Leena L.

Sunnyvale, CA

5 Stars

Feb 11, 2025

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I came to Dr. Anna with a long history of postural issues (Upper Crossed Syndrome) and right shoulder movement dysfunction (Scapular Dyskinesis). These problems worsened after pregnancy until push-ups became painful, yoga triggered acute shoulder injury, my breathing became shallow, and I developed rib cage muscle spasms that wouldn't resolve for months. I felt twisted and asymmetrical--like my body was a collection of disconnected parts that no longer worked together.

Movement and exercise have always been important to me. I've never been a couch potato--I've been a runner, yogi, CrossFit enthusiast, and strength trainer at different stages of my life. Even as a kid, I could knock out a set of 20 push-ups effortlessly. So losing that sense of ease and capability in my body was deeply frustrating.

Before finding Dr. Anna, I worked with a physical therapist for 1.5 years (twice a month). I learned shoulder and posture rehab exercises and how chest breathing overuses accessory breathing muscles, leading to chronic tightness. While I gained a solid understanding of biomechanics and muscle compensations, I found it nearly impossible to retrain my body to move and breathe correctly. Incorrect movement patterns were automatically reinforced throughout the day, undoing my conscious efforts.

When I developed rib pain that wouldn't go away, I decided to try acupuncture. My first experience was at a typical TCM clinic, but after a month of treatment, my rib pain and muscle spasms remained.

That's when I found Dr. Anna--and my life hasn't been the same since.

I initially sought help for rib pain, breathing, posture, and later, shoulder movement. I committed to seeing Dr. Anna twice a week, and immediately, I saw results. My rib pain was gone after just two sessions. I started breathing diaphragmatically without effort. My sleep improved. For the first time, I felt deep relaxation and peace. As someone who spent most of my life in a fight-or-flight state, with anxiety as my norm, this felt entirely new and amazing. I experienced a deeper sense of joy and presence with my daughter. I also had a key emotional insight: instead of worrying about what's wrong, I could focus on gratitude for what's right and live from that knowledge.

As I continued treatment to address posture and shoulder movement dysfunction, I noticed profound structural changes happening without force. Dormant muscles started activating on their own, chronically tight muscles relaxed without constant stretching, and I developed an intuitive sense of what exercises to prioritize and how to modify them to avoid compensation. My body started fixing itself.

It took time--acupuncture plus rehab training--but I eventually reached a level of freedom in movement that I had never experienced, even as a kid. Now both my shoulder blades move freely, pull-ups and push-ups feel completely balanced and pain-free, and I no longer have a hunched posture. I look and feel decades younger.

Throughout this process, I kept my focus on concrete physical goals (e.g., pain-free push-ups) and gave Dr. Anna precise updates. But what surprised me was that, as my body healed, so did my emotions.

While my focus was on physical recovery, I gradually noticed major emotional shifts. I resolved a decade-old cycle of resentment and avoidance in my marriage. I overcame lifelong anxiety around advocating for myself and expressing disagreement. My baseline anxiety, which had defined most of my life, dropped by about 90%. Feelings of unworthiness transformed into gratitude, peace, and self-acceptance. Fear and indecisiveness gave way to clarity and confidence.

Meeting Dr. Anna was a turning point in my life. I feel like I've entered a parallel universe as a result of working with her. If you're dealing with chronic pain, movement dysfunction, postural issues, or even emotional patterns that seem impossible to change, I can't recommend Dr. Anna enough. She is a rare healer, and I will always be grateful for the profound impact she's had on my health, movement, and emotional well-being.