Julia Weithofer

As an undergraduate I played soccer at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts. If you know anyone that plays a Division 1 sport they'll tell you how demanding it can be on your body. After my sophomore season I began to experience pain and I thought it could be a from a pulled groin, but over time, the pain persisted and worsened. My parents brought me to see some specialists and it was still unclear to what the problem was. I began to struggle sitting in chairs, squatting at training and it even got to the point that I couldn't make it through a two hour car ride or finish a game without being in tears. This pain hindered my ability to complete simple, everyday tasks and could no longer be ignored. My family and I began to look for different possibilities and Hospital for Special Surgery came up frequently in our search. Dr. Bryan T. Kelly appeared to be the unparalleled option with his extensive background with sports medicine injuries and experience with top-level athletes. At the beginning of 2015 I met with Dr. Bryan Kelly and through exams he determined I suffered from a hip labral tear and impingement. We agreed I could finish my junior season by modifying my training and scheduled surgery right at the conclusion of the season. I received surgery in November 2015 and it changed my life completely. A couple days after I could already notice the pain was no longer present. The physical therapy team at HSS helped me through every step of the rehab process and had me back playing in May 2016, just in time for my senior season. I can definitely say that without this successful surgery and rehabilitation, I would not have been able to pursue my dream of playing soccer professionally overseas. I would recommend Dr. Bryan Kelly and the team at HSS to anyone around the country and world for the best sports medicine care. Thank you so much Dr. Kelly and thank you for getting me back in the game!!