Doctors and specialists informed Jensen and his family that “essentially there was nothing we could do…there was no hope” for his pain. At RIOT Manual Therapy, we use hands-on techniques  to help patients find pain relief, and in the case of 14-year-old Jensen, we helped restore blood flow to a bone that was slowly dying 

Manual therapy addresses the body as a whole unit, working with the nerves, bones, and muscles to relieve pain. We use manual therapy and years of experience to find the root of pain instead of just the symptoms. Pain is an alarm bell, saying that something in the body needs help. In Jensen’s case, his hips were out of alignment, and that cut off the blood supply to the hip, causing avascular necrosis and causing significant pain. 

Jensen’s Story: Overcoming Avascular Necrosis

Avascular necrosis means that, for some reason, blood is no longer reaching the bone, and the bone slowly starts to die. In Jensen’s case, he had avascular necrosis of the hip. The top of his femur bone that connects to the socket of the hip was slowly eroding due to blood loss, causing pain, limping, and eventually, inability to participate in sports or walk without crutches. 

After meeting with many doctors and taking multiple MRIs and other scans, Jensen and his parents were informed that blood flow would never return to that area of Jensen’s bones and that his best chance of mobility was surgery once he was done growing. This news was devastating for Jensen, a young teen who enjoyed playing multiple sports and living an active lifestyle. 

TRENDING: How Manual Therapy Restored An Active Lifestyle

When Jensen started manual therapy, he hopped into the room using crutches. His parents were relieved that this appointment was focused on the “why” of Jensen’s problem. His other providers had essentially written off restoring blood flow, which would essentially solve the problem because it had never been done before.  With an in-depth assessment of Jensen’s medical history and assessment of the underlying dysfunctions, treatment began. In a shocking turn of events, Jensen walked out of his first appointment without crutches. Walking out of his first treatment, Jensen said, “I feel amazing, I didn’t know I could feel this good!” 

The Gift of Manual Therapy

Manual therapy addresses the body as a whole unit. Addressing how the muscles, bones, and nerves work together, manual therapy finds the source of the problem. Instead of just treating the symptom (pain), we treat the root cause of the pain. This leads to long-term rehabilitation and function rather than a band-aid that eventually stops working, as is the case with many other pain interventions. This holistic approach that engages the body and all of the systems within as one cohesive unit creates unprecedented, lasting pain relief and restored function. 

In Jensen’s case, the misalignment in his body was causing a lack of blood flow to the bone in his femur, creating pain and dysfunction. Multiple medical professionals told Jensen and his family that there was no hope of restoring blood flow because it had never been done before.  Their only option was invasive surgery, which had less than a 35% chance of helping. With the right alignment and dedication to healing, Jensen proved them wrong. 

Jensen’s Consistent Progress

Jensen came into the office for his first appointment with crutches and walked out without them. His initial assessment revealed significant dysfunction, and that misalignment led to a lack of blood flow that eventually led to his diagnosis.  

Jensen said of his experience with manual therapy, “I just go out, and I just walk, and it’s a miracle I feel so light. It just fixed it… every time it just gets better and better.” His dad noticed a significant change in Jensen’s gait after one visit and said that every time they came in for manual therapy, Jensen left better than he was before. 

After several appointments and a significant decrease in Jensen’s pain, he started participating in some of his sports again, including basketball. With such a significant change, they went to the doctor to see what was happening with the hip. When the doctor saw Jensen walk in, they were shocked! “You should be in a wheelchair, none of my patients with this much damage are even walking. They can’t go to school.” 

When the doctor reviewed the X-ray, the destruction of the hip had slowed down but was still dying. The doctor encouraged Jensen to keep doing what he was doing but said that it was impossible for the bone to regrow, and they were just waiting for him to stop growing so they could do surgery. Jensen continued manual therapy for another year on an as-needed basis to keep his body in a functional state. 

When Jensen went back in for another X-ray, he changed history. His X-ray showed that his bone started to grow new bone in place of the dying bone tissue. Blood flow had, in fact, been restored, and the generation of new bone tissue had started. His level of bone deterioration and the restored function of the area was truly unprecedented and had never before been seen in medical literature. 

In fact, Jensen’s dad said that the doctors told them that Jensen’s case would be in a medical journal one day. Over several months of treatment and dedication to his home program, Jensen regained function and mobility in that area of his body, allowing him to live a normal 14-year-old life. 

The Impact of Manual Therapy

After trying everything else, traveling all over the country, and seeking experts for Jensen’s condition, ultimately, it was manual therapy that helped restore blood flow to his bone. His first visit gave Jensen and his family so much hope, but the long-term commitment to appointments and home workouts gave Jensen his life back. 

Every expert had told them that Jensen’s condition wasn’t reversible, yet it was reversing. His functionality and pain relief increased so much that he was soon back on the basketball court, astounding his family and doctors. Simply treating his body as a single unit and addressing the root of his pain allowed manual therapy to help Jensen heal. 

Hope After Hopelessness: Pain Relief Through Manual Therapy 

Jensen came to RIOT Manual Therapy with very little hope that there was anything that could be done to help with his hip pain and functionality, let alone restore blood flow to the area. There isn’t a single case in the medical literature where blood flow was restored 

Through in-depth assessments, adjustments, stretches, home workouts, and hope, Jensen’s life wasn’t cut short by his pain. He lives a full, happy, active life as a young man, a dream he had essentially given up until finding RIOT Manual Therapy. If you or someone you love feels hopeless about chronic pain or lack of function, know that there is another option for finding relief: manual therapy. 

Ready to Feel Better? Book Now. 

If you are ready to see if your pain can be relieved, contact us today to set up an appointment and get ready to see how fast you can feel better.