After Ankle Injury, Jackson Employee Makes Full Recovery at Jackson North Medical Center and Lynn Rehabilitation Center

By: Krysten Brenlla

For nearly three years, Bryan Buritica has worked at Jackson Health System as a senior labor relations specialist, serving as a liaison for all employees throughout the organization.

In his free time, the 31-year-old loves to participate in ninja-warrior-style obstacle courses and races.

On April 19, 2023, his life turned upside down when he had a bad fall at the end of a race.

“I had one more obstacle to complete – a 25-foot rope,” Buritica said. “I touched the bell after climbing to the top, and when I was climbing down, I looked to the bottom and thought to myself, ‘I could jump and make the landing.’ I jumped, and when I landed, my left ankle slipped through the safety mats.”

At first, Buritica’s adrenaline was rushing, and he thought he was fine. But when he stood up, he began to experience heat flashes and unbearable pain.

“I looked down and saw that my left ankle was twisting sideways,” he said. “That’s when I fell over and started screaming for help.”

Paramedics rushed Buritica to a medical tent, where they iced and wrapped his ankle. However, the pain was so severe, he knew he needed to go to the hospital, and fast.

“I couldn’t walk because my ankle hurt so bad,” Buritica said. “I was all the way in Boca Raton, and I was by myself. Since my injury was on the left ankle, I was able to drive myself, so I drove straight to Jackson North.”

When he arrived at Jackson North Medical Center’s emergency room, the care team immediately knew his ankle was nearly broken.

“When the doctors took a look at my ankle, their eyes went backward,” Buritica said. “They took some X-rays and told me I had a trimalleolar fracture – my ankle was basically detached from my leg.”

He was admitted at Jackson North that same day. Buritica needed orthopedic surgery to repair the fracture, which included the placement of titanium screws and rods.

“The doctors, nurses, and physical therapists at Jackson North were phenomenal,” Buritica said.

The procedure was successful, and he was discharged from the hospital a few days later. After six months of bed rest, Buritica began physical therapy at Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at UHealth/Jackson Memorial, where he worked on different exercises and techniques to strengthen his ankle.

“It was very much tough love at Lynn Rehabilitation Center. Every day, I worked on the elliptical and stairs, sprints, catching a ball, shooting a basketball – it was nonstop movements. They really taught me how to walk normal again,” he said. “Because of them, I was able to get my confidence back up.”

After six months of physical therapy, Buritica felt better than ever. He then went back to Jackson North for a specialized therapy program to strengthen his ankle, with a goal of returning to jogging and sports.

“The therapists at Lynn Rehabilitation Center did a great job in getting Bryan back to where he needed to be to overcome his injury,” said Hiroshi Perera, a physical therapist at Jackson North. “However, he was struggling to get back into jogging – he could only tolerate about 10 minutes before his ankle got swollen and irritable.”

Perera worked with Buritica to determine his tolerance level, and used specialized exercises and a progressive jogging program to prepare his ankle for running.

Within weeks, he went from jogging for only 10 minutes, to running with no pain.

“I always like to tell my patients that I’m not here to fix anybody. I’m just there to guide them, so they can get back to their meaningful activities,” Perera said. “Bryan did that perfectly – he trusted the process, and he thrived.”

Recently, Buritica completed a marathon. He hopes to participate in a ninja warrior obstacle course soon – something he never thought would be possible after his injury.

“To the entire team at Jackson North and Lynn Rehabilitation Center – keep up the great work,” Buritica said. “I commend all the therapists and nurses for their patience, and for helping everyone – not just me – get back on their feet.”