Conditions + Treatments
Rotator Cuff Tear
Rotator Cuff Repair
My name is Read Pennington and this is my comeback story after being injured in January 2019. But first, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and moved many times in my early childhood. I lived in Louisville, Kentucky for awhile and then moved to Franklin, Kentucky where I grew up.
I received an Athletic Trainer Scholarship to Western Kentucky University when I graduated from high school and then graduated from Western Kentucky in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in Health & Safety & a minor in Athletic Training. During my college years, I supplemented my college expenses by working at Tennessee Gas Pipeline in Portland, Tennessee.
After college, Tennessee Gas Pipeline offered me a full time position as an operational technician which I accepted. I had several job positions and relocations with them; the last of which was 20 years in Reform, Alabama close to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I completed a 42 year career and retired with them in January 2019 due to my rotator cuff injury.
My injury occurred on day while replacing a 30 pound fire extinguisher in a compressor building at one of the plant locations. I got out of my truck to take the fire extinguisher into one of the compressor buildings. I stepped up about 2 feet onto the sidewalk. I thought I had gotten all the way onto the sidewalk, but I didn’t and I fell landing on my right shoulder.
I first went to a medical clinic in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and then was referred to an orthopedic group also in Tuscaloosa. After several X-rays and MRIs, the orthopedic physician told me it would be a 50/50 percent chance that he could repair the injury as it was a massive rotator cuff tear. Obviously, I was not going to take those odds and so, after discussing my options with others (including friends within the Alabama Athletic Department).
I decided to get a second opinion from Dr. Lyle Cain at Andrews Sports Medicine. Dr. Cain never hesitated to take me as a patient and I had a very successful surgery February 2019 – ironically on Valentine’s Day. The recovery and rehabilitation with ATI took almost 1 ½ years. Choosing Dr. Cain as my surgeon has been one of the best decisions I could have made.
The Andrews Sports Medicine team is great and Dr. Cain could not have been any better. We are so thankful for him and to all of the people in his group. In fact, I continue to see him for other orthopedic issues related to knees and he continues to be objective and realistic in his medical recommendations that have not included any more surgeries.
My wife and I now reside in the Dadeville-Lake Martin, Alabama area and we continue to enjoy all of the Alabama sports events along with spending time with our daughter, son-in-law and extended in-law family. We are so grateful that Dr. Cain was my orthopedic surgeon and for giving me the ability to enjoy my retirement years without limitations from my shoulder injury.
