Athena Wellness Offers Specialized Physical Therapy for Breast Cancer Patients
Additional therapies treat pregnancy/postpartum, peri/menopause, pelvic floor dysfunction, and general women's health
Alexandria, VA – Sara Acheson is the founder of Athena Wellness and Physical Therapy, a new clinic that focuses on breast cancer physical therapy. Normally, patients begin PT before planned surgeries, so they are well prepared and have better outcomes with PT post-procedure. But with cancer, there is no preparation. The diagnosis itself is its own trauma. A dedicated PT regimen helps patients more effectively navigate their treatment and recovery.
One of Acheson’s patients emailed her recently with the readout from her fitness device, which registered an unusually low stress level for the full hour of her PT session, a far cry from her typical medium to high levels. Acheson said, “It’s a clear, tangible sign of the good and healing comfort that comes with PT. It’s feedback like this that assures me I’m on the right path.”
It has been a long path that may appear to lead straight to where she is now, but it didn’t always feel so direct. Acheson earned her B.S. in nutrition, food, and exercise at Virginia Tech. Three years later, she graduated with her doctorate in physical therapy from Emory. She moved to Northern Virginia and began working as a physical therapist.
She enjoyed her work but felt unfulfilled and thought something was missing. A continuing education class introduced her to the specialty area of lymphedema, which is swelling that occurs in the body in response to disease, infection, injury, or trauma.
Acheson learned about managing swelling with wrapping and compression sleeves, but she wanted to take the therapy further. “I thought there should be a whole body approach. If a limb is swollen, it will affect the arm, neck, and shoulder. How are we addressing this whole body impact?”
Already interested in the shoulder (she worked with the VA Tech baseball team and was a former swimmer), Acheson jumped at the chance to participate in an upper extremity fellowship. She embarked on a yearlong study of the shoulder and elbow, shadowing Dr. David Weintritt of the National Breast Center here in Alexandria. It wasn’t long before her primary focus and passion became breast cancer therapies.
Acheson said, “Data repeatedly shows how important exercise is, especially for people going through a challenging time of depression, anxiety, and stress. For cancer patients, chemo and radiation impact the whole body with fatigue, balance risk, and bone density issues. In my practice, I help patients manage fatigue by staying active and recognizing when to rest.”
Buoyed by her success and personal fulfillment in treating breast cancer patients, Acheson took the big leap and opened her own practice out of her home in Stratford Landing last November. She named it Athena after the Greek warrior goddess of strength and wisdom. In just six months, Athena Wellness and Physical Therapy has a growing list of new and returning patients.
Dr. Weintritt regularly refers patients to Acheson for PT and said, “Sara is a unicorn in the world of PT and breast cancer! Her training makes her an expert, but her passion is caring for the patient at all phases of their journey. She also believes that integrating her skills into the surgical, medical, and radiation phases of breast cancer treatment is what makes her so special.
Acheson believes it’s not enough “just to be happy to be alive after cancer treatments.” Patients should have a healthy and promising outlook on life, free of anxiety and discomfort. “I support patients through the whole journey in relieving stiffness, getting motion back, and building up their endurance and confidence. The goal is to resume the things in life they love to do.”
And as long as her patients continue recording their lowest stress levels during their PT sessions, Acheson knows she is on the right path.
Athena Wellness and Physical Therapy is located at 2414 Londonderry Road, Alexandria, VA 22308. Phone 757-532-9804. Web: athenawellnesspt.com. In addition to physical therapy for breast cancer, Athena offers therapies for pregnancy/postpartum, peri/menopause, pelvic floor pain and dysfunction, and general women’s health. Call or visit the website to request a free consultation.
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