March 4, 2025 • 31 mins
Ready to change the way you recover from knee replacement surgery? In this engaging episode, We speak with Shehla Rooney, a physical therapist and the creator of the revolutionary GoKnee program. With her extensive experience treating geriatric patients, Shehla noticed a gap in aftercare for knee surgeries—a gap she sought to fill with her innovative device and home exercise plan designed specifically for knee replacement recovery.
Uncover how GoKnee empowers patients to take charge of their rehabilitation from the comfort of their homes, utilizing evidence-based techniques usually reserved for in-person therapy. This episode dives deep into the multifaceted benefits of GoKnee, showcasing its ability to significantly enhance recovery speed and outcomes through simple, effective exercises. Shella shares her journey of creating a robust program that prioritizes individual health needs, ensuring that every aspect of recovery—from pain management to strength building—is addressed efficiently.
Be sure to visit GoKnee's website to find more resources and for Healthy Cells, Healthy You listeners, get a special offer to purchase. Join our vibrant community; subscribe and share your experiences as we strive toward better health together!
Together, we'll build Healthy Cells, and a Healthy You!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Janet Walker (00:03):
In today's computerized-driven world, we
hear a lot about advancedtechnology that helps strengthen
or heal our bodies, butsometimes a simple device with
the know-how and expertisebehind it can work wonders.
Welcome listeners, to HealthyCells Healthy you.
Today I'm talking again toShella Rooney, physical
(00:23):
therapist and creator of a homephysical therapy knee program
called GoKnee that can help youin your quest for healthier
knees or help you recover fromknee replacement surgery.
Welcome to Healthy CellsHealthy you.
I'm your host, janet Walker.
I've been working in thehealthcare community for over 30
years and for 20 of those yearsI've also worked in the
(00:43):
healthcare community for over 30years and for 20 of those years
I've also worked as a writerand producer for the Windsor
Broadcasting award winningnational PBS health information
TV shows, american HealthJournal and Innovations in
Medicine.
We've interviewed thousands ofdoctors, scientists and
researchers on every topicrelated to health, medicine and
medical technology.
(01:04):
You can watch current episodesof Innovations in Medicine on
your local PBS channel or youcan stream our programs on the
American Health Journal channel,the Better Health channel and
TV Healthy Kids.
I'm also a new host forWindsor's award-winning podcast
entitled Better Wellness BetterWellness assisted knee program
(01:46):
that helps prepare patients forknee surgery and helps them get
improved outcomes followingtheir knee replacement procedure
.
Thanks for coming back toHealthy Cells.
Healthy you for our knee seriesShella.
Shehla Rooney (01:53):
Oh, I'm so excited to be here again.
Thank you.
Janet Walker (01:56):
Hopefully our listeners were here for the last
episode where we talked to youand you gave us so much good
information about kneereplacement surgery and physical
therapy.
Now we're going to talk about adevice and program that you
created for knee replacementpatients.
First, let's start by tellingus a little bit about your
background.
Shehla Rooney (02:15):
Well, I've been a PT for 26 years and the bulk of
it has been in treatinggeriatrics in a variety of
settings.
I do have a board certification, which is just a fancy way of
saying I've done a ton ofadditional training and studying
on the older adult, which youknow.
Random fact, I'm officially inthat category after turning 50
last month, and I think what Iwant people to know is I've
(02:37):
always been a lifelong learnerand educator.
I've been instrumental inteaching hundreds of students
and mentoring residents andresidency programs.
You know, been instrumental inteaching hundreds of students
and mentoring residents andresidency programs.
You know I've spoken nationallyabout geriatric related topics
and you know internationallyabout knee replacement recovery,
and so you know, most recently,my claim to fame, which is why
I'm here today is I patented andcreated a knee device that we
(02:59):
called GoKnee.
Janet Walker (03:01):
So what gave you the inspiration to develop the
GoKnee device and protocol knee?
Shehla Rooney (03:04):
So what gave you the inspiration to develop the
GoKnee device and protocol.
Well, let me first say I am nota creative person by nature.
I had no intent of becoming aninventor.
But, as they say, necessity isthe mother of invention.
One patient struggling afterknee replacement surgery and
creating a solution for him, Irealized that there was a void
in the system when it came toknee replacement recovery.
(03:26):
So, you know, insurance iscovering less postoperative
physical therapy than early inmy career it used to be.
You'd go to inpatient rehab forlike three weeks inpatient,
three hours of therapy every day, seven days a week.
Well, that's not happeninganymore.
Copay costs are increasing anda lot of people can't afford
their PT copay costs.
Patients are getting youngerand they're looking for like
(03:50):
alternatives and they're goingonline to find these
alternatives.
And then, in addition to that,the home exercise program for
knee replacement patients islike it's outdated.
They are the same exercisesbeing prescribed that I was
taught in PT school like 26years ago and I just knew there
had to be a better way.
I always joke with my patientsthat you know there's like
700,000 individuals that aregoing to have knee replacement
surgery next year.
(04:11):
And that I am certain, if Italked to all 700,000 of them,
they would agree that they wanta faster, smoother, less painful
recovery after the surgery.
And so to me, that's the reasonGo Knee was born, and I
continue to strive to grow itmore.
Janet Walker (04:29):
And that 700,000 number, that's not hyperbole.
I checked statistics and thereare 700,000 Americans every year
that get knee replacementsurgery.
And those are statistics fromthe American Association of
Orthopedic Surgeons.
Shehla Rooney (04:47):
Yeah, it's the most frequently performed
orthopedic procedure.
I tell this to my childrenbecause they don't think knee
replacements are sexy andglamorous, but I'm like it is
the most orthopedic, like it'sthe most performed orthopedic
procedure in the United States.
Janet Walker (05:00):
Did you hear that kids go to medical school and
become a surgeon for kneereplacement surgery?
Shehla Rooney (05:06):
Yes, you'll have job security for life.
Janet Walker (05:09):
Can you describe the GoKnee device and program?
Shehla Rooney (05:13):
Yes, okay, so GoKnee is like a fully
functioning knee recoveryprogram that you do at home, and
when I say fully functioning, Imean it can be used before
surgery, after surgery and aswell as a long term maintenance
program.
Now the device itself, if you goto the website it looks
extremely simple and, to mydismay, you know, many people
(05:34):
would describe it oh, it lookslike a pool ladder.
However, you know what it doesis quite complex.
Like the horizontal pads of thedevice, they mimic the hands of
a therapist, which then meansit allows the individual to do
advanced techniques from homethat typically would have
required me to be present and myhands to be present, and I'm
not going to bore the listenerswith details.
(05:55):
Like you know, being able to doa joint mobilization or an
isometric or muscle energytechnique from home every day,
like that's just, that'sfantastic.
And then the exercise programthat goes along with the device.
It was created by a team ofphysical therapists and we did
an extensive detailed researchand we based our program on
(06:15):
evidence and exercise principlesthat have already been proven
to work.
What are the best techniques toincrease knee motion?
What do you need to do toimprove quadriceps strength?
You know how do you counteractscar tissue formation after this
surgery.
So we also understood theneurological component of
chronic knee pain and kneereplacement recovery and we
included that into our protocolas well which disclaimer I did
(06:38):
create a video I'm really proudof on YouTube about the
neurological component to kneereplacement recovery, so it's
beneficial to people even beforethey've ever had the surgery.
Anybody that's had chronic kneepain, meaning pain in their
knees for months or years.
I really do encourage you to goto the YouTube to watch it.
It's 22 minutes but it, I think, can be like life altering in
(06:58):
terms of your perspective ofyour knee pain.
So, yeah, but point is, I usedthat knowledge in our exercise
program.
So that's what I mean by afully functioning program.
We don't just focus on thephysical recovery, focus on the
neurological component.
We've given you a device thatkind of mimics what we do.
And the kicker is the exercisesare videos.
So you'll get a picture of medescribing all the videos, what
(07:21):
to do, how to do them.
There's a timer, kind of likethe old timey Jane Fonda videos.
So there's no worry, are youdoing it right?
Are you feeling the right thing?
Because I'm telling you thewhole time that you're doing it,
what you're feeling, why you'redoing it, which can create
motivation, right.
So I try to explain that allthroughout the video so they're
easy to follow, step-by-step.
You just click play.
There's not a lot of thoughtthat goes into it, you just have
(07:44):
to follow along.
Janet Walker (07:45):
So patients are just relaxed in the comfort of
their own home.
They're watching a video andfollowing along doing the
exercises, while they're usingthe device that you created.
Shehla Rooney (07:56):
Yes, and I'll tell you that a lot of patients
go home with exercises and wegive them a sheet of paper, but
what I've learned is they don'teven know they're cheating, they
don't know they're compensatingwith their hip or their low
back, you know.
They don't even realize theirknee is not fully straight.
So I feel like that was kind ofpart of why, you know, I
thought traditional PT wasn'tgood enough for the patient is
we were sending them home anddidn't have a way to hold them
(08:19):
accountable to make sure theywere doing everything correctly.
So to me, our device, as simpleas it looks, it causes torques
and pressures where you can'tcheat.
So if you cheat less, thatmeans you're targeting the
specific muscles better andyou're going to have a better
outcome because of that.
Janet Walker (08:35):
So it's all about doing the exercises properly,
not about high-tech computerizeddevices high-tech computerized
devices, nope, it's literally astep-by-step video.
Shehla Rooney (08:48):
You click play and it says, hey, let's start
with the warmup.
You know, and so, yeah, itguides you through.
I think the thing is peopledon't want to know or don't want
to think about what they haveto do.
If your knee is already hurting, you know, and it's swollen and
it's stiff, just have somebodytell me what to do and explain.
And if it's hurting you'rewatching me on the screen say I
know this is hurting, you arenot hurting your incision right
(09:12):
now.
It will not split open.
I promise you Hearing thatwhile you're doing the exercises
.
I think there's some realvalidation to that.
I think that people pushthemselves harder with my videos
even though I'm not there and Isometimes I hear people say I
worked harder with the go kneeexercise program at home than I
did in physical therapy becausethey trust their hands.
(09:34):
You know they trust their handsmore than they trust the
therapist's hands on their knee.
So there's a beauty in it, inthe ability for the patient to
be really aggressive on theirown at home while being safe.
Janet Walker (09:45):
Nice, and so does it also help patients who aren't
quite ready for surgery yet.
They're experiencing the issueswith osteoarthritis.
They're not quite there forgetting a replacement surgery.
Will this device and protocolhelp them?
Shehla Rooney (10:02):
You know, interestingly, goni was not
created for that intent.
You know it was created and wehave research done that on its
effectiveness after kneereplacement surgery.
But what we found was westarted promoting Goni to be
used as a prehab program andwhat we found was that made a
huge difference in reducing theperson's complaints of pain.
People are not ready forsurgery.
(10:27):
Maybe they have to have dentalwork done, maybe their daughter
is getting married in threemonths and they just, you know,
want to prolong their surgery.
There's a reason.
Maybe they want to wait until,you know, january because they
want to start their deductibleall over again.
I don't know, but to me, yes,goni has now created an
opportunity for them to sitthere and be able to safely
postpone their surgery whilestill managing their knee pain.
And I've also a perk of Goni isif Goni's exercises can reduce
(10:50):
your pain, then the person ismore motivated to participate in
an exercise program.
So the feedback I've gottenfrom individuals is Goni's
exercises helped reduce my pain.
And because it reduced my pain,I resumed my walking program
with my girlfriends, which thenhelps with controlling weight,
it helps with mood, helps withdepression, helps with
socialization.
So again, it wasn't created forthat reason, but it has been a
(11:14):
really positive byproduct.
So, yeah, can it help postponeand if you're not ready, yes.
Janet Walker (11:22):
So why should a patient consider using Goni as
part of their knee replacementrecovery when they're getting
physical therapy paid for bytheir insurance, or maybe
they're having a RomTech bikedelivered to their home through
their insurance?
Can Goni be used as part ofthat routine recovery and why
should a patient consider usingit?
Shehla Rooney (11:43):
Well, the first answer is Goni is a great
adjunct to the RomTech bike.
Okay, goni is a great adjunctto traditional physical therapy
where you go and see them.
But my answer is you know whyshould a patient consider adding
Goni as part of their recovery?
It is so obvious to me that itis the most advanced home
(12:04):
exercise program on the market,and I don't say that lightly.
I have talked to hundreds oftherapists across the US and had
them send me their homeexercise programs that they
prescribe to patients.
I've had healthcareprofessionals all over the world
, like on five continents, sendme the exercises that they are
prescribing to their kneepatients, and what I have seen
(12:24):
is none of them include what'scalled joint mobilizations.
None of them include aneffective way for the individual
to do something calledisometrics and muscle energy
techniques.
And again, I'm not going tobore the audience, but the point
is, as healthcare professionals, we know how valuable those
techniques are in the recoveryprocess, but prior to go knee,
(12:46):
there wasn't a way for theindividual to do them at home
safely.
So to me, that's what Goni'sadvantage is it's allowing you
to do some really advancedexercises that normally require
you to go to a PT, but now youcan do them at home, and if you
can do them every day instead ofjust twice a week, if you can
do them three times a dayinstead of just during that one
(13:07):
time during the PT session,you're going to reap the
benefits.
This is one of those situationswhere more is better.
Doing more joint mobs is goingto feel better.
It's not like where I said, ifyou walk too much, it's going to
cause more pain.
This is one of those ones whereit can actually, the more you
do, it can give you morebenefits.
And there's a whole issue withyou know again, why should go
(13:27):
knee be considered?
There's a lot of patients thatare scared of therapy.
There's a lot of patients thathave a fear associated with a
therapist putting their hands ontheir knee.
Maybe they had a bad experiencewith a PT and so it's already.
Their brain doesn't like the PTsetting, and so it's another
opportunity for you to be ableto do things and not worry like
(13:49):
oh no, if I don't let the PT dowhat she needs, I'm not going to
get the benefits.
Well, it puts control back intothe individual's hands.
That you know what PT is icingon the cake, what you're doing
at home with Go Knee is actuallythe majority of the cake and I
think that sometimes that shiftis powerful.
I think it's really powerful.
Janet Walker (14:09):
Is the go knee difficult to set up or assemble?
What do patients need to beable to do the exercises and do
the program?
Shehla Rooney (14:18):
It is so easy to assemble.
It is sent to you in a littletall box that weighs less than
four pounds.
There's four parts that you poptogether.
We have a video that, a oneminute video that says hey, this
is how you put it together, ifyou can't figure it out yourself
.
Um, so, as for assembly, easypeasy, doesn't require any kind
of uh, tools or equipment.
Just have to pop it together,kind of like Legos, and ask for
(14:40):
the exercises.
What happens is in that box is apiece of paper that has a link.
When you type that link intoyour iPad, your phone or your
computer, it takes you to ourexercise videos and then it
literally says step one, likehave you put your device
together?
If not, press play, watch thisone minute video, we'll show you
how to put it together.
Step two we're going to showyou how to warm up your leg with
(15:00):
the Goni device and get youfamiliar with the basics.
Step three so it just it's alink, not not.
You don't have to download anapp.
You don't have to give me ausername and a password.
I personally hate all thatstuff, so I tried to make it as
user-friendly as possible, as ifI was the customer.
You know, I feel like peopleare giving too much of their
information away.
I wanted it to be very simple.
Janet Walker (15:22):
So they need a computer, a tablet or a phone
that has a Wi-Fi connection,because they need to be
connected to the internet, right?
They can't download theseexercises, can they?
Shehla Rooney (15:32):
Correct, it's just you need the Wi-Fi to be
able to do it.
I do have paper documents and,it's interesting, nobody has
asked me about printouts orhandouts in three years, which I
thought everybody would becauseit's an older population, but
now everybody's getting verytech savvy.
Janet Walker (15:46):
Well, and I suppose that, as patients do
these exercises daily ormultiple times a day, they're
going to start memorizing theprotocol so that they could
actually do Goni anywhere,anytime they want to.
They just need the device.
Shehla Rooney (16:01):
Yes, and I'll tell you that's.
Another claim to fame is thatyou can do your recovery
wherever you are.
So I love equipment like theRomTech.
Another claim to fame is thatyou know you can do your
recovery wherever you are.
So you know, I love equipmentlike the Rom Tech bike.
There's also something calledan X10 machine, very big.
Like I'm big supporters of whatthey do for the patient, but
they're not always portable,right.
So you know what, if you'regoing to your daughter's house
for two weeks and then you'regoing to your son's house for
(16:21):
one week, you know you wantsomething that's just easy to do
.
And I had a lady also who shetraveled abroad, to Australia,
and she said she took it in heroverhead bin because she knew
her knee would get stiff on thelong flight.
So I thought that was really,you know, brought me joy is that
, you know, once you got off theplane her knee wasn't so stiff
and so swollen because she wasable to do what she needed to do
(16:43):
.
But yeah, you're right, it'slightweight and it's portable.
Janet Walker (16:46):
Just so everyone understands, though, goni
doesn't take the place ofin-office physical therapy.
Shehla Rooney (16:53):
Okay.
So I'm going to give you twoanswers, janet.
Okay, one answer is Goni isdefinitely an adjunct, or like a
supplement to your physicaltherapy, and the research
actually on Goni is when Goni iscombined with traditional
physical therapy.
That is when the best resultsoccur.
Okay, so I want to say thatfirst ideal situation is you go
(17:14):
to therapy a couple of times aweek and they do hands-on
techniques, they do gaittraining, they do you know
swelling and pain management,and then you go home and Goni
helps you with gaining thatrange of motion, the quadricep,
you know strength, and helpswith pain and swelling and range
of motion.
That is, to me, the idealmarriage of Goni with
traditional physical therapy.
However, I've had many patientsuse Goni without traditional
(17:35):
physical therapy.
However, I've had many patientsuse Goni without traditional
physical therapy and that'sbecause maybe they had.
I had one lady who had 20 PTvisits per calendar year and she
had already used like 16 for aback injury, you know.
So she only had four left.
So she is someone that waslooking for an alternative.
I have some people that have$100 co-pays for PT and they
(17:56):
just cannot afford to go threetimes a week for six weeks, you
know, or someone is anindividual.
They live alone and they don'thave someone that can drive them
to and from therapy, and theylive in a remote area and can't
access home health.
So to me, and then I also had alady who had severe anxiety.
She had panic attacks andsevere anxiety, and going to
therapy caused severe anxiety.
(18:16):
She wanted to be able to dowhatever she could at home.
So Goni can be an alternativeto those people that can't
easily access or afford physicaltherapy, and it works really
well.
Now, again, I prefer for bothof them to happen at the same
time.
I think you need my skills ofin-person viewing and assessing
in addition to Goni, but itdoesn't always work that way.
Janet Walker (18:38):
It would be great for surgeons to learn about the
Goni, to give this as analternative to patients who
can't get to physical therapy orcan't cover the co-pays or have
one of the circumstances thatyou just outlined.
I wonder how many doctorsactually even know about this
program.
And that kind of leads into mynext question, which is is it
(19:02):
important for patients to get anokay from their doctor before
starting the Goni program?
Shehla Rooney (19:08):
Great question.
Obviously, I think it's reallyimportant to tell your surgeon
anything that you plan on doingbefore or after surgery.
I think you know they're doingthe major part of it.
They need to know anything youyou know any supplements you
might be taking, any equipmentyou bought off Amazon.
I think they need to be privyto all of it.
However, I will my fulldisclaimer.
There are many a surgeon whohave never heard of Goni various
(19:30):
reasons, the biggest one beingit.
You know, the research came outat the end of 2019.
And so in 2020, when there wasa big plan for me to market and
educate the surgeons out there,covid hit, so did not get to do
any in-person marketing orattending of any trade shows or
the things that normally happento expose a new product on the
market.
But then the second thing is Iwas talking to a surgeon and he
(19:52):
said with full disclosure Shella, I don't spend my free time or
my continuing education timelearning about rehabilitation
techniques, like that's what thephysical therapists are
supposed to do.
He's like I learn about thelatest implant, the latest
instrument, the latestnavigation, the latest you know.
So he's like I learn about thesurgery.
I want to make the surgerybetter for every patient.
But I don't think about how canI make the recovery afterwards
(20:14):
better.
He goes that's supposed to befor someone else.
About how can I make therecovery afterwards better, he
goes that's supposed to be forsomeone else.
So just be cautious that if youask your surgeon about hey, I
want to use GoKnee, they mightsay I've never heard of that.
But most surgeons, if you showthem a brochure or show them the
website or a picture of it,most of them have an engineering
or a kinesiology background andthey just understand the
mechanics of how that would work.
So I have not had a surgeonthat said absolutely not, don't
(20:39):
use that once they've.
Actually, I like for you to getthe okay from the surgeon,
because I always want thesurgeon to be able to be to know
everything about what you'redoing as part of your recovery.
Janet Walker (20:47):
Makes perfect sense.
Can you tell us anything aboutthe typical difference in
recovery for patients who usethe Go Knee program versus
patients who don't?
Shehla Rooney (20:59):
Well, my honest answer is the recovery is faster
.
Okay, so people who use GoKneehave a faster recovery.
Now, what do I mean by that?
I mean either their range ofmotion gets back faster, and
that could mean their kneestraightened faster.
It could mean their knee wasbending better.
It could mean that they got offthe walker faster.
It could mean that theirquadriceps activated quicker so
(21:21):
they were able to lift their legin and out of a car.
Those are the things thatpatients tell me On average.
If we compare Goni's range ofmotion measurements to
traditional PT.
I mean the research.
It's really hard to try to findwhat is norms for just
traditional physical therapyresearch.
It's really hard to try to findwhat is norms for just
traditional physical therapy.
But Belmont University inNashville did a bunch of
research and based on what theyfound, like what Goni users get
(21:49):
on average by three weeks iscomparable to what traditional
physical therapy gets patientsin six weeks.
So when I make a claim to fameof you know we get people better
, faster we just do compared totraditional physical therapy
alone.
So again, what does that mean?
Again, they might get theirknee straighter faster, but why
is that important?
Because it means they can getoff the walker in the cane.
It means they're walkingwithout a limp.
You know, our strengtheningprogram allows people's
(22:11):
quadriceps to activate quicker,which means you'll be able to go
up and down stairs maybe fasterthan someone who doesn't do
those exercises.
And same with pain.
We've included things calledlike joint mobilizations and
muscle energy techniques.
Those are clinically beenresearched for over 30 years.
That says they reduce the painfeeling, meaning your brain does
something when you do a jointmobilization and it reduces the
(22:33):
sensation of pain.
Well, we all know if the kneepatient had less pain, they'd be
able to do more motion, they'dbe able to do more function, and
so, again, all of that is a win.
I just think that kneereplacement recovery is painful
as it is.
I'm not going to pretend it'snot.
I used to use the wordchallenging, but every patient
that I talked to was like it'snot challenging, it hurts.
(22:54):
So knee replacement recovery ispainful.
But if you can reduce theamount of time that the person
is in pain and you can get themmoving sooner, then I think
that's a win.
And so that's what I think thedifference is between go knee
and physical therapy, versusjust physical therapy alone.
Janet Walker (23:10):
Is there a limit in patient age, size or general
health, or will go knee work forany person, in any body type,
in any physical condition?
Shehla Rooney (23:19):
Well, the good thing is that with knee
replacements in general, likeit's an elective procedure, so
surgeons don't do surgery onhigh risk patients, right?
So just by the nature of thesurgery being elective and that
surgeons choosing who can like,if someone's really medically
complicated, they don't haveknee replacement surgery, so
that already eliminates a wholeI don't things I don't have to
(23:41):
worry about.
So, as for age, I've had peopleas young as 32 to 89 for knee
replacements.
I've had someone who was like Ithink she told me she was four
foot two.
I've had someone who was sixfoot six.
Use it because the device isadjustable.
I've had patients withrheumatoid arthritis.
Because the device isadjustable, I've had patients
with rheumatoid arthritis,shoulder replacements, hip
replacements, back surgeries,diabetics, neuropathy.
(24:02):
So I mean there are a few caseswhere Goni is not going to help
you, but for the most part, themajority of the time, it can
work with the individual toresult in what needs to happen.
Janet Walker (24:17):
Will insurance pay for the GoKnee program after
knee replacement surgery or evenbefore knee replacement surgery
?
Shehla Rooney (24:24):
Unfortunately it is not an insurance approved
product, it is a cash payproduct only and I'm not going
to again bore the listeners forthe reasons, but it's a very
expensive and timely process toget insurance coverage and
honestly, I knew it was helpingindividuals, like five years ago
when we were using it onindividuals, and I didn't want
to wait three or four yearsbecause once you start that
(24:46):
process you know you can't justall of a sudden introduce it to
the public.
And plus, covid kind of madethat decision for me, meaning
because of COVID, researchprojects were stalled,
everything was stalled,everything with Medicare was
stalled.
So COVID made me go.
Hmm, patients are hurting,their surgeries are canceled,
they can't go to PT.
Oh, my goodness, I have asolution.
So I was like I'm going to gostraight to the consumer and
(25:14):
then the response was sophenomenal I have never looked
back.
So people are willing to payfor something that's going to
make their pain less, theirrecovery faster, prepare better
for a surgery, and so I justdidn't go the insurance route.
Also, side note, individuals arenot always compliant with their
exercise program.
I'm just going to say, as a PT,I know this.
But when you pay for somethingand you hand over money for
(25:36):
something that you chose topurchase.
I don't have a compliance issue.
100% of people who purchaseGoni use Goni, but that's
because they have skin in thegame.
Janet Walker (25:45):
Does Goni have a warranty?
Shehla Rooney (25:48):
You know we implemented a 30-day return
policy and I did that becauseyou know even me as an Amazon
purchaser or I purchase thingsonline I like knowing as a buyer
, I have the opportunity toreturn something.
So I added that in just from abusiness standpoint.
But what I have learned is ifanybody uses the product after
purchasing, they see the value,they feel the difference in
(26:11):
their need.
But yes, I do offer that justfor those that are kind of
skeptical about how can thisproduct that looks like this
help me.
Janet Walker (26:19):
I do offer that and because of the way it's
designed, there's really noissue with it potentially
breaking, with parts not working, anything like that.
Shehla Rooney (26:29):
No, and again, it's not a great business model
when you create a product thatcan last for your next knee and
maybe another knee surgery.
It is not something that'sgoing to expire and be like, oh,
in six months from now it's notworking.
Well, you know, it is built tolast.
Again, not a great businessmodel, but a great clinical
model where you know you buy itonce and it's a full service
(26:50):
knee program for both your kneesforever.
Janet Walker (26:54):
What can people expect from a customer service
standpoint?
Shehla Rooney (26:58):
Well, I'll be honest, I miss so much the
one-on-one contact with mypatients ever since I started
this Goni thing, so it isdefinitely my favorite part of
my job.
I love interacting withindividuals who have purchased a
Goni.
Anyone who reaches out throughthe website or calls the number
you know will get to speak to meand we will talk shop about
your knee and your goals.
I have started creating amultiple touch points on the
(27:20):
knee journey to give people theopportunity, you know, to get
involved with me.
So I, when they buy it, I kindof send them how to use the
device before they have surgery.
I'll reach out a week, a month,before surgery and tell them
things they can do with their goknee.
A week before surgery I'll sendout a checklist, you know.
A week after surgery I'm goingto send them like a range of
motion guide to kind of give themotivation to work towards
(27:41):
things.
And then again at two weeks,four weeks, eight weeks, I
really I mean again from monthsbefore surgery to months after
surgery, you're going to getcommunications from me that are
relevant and pertinent and, um,uh, I think, key to a successful
recovery and people can use orinteract with me as much or as
little as they want.
(28:02):
So if they just want to readthe emails and apply the
information, they can, if theyhave questions, they can reach
out.
I always, you know, give aphone number and an email at the
bottom of every email to say,hey, if you've got questions or
you're struggling or you're notmeeting these benchmarks, that I
think you should then reach outto me and I'll help you.
I think there is some confusionwith people like they have their
own PT, so why would they reachout to Shella at GoKnee?
(28:23):
But again, I feel like it's.
You know, we're both assets inyour team.
I'm helping you with a homeexercise program, they're
helping you with other things.
I don't see it as conflicting.
I see it as we're all on yourteam to get you better and I
have a skill set that you knowyou've now paid for.
You should use it when you havea knee problem.
I am the person you want tohave on speed dial, like I've
(28:45):
seen it all.
So but yeah, customer service,I would say, is probably my.
If you go to the reviews onGoKnee, it's really never about
the device, it's about ourcustomer service and I'm really
proud of that.
Janet Walker (28:57):
Wow, that's amazing and actually, you know,
rare these days.
So really, with GoKnee they'renot just getting a device,
they're not just getting adevice plus follow along videos.
It really is a completerecovery program with someone
who has probably more experiencein knee recovery than just
about anyone else out there.
(29:18):
So what an amazing value.
Shehla Rooney (29:21):
I'm glad you said that because I will tell you
that if you go have kneereplacement surgery, you just
assume that physical therapistsknow everything about knee
replacement.
But you know, surgeons aregetting more specialized.
There are now hip and kneesurgeons.
Right, they just do hips andknees.
The thing is there's notphysical therapists that just do
hips and knees.
We're generalists.
We see a variety of ankles andshoulders and neck and back and
(29:48):
we see a wide variety of ages GoKnees.
Claim to fame is we are onlytherapists that specialize in
everything knee-related for theolder adult and I just think
that that's a huge advantagebecause I've seen it all Every
single day.
Every single patient that Italk to is somewhere on the
spectrum of knee replacement andit provides me information.
Janet Walker (30:01):
How does someone go about getting the GoKnee
device and program?
Shehla Rooney (30:05):
You just go to our website, which is
wwwthegoneecom, which isT-H-E-G-O-K-N-E-Ecom.
There's a buy now button.
There's also a ton ofinformation on there, what you
need to know before surgery.
How can you pick a surgeon?
You know, how do you know ifyou have knee osteoarthritis?
I've created a really vastlibrary of everything knee
(30:27):
related that I'm proud of, so goon there.
But I also for your listeners,Janet.
I would love for them to enterin at the checkout.
There's a place for a couponcode.
If you put in GO100, so G-O,and then the number 100, it'll
get you $100 off your GoKnee.
Janet Walker (30:46):
Oh, thank you for doing that for our listeners.
Shehla Rooney (30:48):
I would love that .
Janet Walker (30:49):
Well, shella, thank you so much for being with
us again and thank you for yourexpertise and developing a
program that can help patientsrecover faster and better from
knee replacement surgery.
Listeners, you can connect withShella at thegoneecom that's
wwwthegoneecom.
And thank you so much everyonefor listening to the Healthy
(31:16):
Cells Healthy you podcast withme, your host, janet Walker.
You can find us on ApplePodcasts, google Podcasts,
iheartradio, spotify or whereveryou get your podcasts.
Subscribe and tell your friends.
We'll help you find solutionsand together we'll build healthy
cells and a healthy you.
In today's computerized-driven world, we
hear a lot about advancedtechnology that helps strengthen
or heal our bodies, butsometimes a simple device with
the know-how and expertisebehind it can work wonders.
Welcome listeners, to HealthyCells Healthy you.
Today I'm talking again toShella Rooney, physical
(00:23):
therapist and creator of a homephysical therapy knee program
called GoKnee that can help youin your quest for healthier
knees or help you recover fromknee replacement surgery.
Welcome to Healthy CellsHealthy you.
I'm your host, janet Walker.
I've been working in thehealthcare community for over 30
years and for 20 of those yearsI've also worked in the
(00:43):
healthcare community for over 30years and for 20 of those years
I've also worked as a writerand producer for the Windsor
Broadcasting award winningnational PBS health information
TV shows, american HealthJournal and Innovations in
Medicine.
We've interviewed thousands ofdoctors, scientists and
researchers on every topicrelated to health, medicine and
medical technology.
(01:04):
You can watch current episodesof Innovations in Medicine on
your local PBS channel or youcan stream our programs on the
American Health Journal channel,the Better Health channel and
TV Healthy Kids.
I'm also a new host forWindsor's award-winning podcast
entitled Better Wellness BetterWellness assisted knee program
(01:46):
that helps prepare patients forknee surgery and helps them get
improved outcomes followingtheir knee replacement procedure
.
Thanks for coming back toHealthy Cells.
Healthy you for our knee seriesShella.
Shehla Rooney (01:53):
Oh, I'm so excited to be here again.
Thank you.
Janet Walker (01:56):
Hopefully our listeners were here for the last
episode where we talked to youand you gave us so much good
information about kneereplacement surgery and physical
therapy.
Now we're going to talk about adevice and program that you
created for knee replacementpatients.
First, let's start by tellingus a little bit about your
background.
Shehla Rooney (02:15):
Well, I've been a PT for 26 years and the bulk of
it has been in treatinggeriatrics in a variety of
settings.
I do have a board certification, which is just a fancy way of
saying I've done a ton ofadditional training and studying
on the older adult, which youknow.
Random fact, I'm officially inthat category after turning 50
last month, and I think what Iwant people to know is I've
(02:37):
always been a lifelong learnerand educator.
I've been instrumental inteaching hundreds of students
and mentoring residents andresidency programs.
You know, been instrumental inteaching hundreds of students
and mentoring residents andresidency programs.
You know I've spoken nationallyabout geriatric related topics
and you know internationallyabout knee replacement recovery,
and so you know, most recently,my claim to fame, which is why
I'm here today is I patented andcreated a knee device that we
(02:59):
called GoKnee.
Janet Walker (03:01):
So what gave you the inspiration to develop the
GoKnee device and protocol knee?
Shehla Rooney (03:04):
So what gave you the inspiration to develop the
GoKnee device and protocol.
Well, let me first say I am nota creative person by nature.
I had no intent of becoming aninventor.
But, as they say, necessity isthe mother of invention.
One patient struggling afterknee replacement surgery and
creating a solution for him, Irealized that there was a void
in the system when it came toknee replacement recovery.
(03:26):
So, you know, insurance iscovering less postoperative
physical therapy than early inmy career it used to be.
You'd go to inpatient rehab forlike three weeks inpatient,
three hours of therapy every day, seven days a week.
Well, that's not happeninganymore.
Copay costs are increasing anda lot of people can't afford
their PT copay costs.
Patients are getting youngerand they're looking for like
(03:50):
alternatives and they're goingonline to find these
alternatives.
And then, in addition to that,the home exercise program for
knee replacement patients islike it's outdated.
They are the same exercisesbeing prescribed that I was
taught in PT school like 26years ago and I just knew there
had to be a better way.
I always joke with my patientsthat you know there's like
700,000 individuals that aregoing to have knee replacement
surgery next year.
(04:11):
And that I am certain, if Italked to all 700,000 of them,
they would agree that they wanta faster, smoother, less painful
recovery after the surgery.
And so to me, that's the reasonGo Knee was born, and I
continue to strive to grow itmore.
Janet Walker (04:29):
And that 700,000 number, that's not hyperbole.
I checked statistics and thereare 700,000 Americans every year
that get knee replacementsurgery.
And those are statistics fromthe American Association of
Orthopedic Surgeons.
Shehla Rooney (04:47):
Yeah, it's the most frequently performed
orthopedic procedure.
I tell this to my childrenbecause they don't think knee
replacements are sexy andglamorous, but I'm like it is
the most orthopedic, like it'sthe most performed orthopedic
procedure in the United States.
Janet Walker (05:00):
Did you hear that kids go to medical school and
become a surgeon for kneereplacement surgery?
Shehla Rooney (05:06):
Yes, you'll have job security for life.
Janet Walker (05:09):
Can you describe the GoKnee device and program?
Shehla Rooney (05:13):
Yes, okay, so GoKnee is like a fully
functioning knee recoveryprogram that you do at home, and
when I say fully functioning, Imean it can be used before
surgery, after surgery and aswell as a long term maintenance
program.
Now the device itself, if you goto the website it looks
extremely simple and, to mydismay, you know, many people
(05:34):
would describe it oh, it lookslike a pool ladder.
However, you know what it doesis quite complex.
Like the horizontal pads of thedevice, they mimic the hands of
a therapist, which then meansit allows the individual to do
advanced techniques from homethat typically would have
required me to be present and myhands to be present, and I'm
not going to bore the listenerswith details.
(05:55):
Like you know, being able to doa joint mobilization or an
isometric or muscle energytechnique from home every day,
like that's just, that'sfantastic.
And then the exercise programthat goes along with the device.
It was created by a team ofphysical therapists and we did
an extensive detailed researchand we based our program on
(06:15):
evidence and exercise principlesthat have already been proven
to work.
What are the best techniques toincrease knee motion?
What do you need to do toimprove quadriceps strength?
You know how do you counteractscar tissue formation after this
surgery.
So we also understood theneurological component of
chronic knee pain and kneereplacement recovery and we
included that into our protocolas well which disclaimer I did
(06:38):
create a video I'm really proudof on YouTube about the
neurological component to kneereplacement recovery, so it's
beneficial to people even beforethey've ever had the surgery.
Anybody that's had chronic kneepain, meaning pain in their
knees for months or years.
I really do encourage you to goto the YouTube to watch it.
It's 22 minutes but it, I think, can be like life altering in
(06:58):
terms of your perspective ofyour knee pain.
So, yeah, but point is, I usedthat knowledge in our exercise
program.
So that's what I mean by afully functioning program.
We don't just focus on thephysical recovery, focus on the
neurological component.
We've given you a device thatkind of mimics what we do.
And the kicker is the exercisesare videos.
So you'll get a picture of medescribing all the videos, what
(07:21):
to do, how to do them.
There's a timer, kind of likethe old timey Jane Fonda videos.
So there's no worry, are youdoing it right?
Are you feeling the right thing?
Because I'm telling you thewhole time that you're doing it,
what you're feeling, why you'redoing it, which can create
motivation, right.
So I try to explain that allthroughout the video so they're
easy to follow, step-by-step.
You just click play.
There's not a lot of thoughtthat goes into it, you just have
(07:44):
to follow along.
Janet Walker (07:45):
So patients are just relaxed in the comfort of
their own home.
They're watching a video andfollowing along doing the
exercises, while they're usingthe device that you created.
Shehla Rooney (07:56):
Yes, and I'll tell you that a lot of patients
go home with exercises and wegive them a sheet of paper, but
what I've learned is they don'teven know they're cheating, they
don't know they're compensatingwith their hip or their low
back, you know.
They don't even realize theirknee is not fully straight.
So I feel like that was kind ofpart of why, you know, I
thought traditional PT wasn'tgood enough for the patient is
we were sending them home anddidn't have a way to hold them
(08:19):
accountable to make sure theywere doing everything correctly.
So to me, our device, as simpleas it looks, it causes torques
and pressures where you can'tcheat.
So if you cheat less, thatmeans you're targeting the
specific muscles better andyou're going to have a better
outcome because of that.
Janet Walker (08:35):
So it's all about doing the exercises properly,
not about high-tech computerizeddevices high-tech computerized
devices, nope, it's literally astep-by-step video.
Shehla Rooney (08:48):
You click play and it says, hey, let's start
with the warmup.
You know, and so, yeah, itguides you through.
I think the thing is peopledon't want to know or don't want
to think about what they haveto do.
If your knee is already hurting, you know, and it's swollen and
it's stiff, just have somebodytell me what to do and explain.
And if it's hurting you'rewatching me on the screen say I
know this is hurting, you arenot hurting your incision right
(09:12):
now.
It will not split open.
I promise you Hearing thatwhile you're doing the exercises
.
I think there's some realvalidation to that.
I think that people pushthemselves harder with my videos
even though I'm not there and Isometimes I hear people say I
worked harder with the go kneeexercise program at home than I
did in physical therapy becausethey trust their hands.
(09:34):
You know they trust their handsmore than they trust the
therapist's hands on their knee.
So there's a beauty in it, inthe ability for the patient to
be really aggressive on theirown at home while being safe.
Janet Walker (09:45):
Nice, and so does it also help patients who aren't
quite ready for surgery yet.
They're experiencing the issueswith osteoarthritis.
They're not quite there forgetting a replacement surgery.
Will this device and protocolhelp them?
Shehla Rooney (10:02):
You know, interestingly, goni was not
created for that intent.
You know it was created and wehave research done that on its
effectiveness after kneereplacement surgery.
But what we found was westarted promoting Goni to be
used as a prehab program andwhat we found was that made a
huge difference in reducing theperson's complaints of pain.
People are not ready forsurgery.
(10:27):
Maybe they have to have dentalwork done, maybe their daughter
is getting married in threemonths and they just, you know,
want to prolong their surgery.
There's a reason.
Maybe they want to wait until,you know, january because they
want to start their deductibleall over again.
I don't know, but to me, yes,goni has now created an
opportunity for them to sitthere and be able to safely
postpone their surgery whilestill managing their knee pain.
And I've also a perk of Goni isif Goni's exercises can reduce
(10:50):
your pain, then the person ismore motivated to participate in
an exercise program.
So the feedback I've gottenfrom individuals is Goni's
exercises helped reduce my pain.
And because it reduced my pain,I resumed my walking program
with my girlfriends, which thenhelps with controlling weight,
it helps with mood, helps withdepression, helps with
socialization.
So again, it wasn't created forthat reason, but it has been a
(11:14):
really positive byproduct.
So, yeah, can it help postponeand if you're not ready, yes.
Janet Walker (11:22):
So why should a patient consider using Goni as
part of their knee replacementrecovery when they're getting
physical therapy paid for bytheir insurance, or maybe
they're having a RomTech bikedelivered to their home through
their insurance?
Can Goni be used as part ofthat routine recovery and why
should a patient consider usingit?
Shehla Rooney (11:43):
Well, the first answer is Goni is a great
adjunct to the RomTech bike.
Okay, goni is a great adjunctto traditional physical therapy
where you go and see them.
But my answer is you know whyshould a patient consider adding
Goni as part of their recovery?
It is so obvious to me that itis the most advanced home
(12:04):
exercise program on the market,and I don't say that lightly.
I have talked to hundreds oftherapists across the US and had
them send me their homeexercise programs that they
prescribe to patients.
I've had healthcareprofessionals all over the world
, like on five continents, sendme the exercises that they are
prescribing to their kneepatients, and what I have seen
(12:24):
is none of them include what'scalled joint mobilizations.
None of them include aneffective way for the individual
to do something calledisometrics and muscle energy
techniques.
And again, I'm not going tobore the audience, but the point
is, as healthcare professionals, we know how valuable those
techniques are in the recoveryprocess, but prior to go knee,
(12:46):
there wasn't a way for theindividual to do them at home
safely.
So to me, that's what Goni'sadvantage is it's allowing you
to do some really advancedexercises that normally require
you to go to a PT, but now youcan do them at home, and if you
can do them every day instead ofjust twice a week, if you can
do them three times a dayinstead of just during that one
(13:07):
time during the PT session,you're going to reap the
benefits.
This is one of those situationswhere more is better.
Doing more joint mobs is goingto feel better.
It's not like where I said, ifyou walk too much, it's going to
cause more pain.
This is one of those ones whereit can actually, the more you
do, it can give you morebenefits.
And there's a whole issue withyou know again, why should go
(13:27):
knee be considered?
There's a lot of patients thatare scared of therapy.
There's a lot of patients thathave a fear associated with a
therapist putting their hands ontheir knee.
Maybe they had a bad experiencewith a PT and so it's already.
Their brain doesn't like the PTsetting, and so it's another
opportunity for you to be ableto do things and not worry like
(13:49):
oh no, if I don't let the PT dowhat she needs, I'm not going to
get the benefits.
Well, it puts control back intothe individual's hands.
That you know what PT is icingon the cake, what you're doing
at home with Go Knee is actuallythe majority of the cake and I
think that sometimes that shiftis powerful.
I think it's really powerful.
Janet Walker (14:09):
Is the go knee difficult to set up or assemble?
What do patients need to beable to do the exercises and do
the program?
Shehla Rooney (14:18):
It is so easy to assemble.
It is sent to you in a littletall box that weighs less than
four pounds.
There's four parts that you poptogether.
We have a video that, a oneminute video that says hey, this
is how you put it together, ifyou can't figure it out yourself
.
Um, so, as for assembly, easypeasy, doesn't require any kind
of uh, tools or equipment.
Just have to pop it together,kind of like Legos, and ask for
(14:40):
the exercises.
What happens is in that box is apiece of paper that has a link.
When you type that link intoyour iPad, your phone or your
computer, it takes you to ourexercise videos and then it
literally says step one, likehave you put your device
together?
If not, press play, watch thisone minute video, we'll show you
how to put it together.
Step two we're going to showyou how to warm up your leg with
(15:00):
the Goni device and get youfamiliar with the basics.
Step three so it just it's alink, not not.
You don't have to download anapp.
You don't have to give me ausername and a password.
I personally hate all thatstuff, so I tried to make it as
user-friendly as possible, as ifI was the customer.
You know, I feel like peopleare giving too much of their
information away.
I wanted it to be very simple.
Janet Walker (15:22):
So they need a computer, a tablet or a phone
that has a Wi-Fi connection,because they need to be
connected to the internet, right?
They can't download theseexercises, can they?
Shehla Rooney (15:32):
Correct, it's just you need the Wi-Fi to be
able to do it.
I do have paper documents and,it's interesting, nobody has
asked me about printouts orhandouts in three years, which I
thought everybody would becauseit's an older population, but
now everybody's getting verytech savvy.
Janet Walker (15:46):
Well, and I suppose that, as patients do
these exercises daily ormultiple times a day, they're
going to start memorizing theprotocol so that they could
actually do Goni anywhere,anytime they want to.
They just need the device.
Shehla Rooney (16:01):
Yes, and I'll tell you that's.
Another claim to fame is thatyou can do your recovery
wherever you are.
So I love equipment like theRomTech.
Another claim to fame is thatyou know you can do your
recovery wherever you are.
So you know, I love equipmentlike the Rom Tech bike.
There's also something calledan X10 machine, very big.
Like I'm big supporters of whatthey do for the patient, but
they're not always portable,right.
So you know what, if you'regoing to your daughter's house
for two weeks and then you'regoing to your son's house for
(16:21):
one week, you know you wantsomething that's just easy to do
.
And I had a lady also who shetraveled abroad, to Australia,
and she said she took it in heroverhead bin because she knew
her knee would get stiff on thelong flight.
So I thought that was really,you know, brought me joy is that
, you know, once you got off theplane her knee wasn't so stiff
and so swollen because she wasable to do what she needed to do
(16:43):
.
But yeah, you're right, it'slightweight and it's portable.
Janet Walker (16:46):
Just so everyone understands, though, goni
doesn't take the place ofin-office physical therapy.
Shehla Rooney (16:53):
Okay.
So I'm going to give you twoanswers, janet.
Okay, one answer is Goni isdefinitely an adjunct, or like a
supplement to your physicaltherapy, and the research
actually on Goni is when Goni iscombined with traditional
physical therapy.
That is when the best resultsoccur.
Okay, so I want to say thatfirst ideal situation is you go
(17:14):
to therapy a couple of times aweek and they do hands-on
techniques, they do gaittraining, they do you know
swelling and pain management,and then you go home and Goni
helps you with gaining thatrange of motion, the quadricep,
you know strength, and helpswith pain and swelling and range
of motion.
That is, to me, the idealmarriage of Goni with
traditional physical therapy.
However, I've had many patientsuse Goni without traditional
(17:35):
physical therapy.
However, I've had many patientsuse Goni without traditional
physical therapy and that'sbecause maybe they had.
I had one lady who had 20 PTvisits per calendar year and she
had already used like 16 for aback injury, you know.
So she only had four left.
So she is someone that waslooking for an alternative.
I have some people that have$100 co-pays for PT and they
(17:56):
just cannot afford to go threetimes a week for six weeks, you
know, or someone is anindividual.
They live alone and they don'thave someone that can drive them
to and from therapy, and theylive in a remote area and can't
access home health.
So to me, and then I also had alady who had severe anxiety.
She had panic attacks andsevere anxiety, and going to
therapy caused severe anxiety.
(18:16):
She wanted to be able to dowhatever she could at home.
So Goni can be an alternativeto those people that can't
easily access or afford physicaltherapy, and it works really
well.
Now, again, I prefer for bothof them to happen at the same
time.
I think you need my skills ofin-person viewing and assessing
in addition to Goni, but itdoesn't always work that way.
Janet Walker (18:38):
It would be great for surgeons to learn about the
Goni, to give this as analternative to patients who
can't get to physical therapy orcan't cover the co-pays or have
one of the circumstances thatyou just outlined.
I wonder how many doctorsactually even know about this
program.
And that kind of leads into mynext question, which is is it
(19:02):
important for patients to get anokay from their doctor before
starting the Goni program?
Shehla Rooney (19:08):
Great question.
Obviously, I think it's reallyimportant to tell your surgeon
anything that you plan on doingbefore or after surgery.
I think you know they're doingthe major part of it.
They need to know anything youyou know any supplements you
might be taking, any equipmentyou bought off Amazon.
I think they need to be privyto all of it.
However, I will my fulldisclaimer.
There are many a surgeon whohave never heard of Goni various
(19:30):
reasons, the biggest one beingit.
You know, the research came outat the end of 2019.
And so in 2020, when there wasa big plan for me to market and
educate the surgeons out there,covid hit, so did not get to do
any in-person marketing orattending of any trade shows or
the things that normally happento expose a new product on the
market.
But then the second thing is Iwas talking to a surgeon and he
(19:52):
said with full disclosure Shella, I don't spend my free time or
my continuing education timelearning about rehabilitation
techniques, like that's what thephysical therapists are
supposed to do.
He's like I learn about thelatest implant, the latest
instrument, the latestnavigation, the latest you know.
So he's like I learn about thesurgery.
I want to make the surgerybetter for every patient.
But I don't think about how canI make the recovery afterwards
(20:14):
better.
He goes that's supposed to befor someone else.
About how can I make therecovery afterwards better, he
goes that's supposed to be forsomeone else.
So just be cautious that if youask your surgeon about hey, I
want to use GoKnee, they mightsay I've never heard of that.
But most surgeons, if you showthem a brochure or show them the
website or a picture of it,most of them have an engineering
or a kinesiology background andthey just understand the
mechanics of how that would work.
So I have not had a surgeonthat said absolutely not, don't
(20:39):
use that once they've.
Actually, I like for you to getthe okay from the surgeon,
because I always want thesurgeon to be able to be to know
everything about what you'redoing as part of your recovery.
Janet Walker (20:47):
Makes perfect sense.
Can you tell us anything aboutthe typical difference in
recovery for patients who usethe Go Knee program versus
patients who don't?
Shehla Rooney (20:59):
Well, my honest answer is the recovery is faster
.
Okay, so people who use GoKneehave a faster recovery.
Now, what do I mean by that?
I mean either their range ofmotion gets back faster, and
that could mean their kneestraightened faster.
It could mean their knee wasbending better.
It could mean that they got offthe walker faster.
It could mean that theirquadriceps activated quicker so
(21:21):
they were able to lift their legin and out of a car.
Those are the things thatpatients tell me On average.
If we compare Goni's range ofmotion measurements to
traditional PT.
I mean the research.
It's really hard to try to findwhat is norms for just
traditional physical therapyresearch.
It's really hard to try to findwhat is norms for just
traditional physical therapy.
But Belmont University inNashville did a bunch of
research and based on what theyfound, like what Goni users get
(21:49):
on average by three weeks iscomparable to what traditional
physical therapy gets patientsin six weeks.
So when I make a claim to fameof you know we get people better
, faster we just do compared totraditional physical therapy
alone.
So again, what does that mean?
Again, they might get theirknee straighter faster, but why
is that important?
Because it means they can getoff the walker in the cane.
It means they're walkingwithout a limp.
You know, our strengtheningprogram allows people's
(22:11):
quadriceps to activate quicker,which means you'll be able to go
up and down stairs maybe fasterthan someone who doesn't do
those exercises.
And same with pain.
We've included things calledlike joint mobilizations and
muscle energy techniques.
Those are clinically beenresearched for over 30 years.
That says they reduce the painfeeling, meaning your brain does
something when you do a jointmobilization and it reduces the
(22:33):
sensation of pain.
Well, we all know if the kneepatient had less pain, they'd be
able to do more motion, they'dbe able to do more function, and
so, again, all of that is a win.
I just think that kneereplacement recovery is painful
as it is.
I'm not going to pretend it'snot.
I used to use the wordchallenging, but every patient
that I talked to was like it'snot challenging, it hurts.
(22:54):
So knee replacement recovery ispainful.
But if you can reduce theamount of time that the person
is in pain and you can get themmoving sooner, then I think
that's a win.
And so that's what I think thedifference is between go knee
and physical therapy, versusjust physical therapy alone.
Janet Walker (23:10):
Is there a limit in patient age, size or general
health, or will go knee work forany person, in any body type,
in any physical condition?
Shehla Rooney (23:19):
Well, the good thing is that with knee
replacements in general, likeit's an elective procedure, so
surgeons don't do surgery onhigh risk patients, right?
So just by the nature of thesurgery being elective and that
surgeons choosing who can like,if someone's really medically
complicated, they don't haveknee replacement surgery, so
that already eliminates a wholeI don't things I don't have to
(23:41):
worry about.
So, as for age, I've had peopleas young as 32 to 89 for knee
replacements.
I've had someone who was like Ithink she told me she was four
foot two.
I've had someone who was sixfoot six.
Use it because the device isadjustable.
I've had patients withrheumatoid arthritis.
Because the device isadjustable, I've had patients
with rheumatoid arthritis,shoulder replacements, hip
replacements, back surgeries,diabetics, neuropathy.
(24:02):
So I mean there are a few caseswhere Goni is not going to help
you, but for the most part, themajority of the time, it can
work with the individual toresult in what needs to happen.
Janet Walker (24:17):
Will insurance pay for the GoKnee program after
knee replacement surgery or evenbefore knee replacement surgery
?
Shehla Rooney (24:24):
Unfortunately it is not an insurance approved
product, it is a cash payproduct only and I'm not going
to again bore the listeners forthe reasons, but it's a very
expensive and timely process toget insurance coverage and
honestly, I knew it was helpingindividuals, like five years ago
when we were using it onindividuals, and I didn't want
to wait three or four yearsbecause once you start that
(24:46):
process you know you can't justall of a sudden introduce it to
the public.
And plus, covid kind of madethat decision for me, meaning
because of COVID, researchprojects were stalled,
everything was stalled,everything with Medicare was
stalled.
So COVID made me go.
Hmm, patients are hurting,their surgeries are canceled,
they can't go to PT.
Oh, my goodness, I have asolution.
So I was like I'm going to gostraight to the consumer and
(25:14):
then the response was sophenomenal I have never looked
back.
So people are willing to payfor something that's going to
make their pain less, theirrecovery faster, prepare better
for a surgery, and so I justdidn't go the insurance route.
Also, side note, individuals arenot always compliant with their
exercise program.
I'm just going to say, as a PT,I know this.
But when you pay for somethingand you hand over money for
(25:36):
something that you chose topurchase.
I don't have a compliance issue.
100% of people who purchaseGoni use Goni, but that's
because they have skin in thegame.
Janet Walker (25:45):
Does Goni have a warranty?
Shehla Rooney (25:48):
You know we implemented a 30-day return
policy and I did that becauseyou know even me as an Amazon
purchaser or I purchase thingsonline I like knowing as a buyer
, I have the opportunity toreturn something.
So I added that in just from abusiness standpoint.
But what I have learned is ifanybody uses the product after
purchasing, they see the value,they feel the difference in
(26:11):
their need.
But yes, I do offer that justfor those that are kind of
skeptical about how can thisproduct that looks like this
help me.
Janet Walker (26:19):
I do offer that and because of the way it's
designed, there's really noissue with it potentially
breaking, with parts not working, anything like that.
Shehla Rooney (26:29):
No, and again, it's not a great business model
when you create a product thatcan last for your next knee and
maybe another knee surgery.
It is not something that'sgoing to expire and be like, oh,
in six months from now it's notworking.
Well, you know, it is built tolast.
Again, not a great businessmodel, but a great clinical
model where you know you buy itonce and it's a full service
(26:50):
knee program for both your kneesforever.
Janet Walker (26:54):
What can people expect from a customer service
standpoint?
Shehla Rooney (26:58):
Well, I'll be honest, I miss so much the
one-on-one contact with mypatients ever since I started
this Goni thing, so it isdefinitely my favorite part of
my job.
I love interacting withindividuals who have purchased a
Goni.
Anyone who reaches out throughthe website or calls the number
you know will get to speak to meand we will talk shop about
your knee and your goals.
I have started creating amultiple touch points on the
(27:20):
knee journey to give people theopportunity, you know, to get
involved with me.
So I, when they buy it, I kindof send them how to use the
device before they have surgery.
I'll reach out a week, a month,before surgery and tell them
things they can do with their goknee.
A week before surgery I'll sendout a checklist, you know.
A week after surgery I'm goingto send them like a range of
motion guide to kind of give themotivation to work towards
(27:41):
things.
And then again at two weeks,four weeks, eight weeks, I
really I mean again from monthsbefore surgery to months after
surgery, you're going to getcommunications from me that are
relevant and pertinent and, um,uh, I think, key to a successful
recovery and people can use orinteract with me as much or as
little as they want.
(28:02):
So if they just want to readthe emails and apply the
information, they can, if theyhave questions, they can reach
out.
I always, you know, give aphone number and an email at the
bottom of every email to say,hey, if you've got questions or
you're struggling or you're notmeeting these benchmarks, that I
think you should then reach outto me and I'll help you.
I think there is some confusionwith people like they have their
own PT, so why would they reachout to Shella at GoKnee?
(28:23):
But again, I feel like it's.
You know, we're both assets inyour team.
I'm helping you with a homeexercise program, they're
helping you with other things.
I don't see it as conflicting.
I see it as we're all on yourteam to get you better and I
have a skill set that you knowyou've now paid for.
You should use it when you havea knee problem.
I am the person you want tohave on speed dial, like I've
(28:45):
seen it all.
So but yeah, customer service,I would say, is probably my.
If you go to the reviews onGoKnee, it's really never about
the device, it's about ourcustomer service and I'm really
proud of that.
Janet Walker (28:57):
Wow, that's amazing and actually, you know,
rare these days.
So really, with GoKnee they'renot just getting a device,
they're not just getting adevice plus follow along videos.
It really is a completerecovery program with someone
who has probably more experiencein knee recovery than just
about anyone else out there.
(29:18):
So what an amazing value.
Shehla Rooney (29:21):
I'm glad you said that because I will tell you
that if you go have kneereplacement surgery, you just
assume that physical therapistsknow everything about knee
replacement.
But you know, surgeons aregetting more specialized.
There are now hip and kneesurgeons.
Right, they just do hips andknees.
The thing is there's notphysical therapists that just do
hips and knees.
We're generalists.
We see a variety of ankles andshoulders and neck and back and
(29:48):
we see a wide variety of ages GoKnees.
Claim to fame is we are onlytherapists that specialize in
everything knee-related for theolder adult and I just think
that that's a huge advantagebecause I've seen it all Every
single day.
Every single patient that Italk to is somewhere on the
spectrum of knee replacement andit provides me information.
Janet Walker (30:01):
How does someone go about getting the GoKnee
device and program?
Shehla Rooney (30:05):
You just go to our website, which is
wwwthegoneecom, which isT-H-E-G-O-K-N-E-Ecom.
There's a buy now button.
There's also a ton ofinformation on there, what you
need to know before surgery.
How can you pick a surgeon?
You know, how do you know ifyou have knee osteoarthritis?
I've created a really vastlibrary of everything knee
(30:27):
related that I'm proud of, so goon there.
But I also for your listeners,Janet.
I would love for them to enterin at the checkout.
There's a place for a couponcode.
If you put in GO100, so G-O,and then the number 100, it'll
get you $100 off your GoKnee.
Janet Walker (30:46):
Oh, thank you for doing that for our listeners.
Shehla Rooney (30:48):
I would love that .
Janet Walker (30:49):
Well, shella, thank you so much for being with
us again and thank you for yourexpertise and developing a
program that can help patientsrecover faster and better from
knee replacement surgery.
Listeners, you can connect withShella at thegoneecom that's
wwwthegoneecom.
And thank you so much everyonefor listening to the Healthy
(31:16):
Cells Healthy you podcast withme, your host, janet Walker.
You can find us on ApplePodcasts, google Podcasts,
iheartradio, spotify or whereveryou get your podcasts.
Subscribe and tell your friends.
We'll help you find solutionsand together we'll build healthy
cells and a healthy you.
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