For elite young tennis prodigy Brianna, it was as if her body was frozen.

“I couldn’t pick up a rock. I couldn’t swing,” she said.

When rest and stretching didn’t bring relief, she went to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital U18 Sports Medicine.

“We proceeded to do MRI imaging and found, as expected, a stress fracture in Brianna’s lower back,” said Matthew Fazekas, MD, pediatric sports medicine specialist. “We started a bracing treatment and a course of physical therapy, and supervised her return to tennis activity. She responded exactly as we expected.”

Dr. Fazekas credits his U18 team’s multidisciplinary approach for success with athletes like Briana.

Brianna agrees. “Everyone was friendly. I knew I could trust Dr. Fazekas with my back,” she explains.

What’s next for Brianna? “I’m ranked, but I want to become No. 1 in the world,” she said. “I know I can get there. You have to believe in yourself.”