For Jackie Bauer, a mother of four athletic sons and lifelong runner, motion has always been part of her identity. But when relentless hip pain began slowing her stride in late 2024, her daily six-mile runs along the D&L Slatington Trail suddenly felt out of reach.
“I could run maybe a mile, and that was it,” Bauer recalled. “For someone used to long daily runs, the limitation was deeply frustrating.”
After several misdiagnoses and only temporary relief from cortisone injections, Bauer’s pain worsened. Imaging later revealed a hip labral tear, and even walking became difficult. “I felt like a 90-year-old woman,” she said. “My pain was a nine out of ten every day. Ibuprofen helped a little, but it upset my stomach.”
When pain management specialists confirmed her hip was the true source of her symptoms, Bauer was referred to Dr. Ajay Kanakamedala of St. Luke’s Orthopedic Care.
“We call it hip-spine syndrome,” Dr. Kanakamedala said. “We see it all the time. The hip and the back are just so connected that if your hip is hurting, you change the way you walk. You change your posture. It affects your back, or vice versa.
“I think that’s part of why maybe people weren’t convinced, because she had back issues, that anything was coming from her hip. Her back issues did get better once she had a back injection, but it didn’t fix the hip.”
Bauer said she immediately appreciated Dr. Kanakamedala’s thorough, patient-centered approach. “He went over everything with me,” she said. “He recommended physical therapy first to help me get stronger and confirm the pain was coming from my hip.”
On Aug. 6, 2025, Dr. Kanakamedala performed an arthroscopic labral repair and femoral osteoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure designed to relieve pain, restore mobility, and prevent further joint damage.
Her recovery took place at Physical Therapy at St. Luke’s in Lehighton, where she worked with therapist Tiven Teno, PT.
“Jackie was a model patient, highly motivated and consistently compliant with both her rehab treatments and home exercise program,” Teno said. “She progressed rapidly through a regimen designed to restore full range of motion and hip strength. Throughout her treatment, she experienced no pain and advanced quickly, allowing her to return to her active lifestyle with confidence.”
Now, Bauer is back to walking and cycling the trail she loves. Although she hasn’t yet returned to running, she said she finally feels like herself again. “I’m just glad to be able to do everyday things without pain,” she said. “Even sleeping is restful again.”
Reflecting on her journey, Bauer added: “Dr. Kanakamedala was a godsend. He gave me back my life. He told me I’d get to 75 or 80%, but I feel 100%. I just can’t believe how good I feel.”
