The foot and ankle is our only connection to the ground.

Let’s embolden that connection.

I am passionate about foot and ankle rehab due to my experience battling shin splints as a collegiate athlete.

I had tried every fix, and the most effective one was breaking down old habits and building strength from the ground up.

Let’s talk about it.

— Dr. Tae

Parker B.

I am a kicker and punter on the Bates football team and a gym rat. My sophomore year (2023) during training camp, I sustained a Lisfranc injury on my kicking foot. I played through the injury and finished the season, and I finally had surgery in February 2024. The doctor said my return to play would potentially be half through the 2024 season. I was non-weight bearing for 2 months, then on crutches for another 2 months.  It was a completely debilitating process.

I got the opportunity to study at Tuck at Dartmouth during the summer going into my junior year. Mind you, I am from Texas, so I only had a month in Hanover. I reached out to Dr. Tae to hopefully continue my rehab for the month for my limited time in the Upper Valley.

My experiences with physical therapy and rehab were usually slow and emotionally exhausting. Prior to my meeting with Dr. Tae, any physical activity or return to play was extremely limited. 

In my short month in Hanover, I was able to get back to lifting and making tremendous strides in my recovery, even being able to kick a little bit again. This is all thanks to Dr. Tae.  We bonded over our respective times playing collegiate football players and our goals to be the best at what we do. Dr. Tae is the best at what he does: empowering, healing, and getting you back on track. 

I left feeling empowered and able to walk again. Walking down Main Street and working with Dr. Tae was one of the many highlights of my short time in the Upper Valley. Go Bates!

Cece K.

I am an aerialist, mostly trapeze, and I’m also on Dartmouth club surf and gymnastics. Basically, I love running around. Mid March I broke my right ankle, about a year after I had ACL reconstruction surgery on the same leg. It was my senior spring at Dartmouth, and I was utterly devastated. I had surgery for my Weber B fibular fracture during spring break on March 15, 2023. My surgeon estimated I’d need to spend six weeks on crutches, and an additional two in the boot, at least. My prior experiences with rehab had been mundane and ineffective. Physical therapy is almost optional after ankle surgery and doesn’t usually start until the boot comes off. I almost didn’t see anyone for rehab, but my friend on the varsity track team told me to reach out to Dr. Tae. I was skeptical, but it was the best decision I could have made. Dr. Tae isn’t like other PTs. Osteopractic, as I came to learn, combines dry needling, electric stimulation, and deep tissue activation with exercise. Manually working my muscles in a holistic way with Dr. Tae before I was weight- bearing got me off crutches and walking two weeks earlier than expected. It was miraculous, and my pain was minimal. I started surfing 10 weeks post-op. I probably could have gone earlier had there been waves! I am now back to my usual training regimen. 

Dr. Tae completely restored my confidence as an athlete. He reminded me of my best coaches who pushed me to train aggressively without sacrificing my well-being. With him, I learned trust my intuition, and he taught me how to evaluate my own body to know what it could handle. I didn’t just come away with a stronger ankle but with a holistic understanding of my physical health. Plus, he has great music taste and sessions are never boring. I send all my friends - and even professors - his way. I am forever grateful for the care I received and the coaching I got that allowed me to return to the activities I love, safely, and in record time.