Each month, Iron Physical Therapy highlights a special patient to tell their inspiring story. We want to honor the people who go all in - body, mind and spirit. They show us what’s possible - that you can move on from a setback to do amazing things...to challenge your body, to chase your dreams, to address pain in a healthy way to #getbetterbebetter.

Read Charles’ story below and then click here to read more inspiring patient stories.

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Meet Dr. Charles “Randall” Cooper, April’s Patient of the Month! As a colorectal surgeon at Summit Health, Dr. Cooper spends his days evaluating and operating on patients to improve the quality of their lives. Constantly on call, working hard, and spending time with his three kids, he doesn’t have time to be off his feet. However, when a freak injury caused him to require surgery, things changed and it was Dr. Cooper’s turn to be the patient. It’s been a pleasure to be part of his journey as he’s persevered with consistency and commitment to return to full function and the operating room.

To hear his journey through post-op recovery while balancing a busy lifestyle…Keep on reading!

-Dr. Jeremy Nardiello PT, DPT, CSCS

In Charles’s Own Words…

What Brought You Into Physical Therapy?

I needed to recover from my Achilles tendon rupture repair.

What can you share about the mental setbacks of recovery from surgery?

It’s a huge adjustment from being very active to all of a sudden, having to sit around for weeks at a time…Not being able to do your job as an added stress.

What has been your biggest motivation to #getbetterbetter?

I think of myself as fit and healthy, and I would like to get back to my former level of fitness for myself and for my family.

What advice do you have for others who are balancing a busy life and surgical recovery?

It is tempting to wanna finish the physical therapy and recovery and get back to life as quickly as possible, but sometimes injuries take time. So take the time, put the work in and get the recovery right the first time.

What is something you learned at PT that you didn’t know before?

I learned new things every day at PT, especially with the question of the day! I got to know my physical therapist and we have conversations about all sorts of things in life.

What are you most excited to get back to doing after PT?

My goals to get back from surgery were swimming and golf this summer, then skiing next winter. I’ll be most excited for those things and in the long-term it will be nice to be able to run and jump again.