All-State athlete Kaci Kranson thankful for Geisinger
When 18-year-old Kaci Kranson of Scranton injured herself playing sports, she loved having a doctor who understood her competitive spirit.
Kaci Kranson was a standout athlete at Holy Cross High School in Dunmore, Pa., the Lady Crusaders’ all-time leading scorer in basketball and first-team selection for the All-State teams in basketball and softball. She graduated this year.
Two years ago, Ms. Kranson got a severe concussion. Driving through opponents for a layup, she fell and hit her head on the hardwood floor. Then, during her senior year, she sprained her ankle in a playoff game.
Both injuries put her out of commission and in the hands of Justin Tunis, MD, sports medicine specialist at Geisinger Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Scranton.
Ms. Kranson fretted about not being able to play and possibly missing the season after her concussion.
“I was just really scared because I didn't know what to do with my life if I didn't have sports,” she says.
Dr. Tunis worked with her through both injuries, instructing her to rest and recover for a couple weeks. He advised diet and lifestyle changes that would help her recover from the concussion.
“It really helped me recover one hundred percent,” Ms. Kranson says. “I trust Dr. Tunis. He understands sports a lot. He played baseball and he just understands the mentality of getting back to it. You don't want time off of it.”
Dr. Tunis left a lasting impression on her game — and her studies
“Dr. Tunis made me a better athlete,” says Ms. Kranson. “He told me just to be smarter, and not to drive into people because of high risk of injury. I think he changed the way I played. Not driving through people just to get a foul.”
He also made an impression on her academic trajectory. Ms. Kranson wants to be a physical therapist, and planned to go away to college. But Dr. Tunis’ brother, Brandon Tunis, is a Geisinger physical therapist. They suggested she consider the nearby physical therapy program at The University of Scranton.
She looked into it and decided they were right. And now she’s enrolled right here, on her home turf.
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