Exercise Enthusiast Back to Active Lifestyle

Since he discovered exercise in high school, Bennett Brookstein went on to a life filled with running, cycling, weight lifting, swimming – just about any activity that kept him moving. Today, Brookstein says he can’t imagine a life without exercise.
“I used to quit everything when I was younger,” he says, “then I found that I loved working out and I haven’t stopped since.”

Unfortunately, Brookstein hit a speed bump about four years ago when he discovered that his left knee felt “looser” than his right knee. Knowing that something wasn’t quite right, he sought out a doctor who specialized in sports-related injuries.

“I knew that the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute had a good reputation and was known for its sports medicine program,” Brookstein says.

“I’ve been to many doctors but I wanted to see someone who specialized in knees.”

Seeing an orthopedic physician for a sports-related injury might scream “operation” to some, but Brookstein was treated non-operatively by Marc Harwood, MD, a non-surgical sports medicine physician at the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute.

Dr. Harwood examined Brookstein’s knee and ran several tests. His diagnoses: patellar tendonitis, a condition that arises when the tendon and the tissues that surround the knee become inflamed and irritated. Brookstein underwent four weeks of rehabilitation with a Rothman physical therapist. This resulted in a much stronger knee and a return to the active lifestyle he loved.

“I’m not a thrill seeker or a superstar athlete, but I always have to be doing something to keep my heart rate up. I think positively and just don’t stop.

Now I recommend the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute to everyone I know.”