SIDNEY — As mother and daughter, Sharon and Danielle Poeppelman expect to share many experiences.
Physical therapy was not one of them.
When the need arose, however, for the Fort Loramie area residents to receive physical therapy late last year, they ended up visiting Upper Valley Medical Center’s Sidney Center Physical Therapy location.
Sharon, a nurse, and Danielle, a high school senior, both worked primarily with center physical therapist Paul Kremer, and occasionally with Jordan Richardson, physical therapist assistant.
Sharon’s injury came first, when she fell in July while performing clean-up work outdoors with some friends. As she was falling, she knew she was in trouble.
She suffered a trimalleolar fracture of the right ankle and was taken to UVMC where her ankle was realigned and splinted. She returned two days later to see orthopedic surgeon Mark Zunkiewicz.
Several weeks after a surgery at UVMC that included placement of four pins, eight screws and a plate in the ankle, Sharon Poeppelman began her physical therapy.
Her goals during the 12-week program were to regain strength and stability in the ankle.
In the meantime, Danielle Poeppelman had a second knee surgery in August to repair a volleyball injury. The surgery was performed at Miami Valley Hospital South followed by therapy with Kremer beginning in October.
Danielle Poeppelman attended therapy twice a week from early October until the end of December. The therapy began lightly with leg lifts and stretching to more demanding exercises designed to help her regain endurance and strength.
The Poeppelmans said they found the Sidney Center location convenient and the staff and facility welcoming.
“It was really nice. They had the equipment we needed. It is small but big enough to meet our needs,” Sharon Poeppelman said. “I cannot say enough about Paul, either. He was phenomenal.”
She praised Kremer’s time spent with Danielle and his support of the young athlete as she dealt with rehabilitation during her senior year.
“He provided emotional support as well as the physical part,” Sharon Poeppelman said. “They pushed her to meet the goals … but did it in an encouraging way.”
Danielle Poeppelman agreed, joking about Kremer making her do intense, but necessary, exercises. “It had to be intense, though, for me to get my strength back,” she said.
The one on one care was “fantastic,” Danielle Poeppelman said.
Sharon Poeppelman said she is pleased with their therapy outcomes. “We have had good results. They made it fun,” she said. “You felt welcome when you came in the door. You felt they were glad you were here.”
