After tearing his ACL in a skiing accident in February 2023, Bryan Surek was determined to return to an active lifestyle, especially running and competing in dog agility with his dog. Following surgery with Dr. Steven Chudik and dedicated physical therapy, Bryan returned to the activities he loves.
Can you describe your injury and how it impacted your daily life?
“I tore my ACL as a result of a skiing injury in Steam Boat Springs Colorado. The injury was due to someone lying in front of the lift while I was getting off the chair. I was more mad at the how I was injured rather than that I was injured. I am a conservative skier that takes their time to enjoy the ride. The impact was that in order for me to be active again, I needed to get this fixed. Not being active really wasn’t an option. I wanted to be able to run by myself and with my dog.”
How was your experience with Dr. Chudik and his team?
“From beginning to end, the care and goals were set and then achieved with empathy. Before going into surgery, I told Dr. Chudik, I needed to run again. He told me that his part was the easy part. Mine was the hard part. I didn’t know how to take that, but after going through the PT, he was 100% correct. The PT at IBJI in Avondale and Westmont were great as they knew my goals. They pushed me, and I needed to push myself. If I didn’t put in the effort, there wouldn’t have been success.”
What were some highlights of your recovery journey?
“The highlight would be me being cleared/discharged from PT and being confident that I could run again. Running dog agility with my dog again has been very rewarding. We have been competing in trials and succeeding in what is known as qualifying runs. I enjoy working out in general, but really focused on my legs. The PT gave me exercises that I continue to do to stay strong. Not sure about skiing again yet, but I am confident in running and being more active without any worry about my knee.”
Bryan also shared this update after returning to dog agility competitions:
“Thanks so much for helping me get through my knee issue.
I was determined to run again and run with my dog in dog agility. We have been trialing and doing well, but this past weekend we rocked it and I was running with no hesitation!”
— Bryan Surek