Warwick Patient of the Month – August

Mariel Saccucci has been riding horses since she was a little girl. She is a passionate rider, and actively competes in shows throughout New England every summer. Mariel presented to our office in the fall of 2019 with left hip pain that left her unable to ride and compete. An x-ray had revealed that Mariel had femoroacetabular-impingement (FAI) syndrome, which is a condition in which extra bone grows along the hip joint and can cause rubbing, pinching, and pain with movement. Mariel was told that she may need surgery, but to first try Physical Therapy.

The pain stopped Mariel from being able to exercise and walk comfortably. She wanted to heal and bounce back from her injury without surgery, and was dedicated to taking a holistic approach to understand what was happening in her body. She stopped riding and started working with Sylvie Le twice per week for months. Mariel was patient, dedicated, and willing to do whatever it took.

“From the first day I walked into SOPT and met Sylvie, I knew I was going to have a great experience. Her thoughtful assessment of my hip and lower back pain led to a carefully designed yet flexible plan to guide me from pain reduction to functional strength and conditioning. Applying various therapies such as heat, ice, massage, cupping, and dry needling, coupled with exercises that were simple enough to incorporate into my daily fitness routine, created an incredibly balanced approach that targeted exactly where I needed to become more physically balanced and ultimately pain-free. What I really love about physical therapy is learning about all the ways you can improve mobility and functional performance to return to the activities you enjoy the most. I’ll be taking everything I’ve learned from Sylvie and SOPT with me so I can perform my best – both in and out of the saddle!”

-Mariel