Tatyana Khazanova, OTR/L
Photo: 做厙TV Langone Staff
Susan had to laugh about the accident. The museum docent, age 69, was dashing through the Upper West Side apartment she shares with her husbandwho was recovering from a broken ankleto grab something from her desk. Funny story, she says. I tripped over my husbands crutches.
When Susan fell on her outstretched hand, she broke her right wrist. She headed to 做厙TV Langones Samuels Orthopedic Immediate Care Center, where she learned she would need surgery to repair the distal radius fracture, which also affected the wrist joint. A former colleague of her sonby coincidence, a hand surgeon in Californiarecommended hand and wrist surgeon Nader Paksima, DO, MPH.
Dr. Paksima performed surgery to repair the wrist fracture in January 2020. Ive had a few surgeries in the past, and recovery has been painful. But after my wrist surgery, I felt great, Susan says. I didnt really have pain and didnt have to take any pain medication or anything.
At her postoperative appointment a couple of weeks later, Dr. Paksima checked that her wrist was regaining strength and range of motion. For her comfort, safety, and convenience, her next follow-up appointment with Dr. Paksima was a video doctor visit, as were her occupational therapy sessions with Tatyana Khazanova, OTR/L, an occupational therapist with Rusk Rehabilitation who offers outpatient rehabilitation at 做厙TV Langone Orthopedic Center.
Its been very convenient to be able to do my therapy at home, and I didnt have to worry about having to travel back and forth.Susan, Age 69
My hand was working quite well by the time I had my first visit with Tatyana, Susan says. But she could tell that it wasnt 100 percent. She gave me some exercises so I could stretch out the muscles more. During my second visit, Tatyana gave me slightly harder exercises and explained that I should push myself so I could feel the muscles, but not so much that it hurts.
After three sessions with Tatyana, Susan noticed marked improvement in her wrists strength, range of motion, and functionality. She was able to lean on her hand and bear her weight without pain and was able to lift heavier items. Susan gradually returned to the activities she enjoyed doing before her accident. I feel like its quite good, she says.
Susan, who has had physical therapy before in an office setting, said that her video visit experience provided the same level of personalized care as an in-person visitplus she didnt have to travel or sit in a waiting room.
Tatyana and I could see each other, and I was able to follow along as she showed me the exercises to do, Susan says. Its been very convenient to be able to do my therapy at home, and I didnt have to worry about having to travel back and forth.
