When I look at this photo from mid-July, all I can think is, “That guy has no idea what’s coming.” It’s easy to smile in the mountains with a puppy, unaware that the lower back pain you had been starting to feel before and during a hike was actually an L5-SI herniation.
I plodded along with summer plans, stubbornly hiking (read: hobbling) out west. By August I was unable to walk our pup around the block without severe discomfort in my back and down my leg. There had been a lot of pain and little gain. I had to get back to physical therapy.
I’m unfortunately the kind of runner/person who has bounced in and out physical therapy for a variety of issues. I’ve seen my fair share of practices for my fair share of hurt, inflamed, and broken parts. So I mean it when I say that I have never been to a practice quite like Advanced Kinetics. And that’s a good thing!
I’ve been working with Caitlin since August (with the exhilarating round of dry needling from Kwang thrown in here and there). During that time, I feel like I haven’t just been doing exercises to get better- I have actually learned about what happened, what I need to do to fix it right now, and what I need to do to be stronger in the future. I ask Caitlin a lot of questions and express to her a lot of concerns (in person and in follow-up emails) and always feel like they’re addressed. It’s been very empowering. Due to the atmosphere at AKPT, it’s also been fun.
I started turning the page around Thanksgiving. I’ve become a pilates regular at my neighborhood studio, which isn’t something I ever thought I’d say, but totally dig. I’m regularly cycling on the indoor trainer and have begun to start a return-to-running program, which has been amazing. I do my PT exercises religiously every morning. I can take the pup on 5 mile hikes. I still have a ways to go, but I am confident knowing that I’ll be doing so with AKPT.
