“Without Hinge Health, I Wouldn’t Be Here”

We left our hearts in Chicago when three Hinge Health members shared touching stories about the impact of the Hinge Health program during our second annual Movement conference.

Effectively managing chronic pain makes everyday tasks easier. But as these members testified, it can also profoundly change lives.

Read on to learn more about what Vikas and other members had to say about the benefits they have experienced with Hinge Health, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for updates about Movement 2024. We can’t wait to see you there.

Hinge Health Member Panel:

• Lici B, news reporter from Mississippi

• Mark Z, school administrator from Florida

• Vikas B, cybersecurity manager from Georgia

What most motivated you to join Hinge Health?

Lici: I developed really severe neck and shoulder pain from the makeshift home office I used during the pandemic. Sometimes the pain was so bad I couldn't move. My doctor said I would probably need surgery. I really didn’t want to, so I looked for other options.

I tried seeing a chiropractor for a bit, but didn't feel it was right for me. Luckily, I saw a company email announcing Hinge Health around the same time.

As a journalist, I'm very skeptical of everything. But I thought, ‘I’m going to give it a try.’ And after a while, it actually started working.

Mark: I injured my back playing basketball. I went to all of these doctors and everyone had a different opinion. Opioids. Epidural shots. Surgery. I wanted a solution that made more sense, and posed fewer dangers and risks.

I read about Hinge Health in some information I got from my employer. In the time leading up to that, I was having a lot of difficulty with all of the basic movements that you do as a parent. Even something like lifting my 5-month-old son off the changing table or picking a toy could cause back spasms and debilitating pain.

Here’s Mark talking about when he knew he had to make a change:

Vikas: When COVID came around, I had time to run longer and longer distances, which I love. Then I started running virtual and in-person marathons, one after the other.

But I also started to ignore some foundational aspects of my physical well-being, like my flexibility. By the time I got to the Boston Marathon, I was limping the last couple of miles because I was in so much hip and knee pain.

I decided I was done with running. A few weeks later, I saw a corporate email notifying me that my employer was going to start offering Hinge Health. I wanted to start right away.

What most resonated with you when working with the Hinge Health care team?

Lici: I don’t think I would have continued with the app without having a coach that worked with me, let me ask questions, and gave me some guidance when I was struggling.

I had a lot of mental health issues at the time because I had just lost my daughter. Doing the exercises and working with the coach was the one part of stability I had in my life.

I still had to do the work. But my coach holding my hand and encouraging me made a big difference.

Mark: I have always been a positive person, but my overall well-being was taking a beating because of the pain I was in. I was desperate for a solution and thought there would be a simple one.

Hinge Health helped me understand that getting better is a process and that there is no ‘quick fix.’ And I have several people helping me with that. My PT is constantly modifying my exercises based on my progress and pain level. My coach is there to support me emotionally. They are so responsive to my needs and I feel like nothing goes unaddressed.

Vikas: I got diagnosed with cancer about a year and a half ago. My cancer treatment process was a big emotional rollercoaster not just for me, but my entire family.

Here, Vikas talks about how the Hinge Health program offered him so much more than a pain management solution when he needed it most:

How has Hinge Health impacted your work?

Mark: It has been incredible. I just got a promotion because of so much of the work I was able to do because of Hinge Health.

My job involves setting up activities, moving furniture, and other active maintenance on a 200-acre campus with 30 buildings. Before Hinge Health, I couldn’t bend down, lift heavy items, or do any of that. Thanks to the program, I not only feel better physically and emotionally, I have the freedom to move the way I need to to perform at a high level at work.

Lici: Whenever there is a hurricane or tornado or something, my station needs me to jump on the road and get there right away. A lot of times, the circumstances aren’t exactly comfortable.

See what Lici had to say about how Hinge Health has helped her confidently and comfortably report from disaster scenes:

What physical and mental changes have you noticed since starting Hinge Health? What have you been able to accomplish?

Lici: When I had my knee injury, I had to give up ballroom dancing. I wasn’t able to stand up for a long time or move the way I was supposed to. Six months after starting the knee program, I’ve been able to get back into ballroom dancing again!

Mark: It has been a total transformation. There’s literally nothing I can’t do with my son now.

The Movement conference was the first time Mark was away from his son. He shared the reasons he felt compelled to come and share his story, and the exciting next chapter that’s in store for him thanks to the progress he has made with Hinge Health:

Vikas: Hinge Health trained me into a growth mindset. I don’t take things for granted.

After I started the program, I have been climbing CO mountains—three peaks in three days! One of my latest crowning achievements was running a marathon in the Himalayas at 14,000 feet on a frozen lake—an event that is now in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Without Hinge Health, I wouldn’t be here.

Incredible stories. True inspiration to get every body moving.

These responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.