Swedish Medical Center | Swedish Cares | Issue 3

SwedishHospital.com 5 F or Brianne Hester , running is her body and mind therapy. “I’ve come to recognize how much my mental and emotional health depend on my being connected with nature and exercise,” she says. “It’s my way of taking care of myself so I can take care of my family.” Hester, 40, of Arvada, has completed several 5K and 10K races, plus a handful of 13.1-mile half- marathons. And she’s summited 17 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks. But last year, an old ankle injury began to seriously hamper Hester’s active lifestyle. A bad break Hester’s journey with ankle problems began in 2006, when she tripped and fell, severely breaking her left ankle. “It was unglamorous,” she recalls. “I was in high heels, and I caught a piece of flagstone.” A surgeon repaired her broken ankle with plates, screws and other hardware. Even as the injury grounded her, something inside of Hester inspired her to achieve higher goals—literally. Just three months after the accident, Hester hiked up her first 14,000-foot mountain. Then she took up running. “I just got to a point in my life where I wanted to be healthier,” she says. A setback Fast-forward to June 2018. Hester hadn’t had any problems with her ankle. But around the time she began training for her third half-marathon in Washington D.C., her ankle began to hurt now and then. One day, as she carried her young son, pain tore through her ankle, almost causing her to fall. “I said, ‘I have to get this checked,’” she recalls. Hester made an appointment with Frances Faro, MD , a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with OrthoONE at Swedish Medical Center who is fellowship-trained in foot and ankle surgery. Dr. Faro traced the painful problem to the peroneal tendons in Hester’s ankle and recommended exploratory surgery. But it wasn’t until Hester’s operation on Dec. 12, 2018, that the full extent of the damage became clear. Thanks to her successful surgery and recovery, Brianne Hester can continue to enjoy the health and wellness benefits of running and hiking to high and wild places. ‘It felt great!’ Brianne Hester’s determination paid off—she finished a race in San Diego only a minute shy of her previous time. Back in the game... Don’t let joint problems keep you on the bench. Call OrthoONE at Swedish at 303-789-2663 to schedule an appointment today. “Sure enough, the tendon was shredded,” Hester says. “It was the worst-case scenario.” Dr. Faro removed the old hardware from Hester’s ankle and reconstructed her peroneal tendons and lateral ligaments using donor tissues. Going for it! Hester’s recovery included physical therapy and home-based exercises. The hardest part was being limited to non- weight-bearing activities for four weeks. Hester didn’t know if she’d recover in time for a half- marathon in San Diego. But she was determined to run again. Dr. Faro and her team supported her goal to run the race while cautioning against doing too much too soon. In February, Dr. Faro gave Hester the OK to start a walk-run program. The following month, Hester began using a treadmill and a stationary bike in her basement. On weekends, she ran outdoors in the high-mountain air. “The more I ran, the better it felt,” she says. Many advised Hester to be realistic. She could probably finish the race, but it might be slow and painful, they said. But a little less than six months after her surgery, Hester arrived in San Diego and finished the half-marathon in 2 hours, 17 minutes ( just one minute shy of her previous half-marathon finish). “I felt like I exceeded some expectations,” Hester says. “I did it, and it felt great!” Thanks to her successful surgery and recovery, Hester can continue to enjoy the health and wellness benefits of running and hiking to high and wild places. “Dr. Faro did an impeccable job,” she says.