I have always been active and independent, and as a farm owner who loves to travel, I want to stay involved and fully experience the places I visit. When pain and weakness developed in my glutes, walking became difficult; I started limping, and the loss of strength in my legs left me less confident putting weight on them. Eventually, even the stairs in my own home became intimidating, and I grew so concerned about going down to the basement that I moved my washing machine upstairs. Staying active and continuing to travel were important to me, so I knew I needed help rebuilding my strength and regaining confidence in my movement. My name is Bonnie, and this is my story.
Why I Chose SmartLife Medicine
I learned about SmartLife Medicine through a physical therapist and Pilates instructor a friend recommended who eventually directed me to Dr. Matthew Vogt. My biggest issue was the pain and weakness in my glutes. It was affecting much more than my ability to exercise. It was affecting how I walked, how I used stairs, how confident I felt moving around, and my ability to enjoy travel the way I always had. I wanted to regain my strength and stay active. I also wanted to explore an option that did not involve surgery, and that brought me to SmartLife Medicine.
My desire to avoid surgery comes from personal experience as I previously had a knee replacement and became seriously ill afterward, including developing blood clots in my lungs. After going through that, I wanted to avoid another surgery whenever there was a reasonable alternative.
A Team Invested in My Success
One of the first things I noticed about Dr. Vogt was that he listened. I have seen many physicians over the years, and sometimes you leave feeling like no one truly heard you. My experience with Dr. Vogt was different as he listened to what I was experiencing and understood what I wanted to do again. We worked through different treatment options together, including two PRP procedures for my glutes. The entire SmartLife team was wonderful throughout the process. I always felt supported and knew that the goal was bigger than simply treating an area that hurt. We were working toward getting me stronger and helping me return to the life I wanted to lead.
They also helped me learn that regenerative treatment is not something you do and then forget about. The procedure starts the process, and you still need to give your body time to heal, strengthen the muscles around the injured area, and stay committed to your health. Dr. Vogt encouraged me to think about my whole body and what I needed to stay functional as I got older, and that changed the way I approached my health.
Becoming Functionally Fit
Dr. Vogt talked to me about becoming “functionally fit” and referred me to Alan, a personal trainer at Functionally Fit, who he thought would be a perfect match. The idea stuck with me because I wanted to feel better and build the strength to keep doing the things I loved. I needed to participate in my recovery, keep exercising, rebuild my muscles, and give my body time to heal before pushing myself to get stronger.
I started working with him in December and committed to exercising twice a week. Over time, I began to see what functional fitness really meant. I even tackled a climbing wall, something that required strength, balance, and confidence in my body. For me, that was a meaningful reminder that staying fit is about more than exercise. It is about being ready to say yes to the experiences I still want to have.
Results That Changed My Life
By July of the following year, I traveled to Canada, and that adventure showed me how far I had come. I could walk, hike, and climb a mountain. At one point, the mountain trail narrowed to a ridge only about eight inches wide, with a significant drop on one side.
Before this, I don’t think I would have had the strength or confidence to cross it, but I did. When I reached the top, I sat with a group of women around my age, and they asked how I stayed so fit, and I shared what I learned through my own recovery: you have to keep your muscles strong, and healing takes time and hard work. For me, that mountain became proof of how much had changed.
My Message To Others
If you are considering regenerative treatment, understand that you have a role in the outcome. For me, PRP offered an opportunity to pursue treatment without another surgery, but I also had to be willing to do the work afterward. You also need time to heal, exercise, build muscle, and stay active. You cannot expect one procedure to do everything for you. You have to become part of your own recovery.
Moving Forward
There was a time when I was afraid to walk down the stairs to my basement, but months later, I was standing on a mountain in Canada after crossing a narrow ridge I once would never have attempted and that difference means a great deal to me. I feel stronger and understand my body better, but what matters most is having the confidence to keep traveling, exploring, and challenging myself. To me, being functionally fit means having the strength and confidence to continue living the life I choose.