I came to Tri-County after a skiing accident in Vermont in January 2024. One of the things that really drew me in was the availability of the walk-in clinic. I was told after the accident that going to the ER likely wouldn’t do much since I wasn’t in pain and ultimately needed an MRI. From the very beginning, everyone at Tri-County was incredibly helpful and responsive to any questions I had. After learning the extent of my injury, Dr. Epstein was very honest and upfront about what my recovery plan would look like after surgery.

As a runner, I told Dr. Epstein that my biggest goal was simply to be able to run again. At that point, I had completed more than 20 half marathons, including three World Majors — Berlin, Chicago, and New York — and running had been a huge part of my life for nearly 10 years. After completing prehab, I underwent surgery in March 2024, which thankfully went smoothly without any complications. I truly believe using the CPM machine during the early stages of recovery helped prevent scar tissue issues and set me up for seven months of steady, consistent progress in physical therapy.

Throughout every check-in, Dr. Epstein was thorough, kind, empathetic, and always took the time to listen. By following the recovery plan with my physical therapist, I was able to start jogging again in late June. I finished PT in early September and was back running 5Ks by the end of the month. That winter, I also returned to skiing — with a brace for added confidence and safety. Just over a year after surgery, I completed the 2025 Jersey City Marathon after having to defer because of my injury.

The experience also changed the way I approach training. Since recovering, I’ve made strength training a consistent part of my running routine, and I’m now running better than I was before the accident. Since then, I’ve completed races in the SuperHalfs series in Lisbon, Valencia, and Berlin, and I’m excited to see where both my legs and this newfound perspective take me next in my running journey.