Kim Pearson

My name is Kim Pearson and I have never felt more cared for than during my visits to HSS. By day I am a special education teacher and group exercise instructor. However my hobby and passion in life is being a fitness competitor. I train 6 days a week and have worked my way up to the national level. One day back in 2008 while practicing my routine, I landed a jump incorrectly and tore my ACL. Within days I was in to see Dr. Shubin Stein. It was an easy fix but she made sure to take her time with explaining all my options and giving me all the necessary research to assist with my decision. Surgery and rehab with Theresa Chiaia went great. Within 9 months I was back to competing and had the best year I had to date.

This past January, while practicing my routine, I felt a pinch in the back of my knee. I thought it was my knee pad so I adjusted myself and started again. On the second attempt, following a jump I fell to the floor. Turns out on the first attempt I tore my ACL and following the second attempt I tore both menisci and sheared two big chunks of cartilage at the top of my tibia and the bottom of my femur. Once again within a day I was back to see Dr. Shubin Stein. She immediately sent me for an MRI and then within minutes of reading the results sent me to a colleague of hers who specializes in cartilage repair. It was then I met Dr. Williams. Following the same HSS pattern, we spoke at length of my options and made the decision to have surgery the very next day. I am currently a month seven following surgery and I have made tremendous gains. I have a long way to go before I hit the stage again, but I have faith thanks to my family of doctors at HSS that I will get there and again have the best year to date.