Meet Hannah Bessett: Athlete, Competitor, Fighter

Hannah Bessett isn’t your average athlete. A dedicated CrossFit competitor, she spends several hours a day training and represents Tampa in the semi-professional United Grid League. Her athletic repertoire includes running, Hyrox workouts, rock climbing, and gymnastics. She’s the kind of athlete who takes pride in repping out 30 handstand pushups in 20 seconds or stringing together 10 aerials in a row. But in early 2021, her world was turned upside down by injury.

The Start of a Challenging Road

Hannah’s journey with Florida Orthopaedic Institute (FOI) began in February 2021. After a history of a labrum tear in 2015, she started experiencing shoulder flare-ups. Dr. Baker at FOI treated her with cortisone injections, which offered quick relief-just in time for a skiing trip to Wyoming. But fate had other plans: Hannah tore her ACL on the slopes.

Returning to Florida in pain, Hannah immediately sought help from Dr. Baker. An MRI confirmed her fears: a torn ACL. She began pre-rehabilitation for her knee while continuing physical therapy (PT) for her shoulder. Soon, her care team prioritized her knee, and after several weeks of rehab, she underwent ACL surgery with Dr. Baker and his PA, Emily Burroughs, on March 29, 2021.

Battling Setbacks and Scar Tissue

Recovery was far from straightforward. Hannah developed significant scar tissue after surgery, and her knee became locked, refusing to bend even 90 degrees three months post-op. “We knew we were in for a bit of a challenge. Since my knee was locked up… we knew it was going to be interesting.” Hannah saw her PT’s every few days and she quickly realized how much she loved the staff. There was a very long rehab process and her knee was simply not responding well. She knew she has to see Dr. Baker again. She then had to go back to manual manipulation under anesthesia to take out all the scar tissue. Dr. Baker referred to her scar tissue as “taking a machete through a jungle.” The day after surgery, Dr. Baker said she needs to get to physical therapy immediately to ensure no more extra scar tissue. The staff was doing everything they could to make sure the progress was moving forward. 

Even with physical therapy resuming immediately, Hannah’s challenges continued. Her brain and knee struggled to reconnect, leading to persistent weakness and shaking. Dry needling, a technique involving thin needles to stimulate muscle trigger points, became a crucial part of her recovery.

“There were a lot of hard days, but the staff was just absolutely amazing at supporting me.”

Despite setbacks and even consulting a neurologist out of concern for her progress, neither Hannah nor her FOI team gave up.

A Turning Point: Support Beyond Physical Therapy

July of 2022 marked a pivotal moment. Overwhelmed and in tears during a tough PT session, Hannah’s therapists stopped everything to support her emotionally. “They could have taken me into a room and said, ‘Okay, come out when you are ready,’ but they were all there for me and didn’t rush me out the door.”

Hannah walked back into the clinic with Physical Therapists, Tori and Melissa, and they sat down and talked to her about everything going on.

“I felt like I was way more that a patient to the staff and that will stick with me forever. I will never forget the kindness they showed me that day. They showered me with love, hugs, candy, and encouragement.”

Rich, PT, came to Hannah with funny videos to get her out of her funk. “That helped me more than he knows.” That day, surrounded by kindness, Hannah found renewed hope.

From that point, progress returned-slowly but surely. “Knowing my goals and having PT not give up on me even though odds were against me meant everything to me.” After 21 months, from April 2021 to January 2023, Hannah completed her knee rehabilitation and was ready to revisit her shoulder issues.

Back to the Sports She Loves

Eager to return to CrossFit and other sports, Hannah faced another hurdle: severe shoulder pain. In January, an MRI revealed more scar tissue. Dr. Baker offered surgery, but with no guarantees. Together, they decided to proceed, and this time, Hannah applied lessons learned from her ACL rehab-starting PT immediately to prevent further complications.

Her recovery was swift, thanks to her determination and the FOI staff’s expertise. By June 2023, Hannah completed her physical therapy journey-a bittersweet farewell to a team that had become like family. “They saw me at my best and my lowest lows. They always were there to support me whatever I was going through.” Leaving was bittersweet for not only Hannah, but the staff as well. “It was so great knowing I was finally healthy to do life again, but I built such strong bonds for the two years that I was there.”

“I think the PT staff learned a lot with me as I pushed them a bit too. I was so close with the staff at FOI so the transition to leaving was so hard because I loved them all so much. It was so sentimental.”

On her last day, Hannah brought donuts and pun-filled thank you cards to express her gratitude: “I kneed to say thank you,” “You’re shrimpy the best,” and “Thank you a latte.”

Reflections and Advice for Others

Hannah’s injuries temporarily took away everything she loved-CrossFit, running, and the thrill of competition. But her comeback was more than physical. “What I didn’t expect was to come back far stronger of an athlete than I ever was,” she says.

“Therapy taught me that if I put effort in and see it through, big things will happen.”

Her advice for others facing similar challenges: “For an athlete who wants to get back to sports, please know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t let yourself get in a rut mindset of ‘it is what it is.’ If you keep going, you are very likely to achieve it. Rehab is not gonna be linear-the hard days don’t define you or your journey.”

Hannah credits the FOI staff for her success, emphasizing, “I would not be doing anything I’m doing now without them. And I’m doing a lot of cool stuff now.”

A Story of Perseverance and Community

Hannah Bessett’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, expert care, and the unwavering support of a dedicated medical team. Her story inspires athletes and non-athletes alike: setbacks may be inevitable, but with the right mindset and support, comebacks are always possible.

May 8, 2025