How a College Dropout, Fitness Coach, and Consultant Built a Startup That's Now Partnering with the Top Orthopedic Doctors in the Country
Three people from completely different walks of life are all coming together to launch a rehab program that’s now collaborating with some of the top orthopedic surgeons in the country. Sounds unconventional, right? But that’s exactly how Granimals was born.
Granimals was created out of frustration—our frustration as injury survivors who went through the healthcare system, experienced its gaps, and decided to fix them. It’s why some of the top orthopedic specialists have partnered with us. They saw in us not just patients who went through pain but people committed to solving a problem that had plagued the healthcare system for decades: incomplete recovery.
Let’s take a step back. Between the ages of 16 and 23, Aameen, Sidharth, and I the co-founders of Granimals faced a combined total of eight major surgeries as we fought to keep our football dreams alive. ACL tears, ATFL tears, hamstring strains you name it, we’ve experienced it. These weren’t just bumps in the road; these were career-altering injuries that sidelined us from the sport we loved.
The journey through those injuries was brutal. But the real challenge wasn’t the surgeries; it was the recovery process. We saw firsthand the systemic issues that so many patients face after injury.
The process was frustrating, disjointed, and left us feeling abandoned post-surgery. The gap between diagnosis and full recovery was enormous, with little to no coordination between the initial treatment and rehabilitation specialists. Statistics back this up: more than 70% of people who suffer from a lateral ankle sprain injure the ankle again, and 1/3 of ACL surgeries end in revision surgeries because patients don’t go through the right rehabilitation process.
At different points in our lives, we each found ourselves questioning the system. We realized we weren’t the only ones. Too many people were being sidelined from full recovery due to a broken system.
That’s when Granimals was born.
The magic of Granimals isn’t just in our program; it’s in our unconventional approach. While none of us came from a traditional medical background, we brought something even more valuable: lived experience. We knew exactly what it felt like to be sidelined, struggling through rehabilitation therapy, and unsure if we’d ever get back to normal.
Let me introduce you to my co-founders.
Sidharth grew up in a migrant family, sharing a small room with his parents and brother. His circumstances fueled his determination to lead his family out of daily struggles. Over time, he fell in love with football, training tirelessly and excelling in local tournaments. His dedication earned him a full scholarship to a top university, and by age 20, he joined Minerva Punjab FC. However, two major injuries derailed his football career. After a brief stint in the corporate world, he realized his true passion was fitness. Sidharth became a trainer at F45, eventually running the facility. In 2021, he co-founded Granimals with me and Aameen, driven by the desire to help others overcome both physical and mental limitations.
Aameen, At 19, Aameen Goyal arrived in the U.S. on a football scholarship, dreaming of playing in the MLS. Just a month later, his dreams took a hard hit with a third ACL tear. Alone in his dorm, 7,500 miles from home, and forced to drop out two years later, Aameen faced rejection at over 50 football tryouts. When COVID-19 hit, I met with him and suggested starting a rehab business. Initially sceptical, Aameen eventually made the leap, turning his injury story into a mission to help others recover.
For my part, I was born into a middle-class family. I found my passion for football at nine, dedicating myself to it until a serious ACL injury at 16. By 19, I had recovered and continued to play. Driven by my family's financial situation, I founded Vikings Football Club to support local talent. However, between 19 and 23, I underwent two more surgeries that impacted my body. Eventually, I decided to leave football, shut down the Vikings Football Club, and move to New York for my Master's degree, believing the right exposure would allow me to return to entrepreneurship. After securing a strategy consultant position at Deloitte, I achieved corporate success but felt a sense of emptiness. In 2021, after facing personal tragedies and visa obstacles, I transformed those difficulties into an opportunity to launch Granimals, driven by my own journey of recovery and resilience to help others conquer both physical and mental challenges.
We all wanted to fill the huge gap between getting a diagnosis/procedure (clinical examination/surgical intervention by an orthopedic doctor) and recovering after that (physical therapy).
In 2021, we took on the recovery part of the problem head-on.
Just like us, many people go through the rehab process only to re-injure themselves or fall short of their recovery goals. That’s why 1/3 of ACL surgeries end up being revision surgeries. People don’t get the personalized, comprehensive care they need to return to 100%.
Granimals changed that. We created a program where patients were guided from diagnosis to recovery with a detailed, step-by-step rehab process. We noticed a crucial gap in the rehabilitation field: the lack of focus on exercise progression and progress monitoring. To monitor progress, we have implemented weekly check-ins and monthly assessments to ensure we stay informed about each patient's recovery journey. It wasn’t just about getting someone back on their feet it was about ensuring they never found themselves back on the treatment table.
We fixed the second half of the problem the recovery process but there was still the first half: the diagnosis and surgery.
That’s why we’re introducing "The Last Rehab Ever," a program that bridges the gap between surgery and recovery.
"The Last Rehab Ever" program works hand-in-hand with the best orthopedic doctors in the country to ensure that patients receive the right guidance from diagnosis through surgery and all the way to full recovery.
Conclusion
Granimals was built by three injury survivors who refused to accept the limitations of traditional rehab. We’ve experienced the pain, frustration, and setbacks firsthand, and we’ve channeled that into creating a program that’s helping people all over the world get back on their feet—stronger than ever.
We may not have had the “typical” path to founding a healthcare company, but our unconventional journey is exactly what makes Granimals so powerful.
"The Last Rehab Ever" isn’t just a tagline—it’s our mission, and we’re proud to lead the charge.
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