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St. Petersburg, Fla. — Professional athletes, regardless of the sport they play, understand that competing at such a level involves many physical risks. In order to win and maintain their position at the top, they must give it their all every time they step on the court or field. But, in exerting themselves to such a degree so frequently, season and career ending injuries are common.

2011 Wimbledon Women’s Doubles Champion and top ranked WTA Tour Player Kveta Peschke understands this all too well.

In 2009, Peschke was preparing for Wimbledon when she sustained a rib injury. After a four-week hiatus, the pain had not subsided, and she was not able to return to playing competitively.

“I thought, wow, this is really bad,” Peschke says of the early results.

Following an additional six weeks of recovery, Peschke’s pain remained so severe she feared the injury would end her tennis career and dreams of winning a major tournament.

Back home in Sarasota, when searching for the best treatment options, Peschke and her husband Torsten reconnected with a physical therapist whom Peschke had met on the professional women’s tennis circuit and who would ultimately provide a different outlook on her case.

Following a call from Peschke, Lisa Chase, a well-respected physical therapist who had worked and traveled for many years with the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Tour and her colleague, Sports Medicine Physician Nishin Tambay, M.D., examined Peschke at their office in St. Petersburg, Florida, only a few miles from Sarasota.

The two recommended specialized treatment and rehabilitation, which included manual therapy, nutrition plan, customized sports specific exercise, acupuncture, laser therapy and even a new therapy called the MELT Method.

“Prior to this treatment, I had become frustrated that other doctors were unable to find a solution, especially after so many tests and failed treatments” said Peschke. “All it took was a different approach and, in that respect, Dr. Tambay and Lisa were the best things that could have happened to me.”

Two years after her injury, Peschke won the 2011 Wimbledon Women’s Doubles Championship, which she considers to be her greatest accomplishment in life to date.

“Winning at Wimbledon was the highlight of my career and one that I never would have experienced if it wasn’t for the foresight and personal care I received from Dr. Tambay and Lisa,” said Peschke. “It felt surreal to lift that trophy, especially given the amount of pain I was experiencing only two years earlier,” Peschke recalled of her victory at Wimbledon.

Peschke recently competed in the 2012 U.S. Open where she reached the quarterfinals in women’s doubles and finals in mixed doubles. At home she keeps busy with her tennis career and by maintaining her healthy and active lifestyle. Anytime she feels something with her body might not be right, she doesn’t hesitate to contact Lisa Chase and Dr Tambay.

About Back 2 Normal / Lisa Chase

Back 2 Normal Therapy is wellness, rehabilitation studio where healing meets sports performance. They offer preventative and injury management services with a hands on approach, providing quick pain reduction, restoration of function and improved sports performance.

Their primary goal is to detect the true cause of injuries and pain, promoting total body balance and excellent outcomes within 4-6 visits. They highly encourage a team approach and strive to work closely with other health care and fitness professionals such as acupuncturist, massage therapist, personal trainers, yoga and Pilates instructors, dietitians and medical doctors in order to provide the most comprehensive care to their clients.

Lisa Chase is a licensed physical therapist, certified advanced orthopedic manual therapist, Polestar Pilates trained and certified M.E.L.T instructor. With 20+ years of experience she runs her specialty practice focusing on orthopedics, spine and sports medicine, helping athletes and people who want to live an active lifestyle achieve their goals and get out of pain quickly.

In addition to a licensed physical therapist, they also have an in-house Rehabilitation Specialist offering massage therapy and MELT which is an instructed self-care technique to help decrease pain, inflammation, accumulated stress and improve function and sports performance. Back 2 Normal is currently the only practice in the Tampa Bay area that delivers the MELT Method.