My Hinge Health Member Story: Chris

Hinge Health is a new kind of digital clinic for joint and muscle pain — one built around members, their lives, and their needs. And it’s backed by life-changing outcomes and real savings.

Here, meet Hinge Health member Chris, a retired special education teacher from Ohio. In this video and interview below, Chris shares how she was finally able to “get off the sidelines” during her favorite activities after she started using Hinge Health for debilitating knee pain. 

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Q: How was pain affecting your life?

A: I’ve always been very active. I love doing outdoor activities like hiking, playing pickleball, swimming, and horseback riding. Pickleball was a wonderful way to make friends when we moved into a new town. Horseback riding is my way to escape from the world. 

But my knee pain began to limit what I could do. My legs felt stiff and like they weren’t working as they should. It was so bad that sometimes I had to sit out during hikes with my grandkids or decide not to ride my horse. If my horse was at the far end of the pasture, I would just want to cry because I knew it would be torture to get him. Sometimes I would say, “well, I just won’t ride today.” And when I can’t do those things and have to sit around, it gets depressing. I felt like my body was betraying me.

Q: What were you doing for treatment?

A: I went to an orthopedic doctor. He told me I had severe arthritis and could do cortisone injections and physical therapy. The physical therapist was helpful. They gave me exercises, but I didn’t do all the things they wanted me to do at home. It was very time-consuming and wasn’t very motivating. 

I had come to the conclusion that I would need knee replacement surgery, though I really didn't want that. I'd be out for a few months. Who would take care of my horse while my knees were recovering? 

Q: What made you start Hinge Health?

A: I was hiking with my grandkids in California when I realized I couldn’t make it all the way. I sat on a rock while they kept going. I thought: I’ll get my knees fixed when I get back to Ohio. It’s the only thing that will allow me to be as active as I want. When I got home, I opened my email and saw a message saying Hinge Health was available through my insurance company. I immediately signed up and got started.

Q: How has it helped?

A: It’s so easy to use. In fact, I thought it was a little bit too easy at first because the exercises were very simple. But they got harder as I went along. I was also surprised by the amount of support and help I got along the way. I never felt alone because my health coach was always reaching out and my physical therapist helped me. 

I was faithful doing the exercises and I loved all the educational pieces. A lot of it was just reframing the way I was thinking about my pain. 

Q: How do you think differently about your pain now?

A: It's better to keep moving than to just sit still. Instead of saying, “I feel like a 90-year-old woman and my body is betraying me,” I learned to say, “Come on, body, we’ve been through a lot and we’re going to keep going.”

Q: How are you feeling now? What’s next?

A: I finished the knee program and then signed up for the shoulder program. I’m realizing that any time you’re moving your joints, you’re making them stronger and healthier.

I feel like I have my life back. I'm really happy that I can stay active and don't have to just sit on the sidelines. Now I don’t think about a knee replacement because I can do all the things I love again. 

My grandkids and I do a lot of hiking and fishing. But whenever we play a game like kickball or baseball, I always have a pinch-runner. I’d like to run to first base by myself.

At Hinge Health, we’ve built a new kind of digital clinic for joint and muscle pain — one built around members, their life, and their needs. And it’s backed by life changing outcomes and real savings. People like you are taking control of their pain. Recovering from injury. Even preparing for surgery. With high quality care that fits their lifestyle.