|
Paul Grems Duncan
Mary and Al have been my coaches since
I had my knee scoped February '07 and through analysis, rehab, and clubbing
me over the head to slow down I am able to train for my first HIM here in
June. This past October I ran the MCM 10K with a PR, and matched my
previous year ('06) Reston Tri numbers last September ('07), all without
injury. They know what they are doing, and how to deal with stubborn people
such as triathletes.
Mike Gillette
The best triathlon decision I have ever made was going to see Mary and Allen
Delaney at Rehab-to-Racing in Herndon. For more than 3 years I struggled with
knee problems. I had been to more than two dozen of the VERY BEST doctors and
physical therapists in Virginia. My guess is that I spent about $30,000 on
surgeries and physical therapy and nothing worked. My final stop was Allen and
Mary. Individually they are incredible, but together they are a tremendous team
that will stop at nothing to get at the root of your problem. Many RATS know
them because they are fixtures in the local triathlon scene, but here is a
little about them...
Mary has been a PT for about 30 years. Allen is the Medical Director of a large
Orthopedic practice in Reston. He now focuses on anesthesiology, but he has an
extensive surgical background. Both are USAT coaches and top age group
triathletes themselves.
But what really sets them apart is that they work as a team. It's almost like
they are detectives. The evaluation they do is about 5 times more thorough than
any exam I have ever gone through. The action plan they provide you a day or two
after your appointment is several pages long and will tell you exactly what you
need to do to solve your problems. I believe the cost is a few hundred dollars
which is nothing compared to what you get.
My only regret is that I didn't see these guys earlier. I feel like everything I
did prior to meeting with them was a waste of time. I promise you that they will
study everything about you until they figure out what is causing your hip pain.
They will then help you make the necessary changes to prevent your pain and to
hopefully avoid a costly surgery.
I have no financial interest in Rehab-to-Racing, but I feel forever indebted to
them for what they did for me. Although I will forever be in the middle of the
back of the pack, I am grateful that I finally have the opportunity to race pain
free.
Scott Yaunches
“It might just be time for you to stop running” (or swimming or biking.) These are the most dreaded words a doctor can say to any athlete. I have had 3 different doctors tell me these words on numerous occasions and it is not a phrase I ever want to hear again. 6 years ago, I was training for what would have been my 1st marathon, Marine Corp. My final long run called for a 22 miler, but I decided to push it to 25. After the run, I felt OK, but spent. As that day went on, my right leg began to hurt from the hip to the ankle, throbbing at first then gradually to stabbing and cramping. Thinking that I just over-did it, and that I was starting my 2 week taper before the race, I just rested, iced and elevated the leg. As the days went on, the pain was not receding. I was having difficulty walking without a limp and running was out of the question. During the next week, I went to doctors and chiropractors to try and get me in shape enough to at least run the marathon. No luck. Race day came and went with me sitting on the sidelines dreaming what could have been.
The next five years were spend running for a few months, developing severe cramps in my right calf sideling me for weeks at a time, getting frustrated, seeing doctors, having them not be able to diagnose any problem and then giving up for a few months. Repeat the above scenario over and over again. (Note: The only positive thing that came out of this injury is that my wife got me into swimming which in a roundabout way, led me to meet the Mary and Al.)
“What are your running goals?” This is one of the first questions the DeLaneys asked me after we spoke about my injury history. That’s not a question a Dr. has ever asked me before. “Run a marathon,” was my response. Within 1 day, the initial diagnosis was compartment syndrome, which would require further clinical testing to verify. A week later, the testing proved the diagnoses and by the end of the month, I had surgery to correct the issue. This was the end of Feb, 2007. By the end of March, I was back in the pool and in May, I started running again.
Six months later, I am running 3-4 miles, 3 times a week. I have a long way to go to reach my goal, but just being able to run, pain free again after 6 years, is a blessing. The DeLaneys are very kind and caring individuals with an incredible wealth of experience who have a genuine concern about you as a person and you being able to achieve your goals. To this day, we still talk regularly regarding my recovery and my training. I will continue to utilize their services to achieve my goal.
Stu Fedderson
Thanks to Mary and Al for helping make my 1st 1/2 Ironman a reality at
age 40.
I found Rehab to Racing through my physical therapist while recovering
from rotator cuff surgery. My goal was to complete a 1/2 IM but I only
had 15 weeks to prepare. My initial interest was to work with Al and
Mary to resolve shoulder and neck pain as a result of poor bike fit and
position. Mission accomplished!
Two additional benefits came out of our engagement. Their thorough
discovery session uncovered that I was in the early phases of plantar
fasciitis. They also provided some efficiency tips on my swim stroke
which yielded immediate improvement in my swim times. Multiple tips and
pointers based on their years of experience were invaluable to my
success in the 1/2 Ironman.
My time spent with Mary and Al was invaluable in my quest for finishing
a 1/2 Ironman pain free. I am signed up next year to do it again!
Mike Gillette
Thanks so much for meeting with me. For the first time, I feel like someone understands my “trick knee” and my race goals. You guys make a great team!
The Columbia triathlon went very well. I beat last year's time by 36 minutes! I
was shocked since I hadn't put in the training that I had hoped to, as my knee pain was so bad. I had no problems on the swim, the bike, and 5 miles of the run. At mile
marker 5, my knee pain returned and I had to walk the last mile. But, prior to
that point, my knee felt great so I didn't run/walk like I had planned. I
kept my cadence high and my steps small but I think the hills just got to my
knees after a while. When I first saw you on May 1, the knee pain started after as little as
1 mile so I was prepared to bail out of Virginia Run and Columbia. I implemented the changes you recommended and three weeks later, I could go 5 miles without pain. I think this is great progress and am very happy that I was able to finish both races.
Thanks again for all your help!
Bob Jennings
Saturday, June 30th. It’s my last long training ride before the long awaited taper for IMUSA… seven hours on the bike followed by a one hour run. This is my best training ride of the year. I’m feeling strong in the saddle, maintaining a high cadence, my nutrition plan is dialed in and I’m going to ride for 110 plus miles for the first time ever. This ride is almost in the record books until a 10 year old girl rides her bike directly right in front of me without looking for oncoming traffic. I’m in my aero bars, moving at 20MPH, and I don’t have time to brake or swerve. It’s a direct hit and we both crash to the pavement. I hit the ground hard landing on my head and left shoulder. My helmet cracks in three places, the shoulder pain is instant and my bike is damaged. A small crowd forms and the little girl quickly disappears. According to the bystanders she does not have significant injuries. This could be a season ending injury, seven months of training wasted.
Traveling to the hospital, the outlook does not look good. It was going to be a long, painful and uncertain weekend. However, good news starts coming in small increments. The emergency room confirms that I did not break bones, I merely separated my shoulder but I may need surgery. I’ll need to see an orthopedist on Monday. Charlotte calls Al and Mary from Rehab to Racing. They provide a number of suggestions, call the orthopedist for me personally and have me scheduled for the first appointment on Monday morning. The orthopedist confirms that I have a level three AC separation. His diagnosis:
- Surgery may be required but not right away.
- My shoulder will “hurt like hell” but I can not do additional injury.
- I can do Iron Man if I regain mobility and feel up to it. Incidentally, the doctor tells me that he advises “normal people” to refrain from physical activity during recovery but triathletes are “different” because we are more physically fit and have a high pain threshold.
- I should see Mary at Rehab to Racing to learn about taping and mobility exercises. A few days later Mary teaches “Shoulder Taping 101” and she provides me with exercises to regain mobility. They work great and my arm movement returns significantly. In fact, days after my visit I can raise my arm above my head.
Five days after the accident I resume training starting with the bicycle. There is pain in my shoulder but I can tolerate it. Eight days after the accident I begin to run again. There is more pain in my shoulder but I can tolerate it. As the days go by the pain gradually turns into discomfort. Two weeks after the accident and eight days before the Iron Man I go for the big test, swimming. I managed to swim for 45 minutes. I was headed to Lake Placid! So I completed my Iron Man!
You may be familiar with an old saying: it takes a village to raise a child. I can also tell you that it also takes a village to raise an Iron Man and a village crossed the finish line with me on that very special Sunday evening. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything.
Dixon
I feel most fortunate to have been put on the "road to recovery" by Allen
and Mary DeLaney. How lucky can one be to find a sports-oriented doctor,
who himself is an athlete, willing to discuss your physical problem in
detail and offer a really comprehensive and workable solution? His discovery of the hernia I experienced almost one year ago and his accurate diagnosis of a subsequent hernia resulting in two operations last fall by an excellent doctor he recommended, helped to get me started on a much needed program designed to get me back in the physical shape I was in over a year ago.
Mary's program consisting of specific stretching exercises along with
Allen's 90-day exercise plan have finally begun to "pay off" although I had
my doubts at first. The pain in my groin, the result of my bike accident
seven years ago, has not gone away but I am managing to handle it both
physically and mentally, thanks mostly to Allen's expertise and his
optimistic outlook as to my recovery. At age 82, after 30 years of
competitive running, I thought last fall that my days of running were
definitely over. Today, after my one mile walk which gets easier daily, I
am thinking I just might manage a 5K race come late fall or more
realistically next spring. At the risk of sounding over solicitous, kudos
to the DeLaneys for their "Rehab to Racing" Program.
Yvette F Ziols
Thank you Coaches DeLaneys ~ I am back on the course again!
I thought I would be stuck on the sidelines for the rest of my triathalon training career with the chronic hip pain I was experiencing. Over the course of almost two years, I had been to see five doctors, two physical therapists, had a series of MRI's and x-rays to try and get to the bottom of my hip issues with absolutely no avail.
It wasn't until recently when a friend told me about the DeLaney's, http://rehabtoracing.com/ that I decided to give it one more shot before I turned my back on seeing any transition area again.
In a little over an hour, the DeLaney's asked boat loads of questions, made lots of small changes, but I walked away with monumental improvements and the diagnose I had been waiting for for years! Their approach to finding problems is age old, but again, it has proven to be more effective than the dozens of medical professionals I encountered had suggested.
The DeLaney's not only properly diagnosed me (with piriformus syndrome and bursitis in my hip) but they also devised the right training schedule to stop me from training improperly (over-training). Without their approach, knowledge and complete wisdom, I wouldn't have been able to see the drastic improvements and increases in my overall fitness level and I certainly wouldn't be continuing to train for my 1/2 Ironman! Thank you!!
When I called the DeLaney’s I wasn’t sure what was possible. Would I be able to meet them, plea my desperation to finish the largest race I’ve ever done and accomplish these goals before time ran out? Before I began working with them, I had thoughts of giving up racing, but after tapping into their vast knowledge and skills of ‘repairing injured athletes’, I was back to training. We worked hard over several months; tweaking schedules and methods, conducting daily check–ins and anything to get me on track. I finally felt I was making progress and I certainly wouldn’t be writing this race report if it hadn’t been for them, so thank you Mary and Al!
Katie Davison
 |
Thanks to Mary and Al I am on the road to recovery after over 2 years with a stress fracture in my femoral neck. After starting to work with them we found out I have osteoporosis in my hips. Why osteoporosis at 28? Then we discovered that I have Celiac disease, when you do not absorb nutrients, such as calcium, as a result of a gluten-intolerance. So I am finally starting to heal and getting so much stronger along the way. They are wonderful and treat me as their own daughter. I always call them after my races or big training events, and especially when they go well. I want them to be proud of me.
Last weekend Mary and Al accompanied Julie O and I to the Burlington YMCA 8-mile swim across Lake Champlain from NY to VT. Mary was my support kayak. The last mile or so the current turned towards us and I really started to lose it. She was my only encouragement at this time and I don't know how I would have done it without her. She was probably ready to beat me wth her paddles when I started having a temper tantrum with about a mile left. :)
|
|
|
