Above all else, Mike Weinberg is a man who likes to help others.
For the past 14 years, Mike has ridden his recumbent bike in the MS City to Shore Ride. An IT professional at Penn Medicine, his participation began when he joined a team of coworkers for the event. He’s ridden every year since then and says it’s his way of giving back.
“There’s something about this event,” says Mike. “It’s been great to see the advances that have been made in treating MS, and it’s so satisfying to feel that I had helped that progress in some small way.”
Unfortunately, Mike’s health hasn’t always supported his philanthropic goals. He’s faced several serious orthopedic conditions and procedures throughout the years and credits the team at Penn Therapy & Fitness for always having him ready for the ride.
For instance, in 2018, he underwent anterior cervical decompression-fusion surgery for spinal stenosis of the cervical region. This is a major procedure with a long recovery, but his therapy team enabled him to make steady progress. Upon discharge, he was pain free.
Mike later underwent a difficult knee replacement and started therapy just a few weeks before the start of COVID. Since in-person visits weren’t happening at the time, his therapy team quickly pivoted him to teletherapy.
“At first, I thought it would be a disadvantage,” says Mike, “but I quickly realized that the therapy was really helpful. My therapist made it fun. It was sort of like they came to my home.”
When he experienced another bout of debilitating spinal stenosis in 2023, Mike was devastated at the prospect of having to repeat that surgery. But when his surgeon recommended trying physical therapy first, Mike was all for it.
Knowing the power of physical therapy, he again turned to Penn Therapy & Fitness.
“They literally started curing me on my first visit,” says Mike. “In addition to my regular sessions there, the therapists gave me things I can do every day on my own regardless of where I am. They really empowered me to be part of my own recovery.”
After several months of therapy, he had made huge progress in reducing his pain – and avoiding surgery. In fact, he rode 25 miles in this year’s MS Ride.
“Everything worked the way it was supposed to,” says Mike. “I was worried about getting to the finish line and being in pain, but nothing hurt.”
“When someone tells me their knee bothers them, I tell them to go to the doctor, and if they need physical therapy, I tell them there’s no place better than Penn Therapy & Fitness. They helped me recover so I can ride my bike and raise funds for those who can’t.”