Stories That Move Us. Real stories of strength, recovery, and rediscovering movement.
My sister loves to move, she’s always been active. Recently, however, something wasn’t right.
She started experiencing pain that looked a lot like runner’s knee. At times, it got so bad she couldn’t walk more than 20 yards without needing to stop.
For someone who was used to moving freely, that wasn’t just frustrating, it was hugely limiting, and actually a little scary.
When “More Exercise” Isn’t the Answer
At first glance, it didn’t make sense. She was already doing a morning workout routine, she was consistent, disciplined, and experienced in movement.
But when we looked closer, something stood out: most of her movement was happening in just one direction—the sagittal plane (forward and back). There was very little variation—not much side-to-side movement, hardly any rotation, and almost no variety in foot positioning.
In other words, her body was strong, but not adaptable.
What We Changed
Instead of adding more volume, we changed the quality of her movement. We introduced some of the foundational movements from Wavemakers—simple, effective, and designed to work the body in multiple directions.
Then, we layered in a few additional three-dimensional exercises inspired by contemporary Pilates.
We were adding variety, rather than pushing to extremes or making anything complicated. This gave her the opportunity for her body to explore movement again.
Ten days later, she went for a walk in a large park in Hamburg. This wasn’t a 20-yard walk, or a cautious test; she walked for hours without pain, without issue, and without stopping.
Why This Worked
This wasn’t about pushing harder, it was about giving her body what it was missing.
When we only move in one direction, certain muscles and joints become overused, while others are underused. Over time, that imbalance can show up as pain or restriction.
By reintroducing movement in multiple directions—what we call three-dimensional movement—the body starts to reorganize.
It shares the load more effectively, it moves more efficiently, and often, pain begins to ease.
What struck me most wasn’t just the physical change, but it was how quickly things improved once the right inputs were in place.
My sister didn’t need to become more disciplined, or to work harder, she just needed to move differently. And that’s precisely what we did.
If You’re Dealing with Knee Pain or Limited Walking
It’s easy to assume you need to stop, or push through. But sometimes, the real answer sits in between: change the way you move, add variety, explore different directions. In other words: let your body experience movement in a more complete way.
You’ll be surprised how quickly things can shift.
This is exactly what Laurie Denomme teaches inside Wavemakers.
About the author
Thomas Merschjohann (Germany) is a Wavemakers Pro member and coach who helps people use movement awareness to find their own path to progress. With a background in classical dance, swimming, and rowing, and training in fitness and therapeutic exercise, he brings a keen eye for movement and a practical approach to reaching results.
Want to keep moving, no matter what life throws at you?
Inside Wavemakers, we help you build strength, confidence, and resilience through simple, feel-good water workouts you can adapt to your body, on any day.