Mustafa Jaffer has played competitive sports — volleyball, soccer, tennis and squash — throughout his life.
His rehab work including blood flow restriction therapy with Physical Therapy at St. Luke’s-Macungie has allowed him to recover from the meniscus tear he suffered in his left knee over two years ago and excel at his current favorite game: pickleball.
“That’s become my new addiction, because I’m winning some tournaments,” Jaffer said with a laugh.
Jaffer, who recently turned 50, took first place in a doubles tournament in the Pickleball Showdown at St. Luke’s SportsPlex last summer. He also finished second in a singles tournament despite playing in a field where many of his competitors were in their late 20s.
His remarkable comeback is a testament to St. Luke’s overall excellence. This past fall, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ranked St. Luke’s #1 – ahead of Houston Methodist and Mayo Clinic, two of the nation’s most prestigious institutions – as the nation’s top health system for quality, safety, and patient experience. This objective recognition, based on public data reported to the government, reaffirms St. Luke’s preeminent position among the leading health systems in the country.
When he isn’t playing pickleball, Jaffer runs his business, EBC Printing & Signs. They specialize in printing and mailing services, including direct mailers, signage, apparel, and promotional items.
Jaffer and his family are originally Tanzania East Africa. He came to the United States for high school and played squash in college.
Jaffer’s life-long participation in racquet sports made the move to pickleball natural. His rehab from the torn meniscus he suffered while playing squash have allowed him to compete at a high level.
Jaffer first tried conservative treatments for his meniscus tear, including gel and cortisone shots. He turned to physical therapy with Richard Grubb, PT, MSPT, Facility Director at St. Luke’s-Macungie, when those treatments couldn’t provide enough relief from the swelling and discomfort in his knee.
Grubb worked with Jaffer on stretches and strengthening exercises. He also suggested blood flow restriction therapy so Jaffer could build strength and endurance without causing heavy stress to his knee.
Blood flow restriction therapy involves applying a specialized tourniquet to partially limit blood flow. A machine that accounts for a person’s blood pressure guides the process. Blood flow restriction therapy reduces oxygen to the targeted limb by creating a controlled hypoxic environment. This triggers chemical changes that encourage muscle protein synthesis, helping reduce muscle breakdown and promote muscle growth.
“I went in for a few sessions of the therapy to try it,” Jaffer said. “Not moving around like I normally do in the gym when I go work out, I was sweating bullets in a good way. The unit would make you think you’re doing squats and leg exercises.
“I definitely felt a lot of strength developing in the legs.”
Jaffer hasn’t completed any blood flow restriction sessions recently, but he plans to resume them in May. He wants to be in top form when outdoor pickleball tournaments begin.
“It’s really made a huge, positive impact in the way I perform on the court,” Jaffer said. “The stretches and this particular therapy have taken away a lot of the swelling that would come about from even playing a recreational pickleball game.”
