical Fitness Not pictured: David Grove - ARP Wave Therapist, Karl Liebengood- Medical Massage Therapist, Kasandra Bandfield- Massage Therapist/Certified Stretch Therapist


Johns Creek, GA - April 5th, 2018 - When Kathy Smith walked through the doors of Medical Fitness and Wellness Group in October of 2016 for a free consultation on her chronic ankle and foot pain, little did she know that less than two years later she would be completely out of pain and able to do things she never thought would ever be possible again.

Kathy broke her ankle back in 2012 falling down some stairs, and had emergency surgery utilizing pins and rods to hold the fractured bones in place. she never imagined the recovery journey she was set to embark on. The pins from the surgery limited her ankle mobility, in-turn, causing her range of motion in her foot to decrease. The muscles weakened enough to the point where she was now favoring the injured ankle, and using the opposite side of her body to make up for the difference. Her walking gait suffered, leading to leg and hip pain on the opposite side of her body due to excessive use.

At 61, this was not the kind of life she imagined for herself. Kathy was active in the Johns Creek community, and now her life consisted of over-the-counter pain killers to deal with the chronic pain. She had to limit, if not, completely eliminate the things that she enjoyed doing and that defined her. She needed a program that would address her holistically. Not just for pain management, but a program that would improve her structure, spinal posture, mobility, range of motion, and strength as well, to get her properly moving again pain-free.

Kathy met with Mike Hardy, the owner of Medical Fitness, and chiropractor at the facility, Dr. Dan Lambert. Mike, Dr. Lambert, and the Medical team offered her a complete solution. She would address her ankle pain and limited range of motion through a comprehensive corrective exercise program utilizing Redcord Suspension Training, chiropractic adjustments, and medical massage therapy. According to Dr. Lambert, “Chiropractic adjustments work to correct structural misalignments and stimulate the nervous system to speed the healing process. Regular care allows us to maintain a recurring problem caused by an abnormal gait while she "favors" the injured leg.” said Dr. Lambert.  

Next, the Medical Fitness team would treat the pain in her left knee. Due to the limited range of motion in her right side, specifically her ankle, where the injury occurred, she was forced to put more weight and stress on her left side, ultimately causing damage to her left knee and hip. She worked with Dave Grove, an ARP Wave Therapist with Medical Fitness and Wellness Group. Accelerated Recovery Performance (ARP) treats the problem at the source, enabling you to fully recover faster and live your life pain-free.

Over the next six weeks Kathy would receive the ARP Wave Therapy treatments, and specific exercise protocols bi-weekly to help force blood-flow to the injured area and promote healing. "With the holistic  approach to my injury, I was almost immediately in a lot less pain., all over relief, and sleeping better!.” said Kathy of her experience at Medical Fitness and Wellness Group. "Our program is not a one size fits all  wellness program, It is a 360 comprehensive approach utilizing several rehabilitation modalities (traditional and non-traditional) to achieve maximum results. Our goal is not to just get you back to the activities of daily living, but to give you your life back!" said owner Mike Hardy.  

Now that Kathy is no longer in chronic pain, she still continues to work with Medical Fitness as part of a monthly wellness plan to sustain her new level of health she has earned and deserves. Kathy has also reached her weight loss goals by including the nutrition program that was offered to her in the wellness plan. "Our program is not a diet. In fact, we call it the un-diet," said owner Mike Hardy. It is a better approach to eating that will balance your blood sugar, and combined with exercise, it will release stored fat, protect lean muscle, eliminate cravings, reduce inflammation, and increase energy throughout the day. It is a science based approach that balances your hormones through food, in-turn, balancing your blood-sugar for safe, and sustainable weight loss."

For more information about our progressive rehabilitation program, chiropractic, nutrition, and our prevention programs, please visit us at EXERCISE4PREVENTION.COM or give us a call at 770-623-4078.  You can also stop by our clinic Monday through Friday from 7am-7pm to schedule a complimentary wellness consultation and see how we can help you achieve your goals for a lifetime.