About 30 years ago, my mom injured her low back. She was lifting a heavy bag of gardening soil when a pain in her back brought her to her knees. The sharp pain in her low back radiated down her leg. Her inability to move, bend, twist or turn was debilitating. She could not walk, lift or move pain free. All of this and she was still left with one huge disability. She was unable to take care of her family and work.
The pain continued over the next several weeks. At first she used ice and Ibuprofen to take the edge off. Months passed by and night pain kept her awake. She couldn’t bend forward, weight bear on her leg, or stand upright. She almost lost her job. She was in bed most of the day and unable to take part in family activities. Gardening was her creative and stress relieving outlet and she couldn’t do that either.
I watched her suffer for months. Ice, heat, rest, pain medication, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, and injections were all tried. After suffering for few months she was referred to an orthopedic surgeon for a surgical consult. Surgery seemed to be the only cure.
Finally, we met an experienced and skillful Physical Therapist who was confident in his ability to make a difference. We decided to give it a try since we had nothing to lose.
This Physical Therapist helped her regain the ability to weight bear on her leg and walk. Her pain got better, and soon after she stopped taking pain medication. With his help she returned to a normal life, work, was there for her family, and was even able to do some gardening,
As I watched this miraculous recovery unfold, my determination to learn this skill and help others recovery naturally from back pain was born. In the years to come, I dedicated myself to learning the most advanced tricks of the Physical Therapy trade. This resulted in receiving my master’s in manual work and healing movement in order to help patients suffering from back pain.
