The Root Cause Story

Smiling man in white polo shirt with arms crossed standing outdoors with greenery in the background.

Root Cause Rehab was born out of Lukas’s personal experience navigating severe chronic nerve pain—a challenge that upended his life as an athlete and student. During his sophomore year at Wesleyan University, he went from a dedicated varsity lacrosse player to struggling just to sit through a lecture. The pain had no clear cause, no obvious injury. Every test came back normal. Yet each day, his symptoms worsened, forcing him to step away from his sport, take a semester off, and ultimately transfer home to Colorado in search of answers.

Despite working with compassionate and highly skilled medical professionals, Lukas found himself caught in the frustrating reality that many chronic pain patients face as there was no straightforward diagnosis, no easy treatment plan, and no clear path forward. The more he searched for answers, the more he realized how complex, individualized, and misunderstood chronic pain could be.

Determined to take back control of his health, Lukas immersed himself in studying anatomy, biomechanics, and pain science, drawing from personal experience, rigorous research, and the knowledge and guidance he gained while working with physicians who helped him begin to heal. Through this process, he regained function and developed a deeper understanding of how movement and structured exercise could complement medical care. Root Cause Rehab was created from this experience, not to diagnose or treat medical conditions, but to provide education, coaching, and movement strategies that support individuals within their existing medical care.

At Root Cause Rehab, we recognize that chronic pain is complex, and the road to better movement looks different for everyone. Our goal is to help individuals build confidence in their movement, gain a deeper understanding of their bodies, and feel supported along the way. We also emphasize helping clients learn to better communicate their pain experience, bridging the gap between lived symptoms and clinical conversations to help them advocate more effectively within the healthcare system.

Now on the path to becoming a physician, Lukas is committed to lifelong advocacy for chronic pain patients, working to improve understanding, representation, and care for this often overlooked population.