Reconnecting: Ann MacDonald Finds Her Footing

Reconnecting: Ann MacDonald Finds Her Footing 

For Ann MacDonald, life has always been about connection — to people, to places, and to the quiet beauty of the outdoors. Three years ago though, she had a fall that threw her off her path – in more ways than one.  

While out gardening one day on a hillside, Ann slipped and landed hard on her back. “It was really awful.” Initially, she rested and iced it, but after a while it started getting worse, not better. And then, not long after, she faced another loss — having to say goodbye to her dog, George. “George and I used to take up-hill walks, down-hill walks, flat walks. We would walk everywhere! And I kind of stopped walking – and when it stopped happening, it just continued to stop happening and my back never really got better.” 

As months passed, everyday tasks became harder. “I didn’t realize I was getting stiffer. At home, I was using a gripper to pick things up. At work, I was using tongs because bending was hard… I couldn’t go downstairs easily… Couldn’t get in and out of the car without helping my leg in… Couldn’t tie my shoes. It was a nuisance!” 
The loss of those daily walks and routines left more than physical gaps. “Even though the outside world saw me as happy, I was unhappy… See, I’m a social being. As my husband says, ‘You go walk a block to the post office and you’re gone an hour!’ After my fall, I stopped having my walks and all this social interaction… And when we get older and the interactions stop, so do we.”  

“We can get kind of in a different mental state when we get older — ‘Well, that’s the way it’s going to be.’ But it doesn’t have to be that way… I had these limitations I wanted to work at. That’s it. They were just limitations on my life. They weren’t a disease. It was just a simple, ‘What do you need to do now?’” 

“We can get kind of in a different mental state when we get older — ‘Well, that’s the way it’s going to be.’ But it doesn’t have to be that way…”

 “I knew I had to do something… I finally sought out help.” After “Two years of frustration,” Ann came in to Cioffredi & Associates and started working with Billy Cioffredi, PT.  “He gave me these simple, nothing, exercises. So simple. And I did them. It didn’t happen overnight, but over time… You know how a little kid notices new things they do? That’s what happened to me.” 
 
One day, she realized she could get out of bed without pain. Another, she managed to walk down the stairs like she used to. “It felt like magic… None of it was big. But the end result… I thought my toes were long gone – I couldn’t bend down, remember?” Ann abruptly gets up, bends down, and easily touches her toes. “Now I can walk. I can just…go! I found another tool – no more tongs – I have hands! I have my back, and it bends. I’m a new person!” 
 
“Bill gave me confidence where I didn’t have it before… I know that my body, my mind, is the tool, but sometimes, no matter how old we are, somebody has to help us understand how to use it… You’re not less reaching out for help. You get a book and you read and you learn. It’s the same. You’re more when you come out of it.” 
Ann MacDonald and Billy Cioffredi, PT at Cioffredi & Associates Clinic in Lebanon, NH
Now, Ann is back reconnecting with the world around her — and herself. “When I had my dog, I would go out walking and take pictures of the snowdrops and blossoms. And I would put it on my phone to remind me…” She pulls out her phone to show the background image, a beautiful copse of trees in sunlight. “I just took that picture on a little walk. That’s the connection. Because I love being outside – The world is beautiful. And I didn’t have it – the good bombarding you. But now I have it. And it’s just made a difference for me… I can’t thank you enough.” 

“I know that my body, my mind, is the tool, but sometimes, no matter how old we are, somebody has to help us understand how to use it… You’re not less reaching out for help. You get a book and you read and you learn. It’s the same. You’re more when you come out of it.” 

Meet Our Team. Cioffredi & Associates Physical Therapy in Lebanon, NH and Grantham, NH:

Our Team

Learn more about Cioffredi & Associates Orthopedic Physical Therapy services:

Physical Therapy

Contact Us
If you are interested in scheduling an appointment, please fill out the following form in its entirety or call us at (603) 643-7788. We will be in touch with you as soon as we are able!