I Found My Spark Again: How Finding Relief From Hip Pain Changed My Life

Sometimes getting your joy back starts with getting your life back from pain.

I never expected hip pain to become such a big part of my life.

I’m someone who loves to move. I love working out. I love strength training. I was a professional NFL cheerleader, taught Zumba for 10 years and absolutly love anything fitness related. I love being active, chasing goals, being a mom, working, traveling, and saying yes to life.

Movement has always been a huge part of who I am.

So when my hip started hurting, I did what so many women do.

I pushed through it.

I modified things.

I told myself it was probably just part of getting older.

But eventually, the pain wasn’t something I could ignore anymore.

The Real Talk About Living With Chronic Pain

My history with hip pain really started about 4 years ago. From years of being super hard on my body, a few freak incidents (one where I tore my labrum) and good old genetics, I was told I'm bone on bone, stage 4 arthritus and need a hip replacement. I just really am not ready for that big of a step. But, going to an amazing chiro and finally finding a rockstart PT, I still was in so much pain, pain when sitting down, pain walking and working out, and terrible shooting pain when trying to sleep. Stress and hormones also weren't on my side. 

This is the part I want to be really honest about.

The pain wasn’t just something I felt during a workout.

It was there when I walked.

It was there when I stood up. I even limped when walking and I didn't even realize it.

It was there when I tried to exercise. Sleep was also pretty stressful.

I’d get into bed hoping my body would finally relax, only to have my hip remind me that it was still there.

I’d move around trying to find a comfortable position.

And when you’re already exhausted but can’t get comfortable because you’re hurting, it wears on you.

It affects your sleep. Your energy. Your mood. Your workouts. Your patience.

Your confidence.

And eventually, your joy.

That’s something I don’t think we talk about enough.

Chronic pain doesn’t just hurt your body. It can slowly shrink your life.

And Then There Were the Hormones

Being a woman in your 40s comes with a whole new set of changes.

Our hormones are changing.

Our bodies are changing.

Recovery can change.

Sleep can change.

Stress can feel different.

I started paying much more attention to the connection between my overall wellness and how my body felt.

I’m not saying hormones or stress are the cause of every woman’s hip pain. They’re not.

But I do believe they can be part of the bigger picture of how our bodies recover, how we experience pain and how we feel day to day.

And when you’re balancing work, family, responsibilities, workouts and everything else life throws at you, stress can become another layer on top of everything.

I didn’t want to spend the next chapter of my life simply learning how to tolerate pain.

I wanted to feel good again.

Then I Heard the Words: Hip Replacement

Eventually, I was given a diagnosis that stopped me in my tracks.

Hip replacement.

I’ll be honest.

I wasn’t ready.

Maybe someday that will be the right decision for me. I don’t know.

But at that point in my life, I knew I wasn’t ready to go there.

That’s when my doctor told me about PRP. 

That Conversation Gave Me Hope

My doctor had seen significant pain-relief success with PRP in former athletes who were dealing with joint pain.

And what really caught my attention?

He had actually experienced PRP himself.

He wasn’t just telling me about something he’d read about.

He understood what it was like to deal with pain and wanted to share another option that he had seen help patients like me.

That conversation gave me something I desperately needed:

Hope.

Not a guarantee.

Not a magic fix.

But another option to explore.

And I decided it was worth learning more about.

So What Is PRP?

PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma.

The concept is pretty amazing because the treatment uses components from your own blood.

The process generally looks something like this:

1. Blood draw (they took around 4 viles from my arm)

2. Processing

The blood is placed into a centrifuge that separates and concentrates the platelets and plasma. He told me they spin it.

3. Injection

The concentrated platelet-rich plasma is then injected into the area being treated. Depending on the joint and provider, imaging guidance may be used to help precisely target the treatment area. I had it injected into my knee and hip. Since both were in a ton of pain.

The goal is to use your body’s own healing factors to support the healing environment around an injured or degenerative area.

PRP isn’t a guarantee, and it isn’t right for everyone. Research is still evolving, particularly when it comes to hip osteoarthritis.

But for some people, studies have found improvements in pain and function that can last for months, with some research showing benefits extending toward a year.

And for me, it was worth exploring.

And Then Something Changed

This is the part of my story that I’m so grateful for.

I started feeling better.

The chronic pain wasn’t controlling every decision I made.

I could walk without the limp that had become part of my normal.

I could move without constantly thinking about my hip.

I could exercise.

I could sleep more comfortably.

I could participate in my life without constantly calculating what was going to hurt.

And slowly…

I started getting my spark back.

That might sound dramatic if you’ve never lived with chronic pain.

But if you have, you know exactly what I mean.

When something hurts every single day, you don’t realize how much mental energy you’re spending managing it.

And when that pain starts to quiet down?

You have room for other things.

You have room for joy.

You have room for movement.

You have room for confidence.

You have room to dream again.

I Didn’t Just Get Hip Pain Relief

I got a piece of my life back.

That’s the biggest lesson this experience has taught me.

To the Woman Who Is Quietly Living With Pain

If you’re reading this and thinking,

“That’s me.”

I want you to know something.

You don’t have to automatically assume that pain is just what happens because you’re getting older.

You don’t have to quietly suffer.

And you don’t have to be afraid to ask questions.

Talk to your doctor.

Understand your diagnosis.

Ask about your options.

Get another opinion if you need one.

Learn about physical therapy, strength training, lifestyle changes, medications, injections, PRP or other treatments that may be appropriate for your individual situation.

And if surgery eventually becomes the right answer, that’s okay too.

There is no prize for avoiding surgery at all costs.

The goal is to make an informed decision that helps you live the healthiest, strongest and most joyful life possible.

For me, PRP gave me another option.

And I’m incredibly grateful it did.

The Boss. Queen. and BeHer Method Lesson

This experience has changed the way I think about wellness.

Your hormones may change.

Your priorities may change.

But that doesn’t mean your spark has to disappear.

Sometimes, finding your spark again means taking a hard look at what’s holding you back and having the courage to do something about it.

For me, that started with my hip.

But it became so much bigger than that.

It became about my quality of life.

My movement. My confidence. My energy. My joy. My spark.

And ultimately…

Finding my way back to me.

Where Confidence Meets Wellness

That’s what I want Boss. Queen. Lifestyle and the BeHer Method to be about.

Not perfection.

Not pretending aging doesn’t happen.

Not chasing youth.

But learning how to take care of ourselves through every season of life so we can live it fully.

Be Well.
Be Strong.
Be Radiant.
Be Styled.
Be Joyful.

Because the goal isn’t just to add years to your life.

It’s to add life to your years.

And if you’ve been waiting for permission to prioritize your health, consider this your sign.

Ask the questions.
Take care of your body.
Advocate for yourself.
And don’t give up on finding your spark.

Because sometimes the thing you need to get back…

isn’t a younger version of you.

It’s simply you—feeling good enough to live fully again.

My PRP Disclaimer

This article shares my personal experience with PRP and is not medical advice. PRP is not appropriate for everyone, and individual results vary. The effectiveness and duration of relief can depend on the condition being treated, severity, treatment protocol and other individual factors. Talk with your physician or qualified healthcare provider about whether PRP or another treatment option may be appropriate for you.