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Honesty, Trust and Hip Replacement: Jennifer’s Success Story

September 2, 2025 | Patient Success Stories
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By, Allison R. Weder

She knew physical therapy would help. She knew what she needed to do to feel better. But when Jennifer Hiltebeitel attended therapy at Phoenix Physical Therapy in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, and the pain did not improve as expected, she looked for answers. Jennifer looks back on her thought process. “I had physical therapy for the same hip in 2018, and I did really well. So, in my mind I just needed another round of therapy. I tried a couple of other things with my orthopedic doctor, plasma replacement therapy, and a cortisone shot, but it just continued.” Jennifer, who is in her late fifties, trusted her therapy team, which included Clinic Director, Lauren Moll, PT, DPT, CMPT. Lauren explained what may be causing the unresolved pain. “It was Lauren who said to me, ‘I can help with the symptoms, but obviously I can’t reverse arthritis, and I believe you need a hip replacement.’ She was the first person to mention it to me.” Jennifer was in shock. “With our parent’s generation you had hip replacements when you were in your seventies, even eighties. Lauren was so kind, but I was just really surprised.” Lauren said something to Jennifer that left an impression. “She explained, you could wait for a magic number of how old you are supposed to be, but meanwhile, your very active lifestyle is deteriorating.” Jennifer agreed that something should be done. She enjoys daily long walks with her dog and friends, strength training with her husband, kayaking, hiking and traveling, but was unable to enjoy these activities due to the increasing pain in her hip. “My life became unbearable. I struggled to just walk.” She chose to tell her doctor about Lauren’s advice, who agreed, surgery was the next step. Jennifer selected a surgeon, and the first available surgery date was several months later.

Unfortunately, Jennifer experienced a debilitating complication, waiting for surgery. “I got to February and suddenly started to have excruciating back spasms. I also had them in 2018 so we really felt like it was hip related, but I couldn’t function. I could barely leave my house. I was trying everything. In desperation, I reached out to Lauren.” Lauren was ready to help. “(She) worked on my back for most of February, and I was able to stand without pain by the end of the month.” Lauren was able to help relieve some of the pain in Jennifer’s back long enough to get her to her surgery date.

The surgery was a success, but the post-operation pain was severe for Jennifer. Her doctor set her up with a remote Physical Therapist and recommended walking as the best therapy post hip replacement. “I was communicating with her once a week and using the app as best I could, but at my four-week post-op appointment, I asked if I could work with my Physical Therapist.” Jennifer wanted to go back to Lauren, and she had an exceptionally good reason. “I was heading to Italy eight weeks after my hip replacement surgery and before walking thousands of steps a day, I wanted to make sure with Lauren that my back was straight and that my gate was normal.”

Jennifer’s doctor listened to her fears and wrote a prescription for therapy with the team at Phoenix Physical Therapy – Bridgeport. “I was so fearful about my back. Everyone was so sure that my back would be fine after surgery, but after all I had experienced, I was not yet confident.” Lauren understood Jennifer’s goals and worked with her for the four weeks before her trip to Italy. “They helped me with strength, stamina, flexibility, and mobility. I was very sore at the end of every day, but I was just so thankful to have gotten to that point.”

Lauren’s exercises and therapies were tailored to Jennifer’s needs. “It was a combination of her demonstrating an exercise for me to strengthen the muscles around my hip combined with her physically working on my hip and back with her hands. She also had me complete joint distraction exercises that she could do, but then we videotaped a couple so that my husband could do them at home. He could do them enough that it would just bring me a couple of minutes of relief at night.” Joint distraction exercises use a force, often from a resistance band, to gently pull a joint apart, creating space to improve mobility, increase synovial fluid, and reduce friction. “I really appreciated that. It wasn’t just like, come into the clinic and here do these seven exercises. She was very hands on and yet juggling multiple patients at a time.”

As Jennifer’s trip crept closer, it became clear she chose the right person to trust with her care. “(Lauren) would make sure I was in the best position I could be, so I’m very, very grateful. She saw the need for surgery before I did and before my doctor mentioned it. There was a lot of trust there that Lauren had built up with me. She’s extremely gifted at listening to a patient and challenging them to meet their personal goals and reach a full recovery. I trusted her because I saw how much she helped me. When I left for Italy at week eight, I felt very confident about that trip, and I walked thousands and thousands of steps.” Lauren is proud to support patients like Jennifer with honesty and expertise. “What makes Jennifer’s story so special to us isn’t just her recovery, it’s her trust. She trusted the process, trusted herself, and trusted us, even when the next step wasn’t clear. Guiding someone toward surgery isn’t something we take lightly, and we’re grateful Jennifer valued our professional advice every step of the way.”

Jennifer returned from Italy ready to crush new goals. “I’m doing my regular walks, and last night I was back in the pool and noticed how much easier it was to use the steps in and out of the water compared to last summer. I’m back in my kayak and enjoying the things I love that caused me pain last summer.”

Jennifer is grateful to Lauren for helping her return to her active lifestyle. While in the clinic, she noticed how Lauren’s compassionate care and expertise helped a variety of clientele and that impresses her. “She’s working with patients much older than me – both male and female – with different injuries and health challenges. She has a unique ability to listen to an individual’s needs and tailor their therapy program to help them meet their goals. She is both personal and professional and a gift to Phoenix.”

The entire Phoenix Physical Therapy Team is committed to providing our patients with quality physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy in a safe and healthy clinic environment. We continue to follow the guidance provided by the CDC, WHO and public health officials to update you as new information becomes available. Let’s work together to keep each other safe and healthy.

The safety of our patients, communities and team members remains our top priority. We know you have a choice in your care providers and appreciate your commitment to Phoenix and our qualified clinicians.

Here are the actions we have taken to keep our patients, communities and team healthy & safe:

  • Flexible scheduling allows for social distancing
  • Regular cleaning and sanitation of all clinic surfaces
  • Facemasks must be worn by all Phoenix staff and are recommended for all patients
  • Screening questionnaire and temperature checks prior to entering clinics
  • 6 feet of social distancing throughout the clinics

Keeping Our Clinics Safe

Here are some tips on how we can keep each other safe:

  • Handwashing is your best self-defense against the spread of germs. When soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Please stay home if you are not feeling well, especially if you have a fever, are coughing or sneezing, or are experiencing shortness of breath. If a patient shows up with symptoms, the clinic team will work with them to reschedule.
  • Be vigilant. If you have traveled to any of the countries where there are outbreaks of the virus, please follow guidance from the CDC website and our Travel Guidelines.

Here are actions we are taking to keep our clinics clean and safe:

  • Equipment will be wiped down after EVERY use with antibacterial wipes/sprays
  • All surfaces that patients or staff may touch including door handles, countertops, seating, pens at sign-in, bathroom and all other common areas will be disinfected regularly
  • Treatment tables will be 6 feet apart
  • Team members will wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing their nose, coughing or sneezin
  • Clinics will have hand sanitizer available at the front desk and in the treatment areas
  • Any Phoenix team members who are ill will be asked to stay home
  • We will maintain social distancing between patients in the clinic
  • Caregivers that are bringing a patient to the clinic should wait in their car or come back when the appointment has ended unless necessary (i.e. minor requiring a guardian or for assistance needs)
  • When possible, we will treat patients in private rooms to increase social distancing
  • Any patients that have underlying health issues (i.e. diabetes, respiratory problems, etc.) will be given the option to be seen during special clinic hours or can opt to be treated in a private room away from other clinicians and patients
  • All patients should be self-screening before entering the clinic. Our PCCs will perform a secondary screening during the check-in process and before patients enter the clinic including a screening questionnaire and temperature check.
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