Patient Perspective: Staying Active With a Little Help

Patient Perspective: Staying Active with a Little Help

At 74, Warren Reinecke is more active than many his age. Logging a thousand miles each year, he has walked three miles most days for the last decade. When he’s not walking, Warren can be found playing table tennis several times a week, a pastime he adopted after joining the Mayflower Community and taking advantage of their sports facilities. He keeps active during his winters in Arizona, walking a route from his home there and keeping his table tennis skills sharp by participating in weekly club practices. All that hard work has allowed Warren to claim two gold medals in the Iowa Senior Olympic Games and two bronze medals in the Arizona Senior Olympic Games over the last six years. In his younger years, Warren kept active by bicycling. In 1990 he completed a cross-country trip beginning in Seattle and later rode RAGBRAI seven times.

Two years ago, Warren was forced to take a break from his active lifestyle after he ruptured a bicep and tore a tendon in his shoulder while playing table tennis. After speaking with GRMC’s orthopedic specialists, Warren decided to do physical therapy in order to maintain use of his shoulder without surgery. Two times a week for several months, he met with GRMC’s Tony Gallo, physical therapist. Warren found Tony’s explanations of the purposes of each exercise and the importance of their repetition to be most helpful and the routine beneficial.

After many physical therapy appointments, Warren began practicing table tennis again. Six months post-therapy, he was able to compete yet again in the Iowa Senior Olympic Games and managed to claim the gold medal. Today, he still uses the exercises Tony taught him when his shoulder begins acting up. A lifetime of hefty activity means Warren will likely need surgery; however, he plans to continue physical therapy when the time comes as he is convinced his work with Tony permitted him to continue playing competitively.

Below is a note Warren sent Tony after winning his latest competition. He says he believes good work should always be expected and that personal notes should be saved for truly exceptional work.

Hi, Tony

Several months ago you helped me with exercises to help rebuild a ruptured bicep and torn tendon in my shoulder.  One of the hoped for outcomes would be to continue playing table tennis at a competitive level.  I thought you would enjoy hearing that as a competitor in the 70-74 age group at this summer's Iowa Senior Olympic Games in Des Moines, I again won the Gold Medal.  I would not have thought it possible several months ago, but it would seem that I have a few more matches left in me – thanks in large part to your therapy and wise counsel. Thanks again. 

Warren Reinecke

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#4867 – Warren Reinecke in table tennis action.

#4889– Tony Gallo, GRMC physical therapist, and Warren Reinecki, in the Mayflower Community Activity room.

#4894 – Reinecke plays table tennis three times a week, on average, at the at Mayflower Community  Table Tennis Center, which was made possible by a donation from Irene and Vic Engelmann. They are gold medalist champions and they introduced Warren to the sport.

Pictured from the left: Irene Engelmann; Tony Gallo, GRMC physical therapist; and Warren Reinecke, table tennis gold medalist.