Vail Firefighter Bounces Back
Isaiah Hartman, a firefighter and EMT with the Vail Fire Department, was fighting a one-acre wildland fire near Piney Lake when his injury happened. The 23-year old was going back to the fire truck to get more supplies and was walking sideways along the mountain when he fell and tumbled. “My buddy asked me if I was okay,” recalls Isaiah, “At the time I felt fine, so I kept working and we finished putting out the fire.”
By the next morning though, he knew something might be wrong due to the amount of swelling in his knee. He was put on light duty until he got the okay for an MRI through workman’s comp. His knee had swollen to the size of a grapefruit, “It was noticeably bigger,” says Isaiah. But still, he didn’t think it was too bad until he went to see Dr. Bill Sterett who confirmed otherwise. The orthopedic knee surgeon and sports medicine specialist diagnosed Isaiah with a full ACL tear and partial meniscus tear.
“It didn’t really hurt that much, so I considered the option not to have surgery,” Isaiah remarks. But he says Dr. Sterett pulled out a model knee and explained why it’s so important to have an ACL. “I really like how he gave me a choice and I knew he did Lindsay Vonn’s surgery. Everyone I talked with said, ‘go to him, he’s the best.’”
The avid mountain biker, raft guide, snowboarder and hiker choose to have a hamstring graft, due to the nature of the work he does. Dr. Sterett told him a hamstring graft may result in a longer recovery, but it would be less likely to tear again.
Isaiah talked with a friend from high school who received a cadaver graft who reiterated how important physical therapy was after surgery, so he stayed on top of it and made sure to go two times a week. He had his full range of motion back within 3-6 weeks.
Looking ahead, Isaiah says he will be more cautious in the future, but doesn’t plan on letting his injury slow him down. Advice for others? “Do everything they tell you. They know what they’re telling you to do. When you go to physical therapy (PT), push yourself as hard as you can without going past the limit.” Isaiah says “Dr. Sterett did an incredible job. He has an easy-going bedside manner. I would recommend him to anyone.”
