Time to Heal

Mayton talks off the cuff about surgery and rehab

 After years of industrial electrical work, swinging hammers and carrying heavy conduit day after day, Travis Mayton was experiencing some pretty intense pain in his right shoulder. The co-owner of locally based Trinity Contracting Services knew he needed to take action when leisure time began to hurt as much as heavy lifting.

“It got to the point where if I reached up to get a Coke out of the refrigerator, or reached up to turn the knob on the radio, I was in a lot of pain,” Mayton says. “I could still raise my arm, but it would hurt.”

The thought of rotator cuff surgery was daunting because Mayton didn’t want to take weeks or months away from work for a procedure and rehabilitation, and certainly not out of town. Orthopaedic surgeon Greg Hoover, MD, says the answer to those concerns was right here in Roane County.

“At Roane Medical Center, we have the full spectrum of care for rotator cuff injury. This includes state of the art diagnostics with ultrasound and MRI, a surgery suite with the latest technology, and of course, Patricia Neal Outpatient Center to aid in recovery after surgery,” Dr. Hoover says. “Our surgeons have performed hundreds of arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, so everything you need for shoulder care is all close to home.”

Time to Take Action

There were three tears and a bone spur in Mayton’s rotator cuff, and the surgery included seven anchors, which are small screws fastened into bone to secure the sutures. Mayton only had to miss a few days of work before returning to light duty. Next came physical therapy.

While the rehabilitation process is a long one, Mayton didn’t have to travel far, and the staff at Patricia Neal Outpatient Center worked with him to schedule appointments at the most convenient time possible. Tim Smith, a physical therapist with two decades of experience, guided Mayton through therapy.

“Dr. Hoover is right next door to us,” Smith says. “He’s literally right down the hallway, so any time I have questions it’s nice to have that communication.”

Time Well Spent

Whether the need is rehabilitation after surgery, help with back pain, issues with lymphedema, or any of the myriad of problems physical therapy is designed to treat, making time for therapy is an important choice.

“I think the big benefit that we offer is that we try to give patients tools they can use to help themselves,” says Matt Magee, manager of rehabilitation services at Roane Medical Center. Magee says there is much emphasis on patient education, and empowering patients to take care of themselves.

After surgery and successful therapy, Mayton was looking forward to camping, hunting, fishing and just being able to face more strenuous tasks at work without worrying about how painful they’ll be. You can bet he’s also surfing the radio dial and helping himself to a cold Coca-Cola from the fridge.

Roane Medical Center is equipped with modern technologies and expert staff to provide you the best possible patient care. You can depend on Roane Medical Center to be a partner in caring for you and your family. We continue to grow our services, attract new physicians, and add advanced technology, all while sharing our best practices within the Covenant Health system.

For more information about the Patricia Neal Outpatient Center at Roane Medical Center call (865) 316-2950.

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