Lena's Path out of Bilateral Hip Labral Tear and FAI Pain

After getting diagnosed with FAI and labral tears in both hips, I felt like I was really broken and damaged. I was told that I would inevitably need surgery or I could just learn to manage my condition for the rest of my life. PT exercises were not helping. So part of me started to feel very hopeless.

After looking at different videos online about people who were able to regain their health without surgery, I wanted to work with someone in person to help me out of this chronic pain.

I’ve only worked with Maks a short period of time but have learned through my work with him how much my mind has been playing such a huge part in my experience of chronic pain. Since I was so afraid to move and cause more pain, I was actually keeping my pain going by limiting my movement and activities.

Then, when I would want to be active, I would do something I used to be able to do but get a flare up again, proving the point that I shouldn’t have moved so much. Having another person look at my movement and helping me realize all the things I can and am able to do reassured me that this diagnosis doesn’t have to limit me in any way.

I am shifting away from wanting to get rid of pain to working towards regaining functional movement and strength. I want to be able to do things I enjoy again and pursue new things. The absence of pain isn’t my focus anymore, and of course, paradoxically, pain diminishes when I’m not focusing on it.

Maks is able to help from a physical as well as a mental and emotional perspective. I found his support and open-mindedness tremendously needed for me to begin gaining confidence again in what my body can do.