Patient Back on Track After Plantar Fasciitis Surgery

Lisa Hursey Returns to Running and Takes Up Swimming Following Surgery for Painful Foot Condition

After running cross country in college and coaching the sport during her early days as a high school teacher, Lisa Hursey was devastated when plantar fasciitis forced her to put away her running shoes.

The painful irritation and swelling on the bottom of her foot continued for years, failing to respond to non-surgical treatments that ranged from rest to massage to cortisone shots. Even after giving up running, her foot continued to hurt.

"Last spring, it just got worse and worse," Hursey said. "I had trouble walking, and it hurt so much I couldn't put my feet on the floor."

That was when she called Resurgens Orthopaedics, where she had previously had successful knee surgery. Soon she was meeting with Dr. Kali D. Arnold in the Resurgens Lawrenceville office.

"She said I was past non-surgical options, and while she couldn't guarantee it would be perfect, she said it would certainly be better after surgery," Hursey explained. "Things turned out really, really well. After you've dealt with chronic pain and you get used to compensating for it, it's wonderful to be active again."

“Dr. Arnold is amazing. She was so good at listening to what I was hoping to be able to do again.”

During her recovery time, the Suwanee resident and Dacula High School teacher took up swimming, which she had never done before, and has enjoyed adding it to her exercise routine. Best of all, she can run without pain.

"Dr. Arnold is amazing. She was so good at listening to what I was hoping to be able to do again," Hursey said. "And she promised to do her best to make it better. She told me I would have a long recovery time — I was on crutches for four weeks — but it was worth it. Last year, I couldn't even run a mile. Now I can do five miles, and I don't have pain."

The 39-year-old mother of two boys, ages 8 and 5½, enjoys outdoor activities with her sons, especially running while they bike beside her. She also tells her students at Dacula High, where she teaches AP biology and honors and gifted chemistry, "I am the poster child for not letting an injury go on for years. I encourage them to get treatment for any sports injuries right away."

Dr. Arnold practices in the Lawrenceville office of Resurgens Orthopaedics. Her areas of expertise include surgery of the foot and ankle, sports medicine, and general orthopaedics. After attending medical school Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, she completed her residency and a fellowship in foot and ankle surgery at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Resurgens Orthopaedics, Georgia's largest orthopaedic practice, has 20 offices and six surgery centers throughout metro Atlanta. With 98 physicians, Resurgens provides specialized expertise and broad experience in the areas of sports medicine, joint replacement, neck and back surgery, foot and ankle surgery, shoulder and elbow surgery, non-operative spine care, hand surgery, arthroscopic surgery, epidural steroid injection, general orthopaedics, and trauma care. Resurgens provides comprehensive musculoskeletal care in a single location, from injury diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation services.