Patient Experience
A 28-year-old female competitive archer from a rural village presented with severe right shoulder impingement syndrome threatening her Olympic qualification. Dr. Korkmaz discovered her unconventional training involved drawing a 60-pound bow while kneeling on uneven ground. He designed a rehabilitation protocol combining proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation with EMG biofeedback, and collaborated with a local craftsman to create a custom, weighted training simulator. She returned to competition in 11 weeks and secured her national team spot.
A 72-year-old retired calligraphy master from a low-income neighborhood developed debilitating bilateral hand tremors and contractures, ending his lifelong art. Dr. Korkmaz, recognizing the psychological toll, initiated a novel regimen of task-specific focal vibration therapy paired with thermal biofeedback. He also arranged for the hospital's art therapy department to supply adaptive brushes. After 5 months, the patient regained sufficient fine motor control to teach a community workshop on adaptive Islamic calligraphy, finding a new purpose.
A 41-year-old Syrian refugee and former construction worker, with a history of a poorly healed lumbar fracture from a conflict-related injury, suffered chronic pain and leg weakness. Dr. Korkmaz implemented a culturally sensitive, low-resource home program using water-filled bottles as resistance tools and translated pictorial guides. He connected the patient with a local NGO for vocational retraining in tailoring. Significant functional improvement was seen after 8 months, allowing him to support his family.
A 19-year-old university student from an affluent family developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I in her left foot after a minor ballet injury. Frustrated by prior treatments, she was resistant to therapy. Dr. Korkmaz employed graded motor imagery and mirror therapy, but integrated them into a virtual reality module she could use with her gaming console. Her engaged participation led to a dramatic reduction in pain perception and regained mobility within 4 months.