Elisa Schneider had been running for most of her adult life. She first saw Dr. Alfandre due to hip pain, then again while training for the Philadelphia Marathon for severe muscle strain two weeks out from the race. Each time, Dr. Alfandre helped ensure she could continue running.
Then in the fall of 2022, her calf began to hurt. She went to physical therapy and even the chiropractor because her mechanics seemed off. Thinking she didn’t need surgery, she went to another local provider and the unthinkable happened.
That doctor said, “You will never run again.”
She immediately called OrthoNY and went back to Dr. Alfandre now knowing that surgery was potentially on the table. And Dr. Alfandre’s words put her at ease, “we’re going to get you back running.”
In December of 2022, Dr. Alfandre performed a Medial Meniscal Repair on Elisa’s left knee. With time, her knee began to get stronger. “Injuries like Elisa's do not mean the end of the road. With current advanced surgical techniques, patients like Elisa can not only safely get back to running and sports, but the surgery also supports long term preservation of the knee joint, oftentimes preventing the need for knee replacement in future," Dr. Alfandre shared.
After giving her knee time to recover and completing a home exercise program provided by Dr. Alfandre, she felt she was ready and laced up her running shoes. She soon began training for her first race. Since then, she has run three races with her most recent begin the Delightful (formerly Freihofer’s) Run for Women on June 1, 2024.
“I am so thankful to Dr. Alfandre. He gave me hope. I went to that first appointment with him holding so much fear. I had been told by the other doctor I would never run again and that was crushing. Dr. Alfandre was confident and calm. And when he said, I’m going to get you running again – I believed I would. I knew I was in the right hands.”
The comprehensive orthopedic & sports medicine care at OrthoNY covers everything from sprains and complex fractures to sports injuries and total joint replacement. If you are suffering from chronic pain or if a recent injury is keeping you from doing the things you love, learn more about how OrthoNY can help you by visiting.us at orthony.com or by calling (518) 489-2663.
Dr. Charles Buttaci- A GEM IN HIS FIELD
I first went to Dr. Buttaci, handsome young man about 15 years ago for a slip disc in my back, I was scared to death, being a person in long term recovery, I did not want to be on a pain narcotic, he was so supportive and also don't like giving out Narcotics, this made him my kind of Dr. He told me about the cortisone injections again scared and didn't want anything in my back due to the many horrible stories about you can get paralyze if someone hits the wrong item in your back. I went home and though about it, the pain became so great, I let Dr, Buttaci give me the injection in my back, fast forward, here I am back 15 years later for injection in my hip. (So glad he still around) I felt confident and assuring because of my last experience and his kind manner, and the way he explain my conditions and options to my understanding . I would recommend him to anyone. Dr. Buttaci I am still trying to find out how I got this old hip as young as I am, lol :) Thank You.