Will Lutkewitte

At the start of my first practice of the collegiate indoor track and field season as a freshman thrower, I was bench pressing 140 pound dumbbells in the weight room when my arms gave out at the top and came crashing down, tearing my pectoralis major tendon in my right shoulder. I had never broken, torn, or ended up in the hospital for anything in my life before then, so I was very fearful that I wouldn’t be able to throw shot put again, and my collegiate career would end before even beginning.

After being diagnosed with a torn pectoralis major from MRI scans, my family looked to the HSS, finding Dr. Taylor and his team. They were very responsive and willing to meet with me right away to talk about a recovery plan for my injury. Before even meeting Dr. Taylor in person, I felt that he wanted to get me back to normal as quick and safely as they possibly could. And hearing of Dr. Taylor's experience in repairing this specific injury, I knew right away that I was not only in good hands, but the best. Within 24 hours of meeting Dr. Taylor, I was brought me into surgery to fix what I had broken.

Without doubt, the surgery went well and I was on the road of rehabilitation, as to which Dr. Taylor and his physician assistant Nick Estis were so helpful with. They put me on a regimen to follow every week to get me back on track, and return to what I loved doing. The times I met with them post-op, they encouraged me that I was quickly on the way back to full strength and recovery. With their help, I returned comfortably to lifting and throwing within 8 months of surgery, of which I returned to just under my maximum bench press a year within surgery on my shoulder, and made it to the Ivy League Track and Field Heptagonal Championships less than 18 months post-op.

I owe a lot of credit to being able to return to throwing after an injury I thought would dismantle my athletic career to Dr. Taylor and his team. They were all very kind, personable, and reassuring people that took the fear out of this process and made me feel confident that I could get back out there, better than before.