Conditions + Treatments
Foot Injury/Condition
I grew up in Bibb County, Alabama, and from my earliest days, I was always on the move. I’ve been athletic for as long as I can remember playing ball as a child, and as an adult my passion turned to running and loving the thrill of competition.
At 25 years old, I was presented with an incredible opportunity - to play professional softball. It was a dream offer for someone who grew up living and breathing sports.
However, at that pivotal moment, I made the difficult decision to turn it down, believing it was time to focus on starting a family.
Even so, the game never left my heart, and the drive to stay physically active remained a central part of who I am through every season of life.
As I got older, I kept running, playing ball, and even took up trail running. But life has a way of throwing curveballs.
Over the years, I faced setbacks - most notably, recurring battles with basal cell skin cancer. Treatments left me sidelined at times, dealing with pain and recovery when I would have rather been out running.
Then, in February of 2025, things took a turn for the worse. While planting trees in my yard, a task I’d normally relish, I injured my foot. What started as a simple ache became a constant pain that just wouldn’t let up.
I made multiple visits to my podiatrist, who is now retired. We tried shots, inserts, and anything that might help, nothing worked. For the first time in my life, I was truly limited. I couldn’t exercise, run, or even walk without pain.
It weighed on me physically and emotionally. I gained more weight than ever before, and some nights, my husband would rub my feet for hours while I sat in tears.
After months of frustration, I finally made the decision to call Andrews Sports Medicine and the staff recommend I be seen by Dr. Ricardo Colberg. He listened intently, reviewed my records, and diagnosed me with chronic Achilles tendonitis.
He then presented me with two choices: a surgical consult with an orthopaedic surgeon or a treatment that I hadn’t tried yet - platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy.
I was desperate for relief but knew I wasn’t ready to consider a surgical consult. When he explained PRP to me, it honestly sounded like my best hope.
He told me the therapy involves drawing a small amount of my blood, spinning it down to concentrate the platelets, the part of our blood that helps with healing, and then injecting those platelets directly into the injured area of my foot.
The only hitch was that my insurance wouldn’t cover the cost, labeling it as “regenerative” or “exploratory” medicine, despite the years of successful outcomes, especially for athletes. But at that point, the pain had taken so much from me, I didn’t hesitate. I paid out of pocket that day, just wanting my life back.
The procedure itself was fairly straightforward, though I was a bit anxious. Dr. Colberg and his staff helped me feel at ease. Afterwards, I was careful to follow every “common sense” precaution he gave me.
Within about a week, I started to notice the difference. The sharp pain in my foot began to dull; the constant ache faded; the tenderness around my heel lessened every day.
By six weeks, I was doing things that had seemed impossible for almost a year - walking two miles, moving with real freedom, rediscovering my confidence.
That therapy didn’t just heal my foot: it gave me hope, dignity, and a sense that my active, adventurous self was still very much alive.
My journey hasn't been easy - setbacks, surgeries, and moments when I doubted I’d ever return to my old self, but perseverance and the right help brought me back.
Looking back from where I was that February to where I am now, it’s nothing short of unbelievable. I’m grateful, proud, and most of all, ready for whatever comes next.
