I started going to a chiropractor at age 13. I was so young and already in chronic pain. I’d “throw my back out” at least once a month. The adults in my life would tell me, “That’s life, you live in pain.” I accepted this and used it as an excuse for years.
Growing up as a dancer and playing sports, you’d think staying active would correct things, right? Nope. Not at all. Why not? When we have chronic pain in one or more areas of the body, we compensate as we move to avoid triggering that pain. This begins to cause muscle imbalances and fascial adhesions.
I remember being in so much pain in a yoga class in college. I didn’t enter the class in pain, so why was it causing pain? After class, I asked the instructor why upward dog hurt my back so much. “You’re wrenching your lower back!” she exclaimed (lovingly but concerned). That was when I realized, just going through the movements isn’t enough. You have to FUNCTIONALY move through the movements, the way your body is anatomically designed, AND correct the muscle imbalances causing the pain in the first place.
Fast forward to my career as a dental hygienist. Talk about repetitive strain injuries! From neck pain to shoulder and back pain…don’t even get me started on the wrists and elbows. Why did I think this would be a good career for someone with preexisting back pain?!
Of course we learned about ergonomics on day 1 of clinic freshman year. Of course we all said we’d never be an old broken-down hygienist who didn’t sit correctly throughout their career. HA! It all sounds great until you have a live patient in your chair who can't recline or a squirming child who does not want to “open wide”.
We don’t always have the option to just stop doing the thing that causes the pain, however, we can build the strength and mobility to be resilient while we do it. I now practice dental hygiene virtually pain-free. Do I still have flare-ups? Sure—I'm human! But I'm able to bounce back quickly.
Bottom line: We all compensate with our bodies in daily life. The trick is to balance it out. By correcting my muscle imbalances—which were the root of my pain—through yoga, assisted stretching, and functional strength training, I can say I now live a pain-free life.
My mission is to help others do the same. I know, personally, how pain can affect your actions and thoughts. Living in constant pain is depressing and seriously hinders how you interact with others daily. Start small, but just start. Today!
-Kim Michaud, RDH, RYT, CPT
I started working in the fitness industry over a decade ago. Over 7 years of that has been as an Athletic Trainer. After working closely with Physical Therapists and professionals alike, I adopted a rehabilitative approach for personal training and assisted stretching to help correct my clients' problems, not mask them.
I noticed a huge disconnect with my personal training clients when they needed more assisted stretching/trigger point therapy sessions than training. They were getting injured.
If we are not moving functionally, (without pain), first and foremost, how can we ever expect to add strength? You can't add weight to dysfunction in your workouts. You must first correct your instabilities before the real training and healing can begin!
-Jon Bettencourt, BS, LAT, ATC
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