Mustafa Jaffer has played competitive sports \u2014 volleyball, soccer, tennis and squash \u2014 throughout his life.<\/p>\n
His rehab work including blood flow restriction therapy with Physical Therapy at St. Luke\u2019s-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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s become my new addiction, because I\u2019m winning some tournaments,\u201d Jaffer said with a laugh.<\/p>\n
Jaffer, who recently turned 50, took first place in a doubles tournament in the Pickleball Showdown at St. Luke\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
His remarkable comeback is a testament to St. Luke\u2019s overall excellence. This past fall, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ranked St. Luke\u2019s #1 \u2013 ahead of Houston Methodist and Mayo Clinic, two of the nation\u2019s most prestigious institutions \u2013 as the nation\u2019s top health system for quality, safety, and patient experience. This objective recognition, based on public data reported to the government, reaffirms St. Luke\u2019s preeminent position among the leading health systems in the country.<\/p>\n
When he isn\u2019t playing pickleball, Jaffer runs his business, EBC Printing & Signs. They specialize in printing and mailing services, including direct mailers, signage, apparel, and promotional items.<\/p>\n
Jaffer and his family are originally Tanzania East Africa. He came to the United States for high school and played squash in college.<\/p>\n
Jaffer\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s-Macungie, when those treatments couldn\u2019t provide enough relief from the swelling and discomfort in his knee.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Blood flow restriction therapy involves applying a specialized tourniquet to partially limit blood flow. A machine that accounts for a person\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went in for a few sessions of the therapy to try it,\u201d Jaffer said. \u201cNot 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\u2019re doing squats and leg exercises.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely felt a lot of strength developing in the legs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jaffer hasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really made a huge, positive impact in the way I perform on the court,\u201d Jaffer said. \u201cThe stretches and this particular therapy have taken away a lot of the swelling that would come about from even playing a recreational pickleball game.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Photo caption: Mustafa Jaffer, in the foreground, with Richard Grubb, PT, MSPT, who worked with Jaffer on stretches and strengthening exercises and suggested blood flow restriction therapy so Jaffer could build strength and endurance without causing heavy stress to his knee.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Media Contact:<\/p>\n Sam Kennedy, Corporate Communications Director, 484-526-4134,\u00a0<\/strong>samuel.kennedy@sluhn.org<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n About St. Luke\u2019s<\/strong><\/p>\n Founded in 1872, St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network (SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network with annual net revenue of more than $4.5 billion. With 23,000+ employees at 16 hospital campuses and 350+ outpatient sites, it is the Lehigh Valley\u2019s biggest employer.<\/p>\n The Network\u2019s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital is based at the Bethlehem Campus.<\/p>\n Dedicated to advancing medical education, St. Luke\u2019s is the preeminent teaching hospital in central-eastern Pennsylvania. In partnership with Temple University, the Network established the Lehigh Valley\u2019s first and only four-year medical school. It also operates the nation\u2019s oldest continuously operated School of Nursing, established in 1884, and 60+ fully accredited graduate medical educational programs with 550+ residents and fellows.<\/p>\n In 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ranked St. Luke\u2019s #1 \u2013 ahead of Houston Methodist and Mayo Clinic, two of the nation\u2019s most prestigious institutions \u2013 as the nation\u2019s top health system for quality, safety and patient experience. This objective recognition, based on public data reported to the government, reaffirms St. Luke\u2019s preeminent position as THE BEST OF THE BEST among the most respected health care systems in the United States.<\/p>\n St. Luke\u2019s has been named a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades Top Hospital and a Newsweek World\u2019s Best Hospital. It is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare\u2019s five-star ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. In 2025, the Network earned straight A\u2019s from Leapfrog across all of its acute care hospitals. It has earned 100 Top Hospital designations from Premier 11 years in a row, including in 2021 when its flagship University Hospital was identified as THE #1 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY. Utilizing the Epic electronic medical record (EMR) system for both inpatient and outpatient services, the Network is a multi-year recipient of the Most Wired award recognizing the breadth of SLUHN\u2019s information technology applications such as telehealth, online scheduling and online pricing<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mustafa Jaffer has played competitive sports \u2014 volleyball, soccer, tennis and squash \u2014 throughout his life. His rehab work including blood flow restriction therapy with Physical Therapy at St. Luke\u2019s-Macungie … Continue reading Macungie Business Owner Finds a Surgery\u2011Free Solution for Torn Meniscus at Physical Therapy at St. Luke\u2019s<\/span>