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Laurel
Doremus
Physical Therapist, Mt. Tam Orthopedics
Mountain biker
San Rafael, California
"You've
got to know that I've known Myles ever since he was racing in cutoffs,
and winning. And I was there when Myles first medalled in France
in '93.
Normal
people go into a rut after an injury, which is OK, but a world class
athlete wants to loose as little as possible during the time his
injuries heal.
Myles
has such strong mental concentration and wanted to do whatever could
be done. And we did everything. He had a big deficit in his left
leg. So we did increasingly difficult drills at the ankle. Since
all neuromuscular activity has to pass through the knee, he got
a secondary effect to the knee.
We
made his back and truck tremendously strong so when he started to
stand, his back and truck could support him and help support his
lower extremities. He later had lazer surgery in Vail with Dr. Sterett,
a process called thermal shrinking. It accomplished a great deal
to strengthen the ligament, while being as least invasive as possible.
What
was remarkable was the attitude he brought to clinic everyday. When
he left he'd say, 'Thank you…I'm one day closer to recovery.' I
appreciated that, not just because it's a pleasure to work with
that attitude, but it was helpful for others who were in the clinic.
Most people there have never done anything more than walk down their
driveway. And when they injure themselves, they are angry and despondent
and want somebody to pass a magic wand over them instead of working
to get better. Then there's Myles, who's life is really affected,
coming and going in a wheelchair and saying 'Thank you'. He brought
the whole clinic up.
Adversity
is a challenge, not God spitting on you. It's the things that rock
our boat, that really grab our attention that makes us change.
Myles
appreciated every step of the process which was making him better.
He has that attitude. And he wears that attitude so unself-consciously,
as though he's not even aware of it." "
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