Resurgens Patient Gets Back to Serving Others After ACL Tear

Cynthia Poundstone of Dunwoody, Georgia is what many would call a classic "good Samaritan." A teacher at Dunwoody Springs Elementary for over 20 years, the primary caregiver to her elderly parent for nearly 10 years, and a missionary traveling to places like Haiti, Kenya, and South Africa in her spare time, Cindy's dedication to the service of others always keeps her active and on the go.

When she isn't creating lesson plans, spending time with her family, or returning from a trip abroad, Cindy also enjoys a good game of tennis, which she has played for more than 15 years.

In June 2012, Cindy was just getting back into her summer tennis routine on what she describes as, "the first beautiful day of June."

"Myself and a group of close friends were going to enjoy the magnificent morning on the courts and had just finished up a great ladies lunch," said Cindy. "As we started warming up, I was feeling confident and playing great. Then, as I ran into a side-step reaching for an overhead ball, my foot got caught in the clay and I felt an awful 'pop' followed by pain in my knee."

Not wanting to overreact, Cindy gave it a night before seeking out medical attention for her injured knee. When the pain had not subsided by the next morning, she knew she needed to make an appointment with a local specialist.

Less than a week later, Dr. Evander Fogle of Resurgens Orthopaedics diagnosed Cindy with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, more commonly known as an ACL tear. She immediately began physical therapy in preparation for surgery, and by October of 2012, had undergone a successful ACL reconstruction with Dr. Fogle.

“Dr. Fogle and the Resurgens staff did everything they could to help me move forward in a positive way.”

"The injury, treatment, and recovery process was honestly a very emotional journey for me. I was used to being very active and this brought me to a complete standstill," said Cindy. "Thankfully, Dr. Fogle and the Resurgens staff really cared about how much it was affecting me both physically and emotionally, and they did everything they could to help me move forward in a positive way."

By December 2013, Cindy had fully recovered from her injury and surgery, and was flying to Kenya for a service trip.

Cindy insists that her ability to be active with the children and families in Kenya was an integral part of her experience on that trip. "I was teaching the children in our village how to play tennis one day, and I remember thinking how I had really come full circle since my injury back home on the tennis courts in Georgia. Without the treatment I received at Resurgens, I wouldn't have been able to experience that life-changing trip to the fullest."

In true form, Cindy will return again to Kenya this December to do service work, and plans to bring her rackets to continue sharing the joys of tennis with those she meets.

Dr. Evander F. Fogle received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. He completed his residency at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia and a fellowship in shoulder and elbow surgery at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Fogle's areas of expertise include shoulder and elbow surgery, knee surgery, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and general orthopaedics. He is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery with a subspecialty certificate in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. Dr. Fogle is a member of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons, Kelly Orthopaedic Society, and Stanford Alumni Association.