Success Stories

I injured myself (badly). I herniated two discs in my back doing weighted one-legged squats. I almost could not move for 4-5 days and I laid in bed for about 2 months waiting for various doctors and x-rays and MRIs before finally getting a surgical consult. THe surgeon said it was 50/50 whether the surgery was a good idea and I chose patience and PT. I met with Jared (my physical therapist) and he was incredible. I had my doubts that he could do the job virtually, but it was not a problem. We worked early on to set some goals for activity and those goals became our progress tests. I had an ever rotating set of movements, exercises, and stretches that kept me occupied for about 2 months. And these ultimately worked and I was able to return to playing soccer and to lifting heavier weights. All of that is important, but the most important thing I think Jared brought to the table was “fear management.” I was afraid of pushing it too far too fast and was amazed that he was recommending I try new things… every time we met there were new exercises that would further test and work the injured areas and every time I would push back saying, I wasn’t sure that it would not re-injure my lower back. He would go back to square one and walk me through the progress I had made and explain that this was the logical next step and also set out parameters (if you feel X, then stop), If it is Y, then just proceed slowly). His support enabled both my physical AND my mental recovery from a very bad lower back injury.

Due to the PT shortage in the Bay Area, I could not get in to see a PT for four months after my referral for acute hip pain after a big race due to arthritis, tendinopathy, and a labrum tear. The PT office offered the option to start virtually with Vori Health and I was matched with Jared A., who was amazing. Even though I was already working with two running coaches and doing a lot of strength/stability work, Jared zeroed in on some really important weak points in my form and in my training. The hip situation won't be resolved quickly, but the plan Jared helped me develop makes me feel empowered and like I am doing everything in my power to rehab this injury so that I can keep running for years to come.

I had my first appointment about a week before an 18 mile race that I've been training for for several months. The week prior to my first appointment I developed enough pain in one of my calves/ankles that I was unable to walk. I had come to the conclusion that there was no chance I was going to be able to compete in the race, and was simply looking for advice to get back to running at all. During the first appointment Dr. Fiechtl was able to quickly identify what was going on with my leg and my physical therapist, Domenica Potena, was able to give me some new exercises to try. Within 48 hours I was walking normally and ready to attempt a short run. I was able to fit in 2 more PT appointments before the race. With Dr. Fiechtl and Domenica's blessing I attempted the race and ended up not only finishing but nearly setting a new personal best.

I came to VORI with lower back pain at a pain level of 8-9. I could barely walk at times when I stood up from my chair at work. I was having spasms at night that kept me up. I was unable to stand without pain for more than 5 minutes. This kept me from almost all aspects of my life. My goals coming to VORI were to be able to participate in my life again. Cooking, cleaning, family activities and playing with my grandson. All these goals have been met. My pain level is now at 0-1 98% of the time. I do have an occasional flair up but now I have the exercises and stretches to help me work it out. I am able to live my life again. Most importantly I can play with my 5 year old grandson again!

I started the program in Feb 2023 after realizing I needed to address areas of pain in my life and jump start my healthy lifestyle. I began with pain in my back, issues with standing endurance, getting out of the car and walking up & down stairs. The 3 team members Jared (Physical Therapist), Dorothy (Health Coach) & Christy (Nurtionist) each helped me stay focused and address ways to manage stress, use my voice to stand-up for myself, do weekly journals, manage obstacles, look for opportunities, handle obstacles, and increase my range of motion. I also used the LoseIt app to record my meals, workout, water & meds. I wondered after 3 months if I could stay on track, by myself. But I am definitely able to do so because of the discussions with my Health Care team. I don't wonder or worry anymore because I have a changed mindset and reminder e-notices set. I can and will.stay on track thanks to the Vori Health team.

I do long bike rides averaging about 55 miles per ride. When I tore the meniscus in my right knee it immediately took me off of my bike and I was not sure if I was ever going to be able to ride again due to the level of pain. Through the physical therapy over several months I was able to work back to riding again and am now able to continue doing anything I was doing before the injury. I feel that I am about 95% recovered and am extremely pleased with the recovery plan that Vori Health lead me thorough. I was able to make slow but continuous progress over several months and therefore was able to avoid surgery for the injury. I would highly recommend Vori Health after the success I had with them.

After many physical therapy experiences over the past 31 years Vori Health was presented to me as an option by my back surgeon. I chose to give it a try and I am so grateful for this opportunity. My therapist, Domenica, listens to me regarding me concerns and issues! She is wonderful at problem solving and trouble shooting. I am so appreciative to have her undivided attention for the duration of my appointment, rather than being told to "do this" and then the therapist is gone, moving on to the next client. This is a much more efficient use of my time. Any questions that come up during the appointment can be addressed immediately. If I have information to share or questions about an exercise, I have access to send a message to Domenica, knowing that a reply will be sent. The videos which present each exercise are great and give excellent reminders such as keeping my back straight, aligning my knees with my shoulders, etc. This is the first PT I've experienced that provided such "at home" encouragement and support. I really am grateful for it.

From a serious concern of not being able to do high mileage bike rides again or ride at all to riding at about 75% distance and intensity in approximately 3 months. Improvement is still slowly progressing.

Although I only had 3 meetings, I already feel am improvement.

Prior to therapy, I could not lift up my body to do the bridge. After completing a couple of sessions with Jared Aguilar, I am able to complete an entire set. Plus, it’s easier to get out of a chair now.

I’m doing well with the progress I been doing

I’ve always been a pretty active person. I’m in the gym a few days a week and have been practicing yoga for the last 20 years. For fun I paddle board, bike, and have recently added roller skating to my routine. A year and a half ago I started a new job that was much more stationary than my previous job. I wasn’t used to taking the time to properly stretch before working out. Having limited time to exercise I would usually skip stretching altogether. After the job change I was noticing that I was in a lot more pain in general, especially after exercising. It wasn't the normal post-workout soreness...I was noticing that my entire left side (neck to ankle) was hurting. I decided to give Vori a shot after receiving a mailer from my workplace, advertising all the benefits available to us. I met virtually with the Dr and we decided to start at the neck and work our way down. The PT, Dominica, was so nice and was pretty thorough in showing me an arsenal of stretches to do throughout the workday. I responded pretty quickly to the stretches and we were able to bump up to add some resistance training. In a very short time my neck pain was gone. We then focused on my leg and hip area. I followed the recommended stretches and exercises and in a few short months I was able to return to my normal gym routine. My experience with Vori has made me much more aware of the importance of stretching. The virtual appointments were quick and easy to attend during work hours. Access to the videos on the app were super helpful too. I'm very happy with my experience.

I was recovering from hip replacement surgery and my core and lower back muscles were completely knotted up. While my hip felt great, my mobility was extremely limited due to these other issues. I found out about Vori through my insurance carrier, and though I had never used any form of telemedicine before, I decided to give it a try. Once I signed up, the level of responsiveness was incredible. They started me off with a very detailed discussion with an MD, who then mobilized a team of care givers including physical therapy, home safety and dietitian. Each of these follow-ups was equally detailed and patient focused. I’ve always felt that I’ve received good care through my traditional practitioners but the level of attentiveness and personal commitment really stood out with all of the Vori staff I interacted with. They operated as a team and communicated well amongst themselves. As my care plan progressed, we really focused on the physical therapy part and over a course of about six months I worked Domenica who was absolutely amazing. We would meet virtually every two weeks and I would look forward to these where we would advance and adjust my exercise regimen. The results have been transformative and I am so much better now. Vori is the best!