Savannah Walls

Savannah Walls first heard about Joint Active Systems (JAS) from her physical therapist, Chris Moore MPT, OCS, SCS. Soon after, her mother, Amy contacted JAS to inquire about the knee device. As she recounted her daughter's journey to this point of enduring over 80 physical therapy sessions and 3 surgeries with minimal progress in straightening her leg since her initial surgery six months ago, I could sense the depth of her desperation and knew this family would do whatever it takes to help their daughter.

Pre Injury/About Savannah

As a determined teenager, Savannah found her passion in competitive high school sports. Initially, she played basketball and soccer. Her natural talent quickly became evident, so much so that the football coach invited her to become the first female kicker. Savannah's parents proudly describe her competitive spirit and passion for sports from a young age, which grew even stronger as the years went on. 

Injury

At the top of her game, Savannah was soaking in every opportunity she could on the field and court.  Everyone could feel the momentum in the air as the high school basketball team inched towards the chance to play in the state championship.  Little did Savannah know she would be cheering on her team from the bench following a devastating soccer injury, tearing her ACL, MCL, and meniscus, also known as the unhappy triad.

Surgery 1 of 3

For months following her first surgery, Savannah was diligent with every aspect of her rehabilitation program, enduring challenging physical therapy sessions, hopeful she would regain her mobility.  Despite her compliance, she was being held back by the relentless grip of a stubborn contracture.

A letter from her physical therapist, Chris Moore MPT, OCS, SCS, details the initial months following her knee surgery.

“Miss Savannah Walls underwent L ACL reconstruction on 11-14-2022 and has been under my care at Mountain State Physical Therapy since 11-18-22. Unfortunately, Miss Walls has not had the typical recovery process from ACL reconstruction. Despite having physical therapy 2x/week since her surgery she developed scar tissue in her L knee, which caused a knee flexion contracture. This contracture makes walking normally impossible, and it has made progressions with physical therapy nearly impossible as well.”

Back on the court, her basketball team was having an incredible year, which motivated Savannah to push even harder towards recovery.  She wasn’t the only one to experience an injury and surgery mid-season, but as time passed, she began to feel embarrassed as the girl on the bench wearing a knee brace and still limping. She couldn’t understand why her injury was so different from that of other players she had seen with similar injuries.   

Every physical therapy visit became a battle against her stiff knee.  She pushed through the pain and tears with her muscles screaming in protest as she strained against the resistance of the kettlebells and ratchet strap. No matter what she and her therapist tried, the contracture remained the barrier standing between her and the hope of recovery. 

Surgery 2 of 3

The follow-up appointment with her surgeon did not go as planned. A second surgery was scheduled to clean out the scar tissue and address the lack of knee extension range of motion. It felt like an answer and a step towards achieving her goals, but sadly it turned into another cruel twist in her recovery journey as she developed an infection that led to yet another surgery. As Savannah and her family eagerly waited for the doctor to tell them when she could play sports again, Dr. Fazalare was forced to share the grim news that the goal at this time is not sports, but rather to achieve the ability to walk across the stage to obtain her high school diploma.

Surgery 3 of 3

In a letter written by her physical therapist, he stated that, “After the 2nd surgery, she developed an infection which caused severe swelling and again more loss of knee ROM and lost time in the rehab process. She underwent a 3rdsurgery to address & clean out the infection in March 2023. Since that time Savannah has attended PT regularly and has made some significant improvements. However, despite my best efforts and spending 20-30 minutes at each session stretching on her knee, she continues to lack 10-15 degrees of knee extension and cannot walk with a normal gait pattern.”

JAS Recommendation

Months after her initial injury, Savannah found herself trapped in the whirlwind of surgery, pain, and uncertainty about her recovery.  That’s when her therapist mentioned a “special brace” he had used on another patient. He wrote a letter to the insurance company requesting approval for a JAS device, which stated, “Based on prior experience with a few similar cases, I recommended that we try a JAS brace which provides static progressive stretch at the patient’s home to help achieve full knee ROM. I feel that this type of brace is essential to helping Savannah eliminate her knee stiffness and return to walking normally again. Dr. Fazalare, Savannah’s surgeon, has agreed with this course of action. I also hope this course of action could help her return to what she loves….playing basketball and soccer again in the future. I feel that a rental of the JAS brace for 4-6 weeks would be sufficient and effective in this case. Please approve the use of this device as it could be the key to helping this young lady regain her quality of life and help to end this series of unfortunate events in her life.”

JAS

Savannah’s healthcare team was thrilled to learn that the insurance company approved the device. Her measurements were sent to JAS to fabricate a device just for her. The local JAS representative completed a fitting, and with that Savannah was anxious to see if this was the key to regaining her quality of life. 

The changes were immediate, and as mom recounts, “even the physical therapist couldn’t believe it because before her leg wasn’t budging.” The first day she was at 15 degrees, and the next day 8, and the day after that 6. As she made progress, the gains allowed her to start focusing her time in therapy on strengthening & functional exercises. For the first time, she was able to complete jumping exercises. She no longer spent the first part of her therapy session stretching. Her progress was tangible arriving at therapy, hopping right on the bike for warm up, and then straight to work on exercises she hadn’t been able to complete since her injury. As her leg got straighter and she began walking without a limp, she felt her strength return, which reignited her competitive spirit and dreams of working towards collegiate sports.

Balance is crucial to the recovery process. No longer confined to the therapy table with ratchet straps and kettlebells, Savannah had the freedom to enjoy her summer without setbacks from missing physical therapy appointments.  She felt a new sense of freedom, which significantly impacted her overall emotional and mental health. Day by day, the hope of achieving her dreams became a reality once again. 

After JAS

Today, her parents watch with pride as their daughter, who they thought may only gain the ability to walk without a limp, now runs across the soccer field and basketball court where her competitive spirit and determination shine the brightest. Her smile is a testament to her resilience after a long, arduous recovery journey. Despite it all, this family emerged stronger together.

Conclusion

For Savannah’s mom, Amy, it’s easy for her mind to drift back to the days when things seemed bleak and her daughter’s dreams of playing sports again felt impossible. The countless physical therapy visits, doctor appointments, and emotional highs and lows tested both their strength. Savannah’s parents were desperate to see their vibrant and energetic daughter filled with joy again, and with unwavering support from family, healthcare professionals, coaches, and JAS, Savannah regained her knee range of motion and, most importantly, her quality of life. Reflecting on over 100 physical therapy visits, many braces, and multiple surgeries Savannah and her family wish they would have got the brace a lot sooner, but overall they are simply grateful for the JAS brace as it gave her another chance at living out her dreams.

Joint Active Systems is beyond grateful to have been a part of Savannah’s recovery story, and we look forward to all she will accomplish in her future.