Pain Free Performance — Egoscue Certified

Posture Alignment Therapists, Certified by Egoscue University

Egoscue Testimonial

Joint Replacement and Egoscue

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Are you and your physician choosing joint replacement?  Let us help you maximize your outcome.

When your joint is bone-on-bone, the pain is worsening and keeps you from your daily activities; joint replacement may be the next best step.  I get it, I’d try everything I could to avoid surgery, but sometimes it’s inevitable.  So, once you and your physician make this life changing decision, there are some other things to consider as you look forward to getting back to normal.  Consider your alignment.

For those of you who are already on board with Egoscue, you know that we are all about pain relief through proper alignment.  The key to our work is retraining the muscles to work equally so when the weight of your body goes through your joints it is balanced.   If muscles are out of whack and doing too much or too little, bones are pulled out of place, joints are wearing unevenly and therein lies your pain.  Once your joints bear weight evenly you gain strength, balance and function.   This not only alleviates pain, but protects you in the future.  Although I talk about how cartilage regenerates, some joints are so compromised that replacement is the only option.  Each body is different; everyone’s history and injuries are different.  If you are in pain and cannot function, choosing joint replacement isn’t a failure; it is an amazing tool to get your body and your life back to where it needs to be.

If joint replacement is next, you have prepared for it beautifully!  You’re in your best alignment going into surgery – a step ahead of the curve with strength and balance as you also embark on post-surgery rehab.  One of our clients recently exclaimed that “My doctors, all the nurses and my rehab therapists were amazed at how strong I was and how fast I recovered from my knee replacement!”  “They asked me what I had been doing and I told them it was all my hard work doing Egoscue at Pain Free!”   She continues to do her Egoscue e-cises to maintain her alignment and protect her new joint.

If you are planning on joint replacement, we can help you prepare and improve your outcome.  And, we are waiting for you on the other side to help keep your entire body functioning – head to toe – including your new joint!

Missy’s Story

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CINDY MEYERS WRITES: A few weeks ago my client Missy stopped in with exciting news!  She had not been into Pain Free since February and she wanted to let us know that she was able to run for the first time in five and a half years!  Considering her physical condition at our first session, this was quite amazing news.  Missy had knee re-construction surgery in her twenties that left her with a very unstable knee.  She had back pain that radiated down her left leg and also suffered from right elbow tendonitis.  Analyzing Missy’s posture revealed that her left leg was bowed, her right leg turned in, her head forward with rounded shoulders and her pelvis uneven.  In her sessions, we worked to correct the underlying muscle imbalances that created the misalignment of her bones and her poor posture!  Here is what Missy has to say about getting her body back into balance:

Missy’s Story

Four years ago, at the age of 45 I was not able to tour Montpelier without my back aching during the one hour tour.  I could not stand still without bending and sitting during the lectures.  Two and a half years ago I could not walk my dog for thirty minutes on a trail in the woods without causing a backache that would last for days.  I had knee reconstruction twenty seven years ago and reinjured the knee several times over the years.  This caused knee instability, a bowed left leg, and backaches.  I was advised by an orthopedist to walk only for necessity, no hiking, touring, dog walks. He stated the arthritis in my knee was too far along.   I was also suffering from reoccurring carpal tunnel symptoms three years after having the “release” surgery, and tendonitis in my elbow from knitting.  I was only 45, in very good health otherwise, slim, active, medicine free. 

In preparation for a family trip to Bali, I started physical training with Pain Free.  I was concerned about the twenty four hour plane ride, because four hour car rides to Raleigh, NC caused me back pain.  I also wanted to participate in a seven hour volcano hike while in Bali.  I worked for several sessions with Cindy before my trip to Bali, and completed my menus daily at home.  The trip was a success. I did not need any pain medication to get through the two plane trips or volcano hike!!!  The carpal tunnel was also gone as well as the tendonitis. 

Eighteen months went by without my continuing the exercises.  I woke up one day and my reconstructed knee was completely out of alignment.  I could not walk.  I had to hop.  After a few exercises with Mackie, my knee was realigned and I could walk out of Pain Free.  Another family trip was on the horizon, this time seven days of waking around Rome.  Again I was unable to even walk the dog.  I started with Mackie this time and spent seven sessions working on strengthening my posture so that my knee would not fall out of alignment while asleep in Rome.    Rome was a success-no backaches, no knee pain, no pain meds, and no swollen knee. This time I have continued daily with my various exercise menus and have had no reoccurrence of the problems. 

I ran for the first time in five and a half years this fall.  Before that, I was not able to take a running step without my knee collapsing.  However, without thinking one day, I ran to catch up with a group of friends.  My family and I are amazed!!! It is all the good professional work of the folks at Pain Free.  My family and I are 100% convinced that without Pain Free, these trips would not have been possible for me.  My knee is so misshapen now that, while only 50, I am a candidate for knee replacement surgery.  But, with the daily practice of my Egoscue exercises and professional help of the folks at Pain Free, I have been able to resume an active life with my family without knee surgery. 

Thank you thank you thank you!

Missy D.

Kean

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This post is neither Pain Free nor Egoscue related.

We would simply like to share a photo with you that made us feel proud, touched and honored.

This is one of our clients. His name is Kean. Each time Kean comes into the office, he brings us gifts. Be it flowers, fresh apple cider or even jelly beans, Kean’s gifts are reflective of his big ole heart. Kean is holding a photo of his son, also named Kean, who is serving our country overseas. We would like to honor both Keans for serving us as individuals and as a country.

Both of these men enrich and inspire our lives.

Client Spotlight – Betty Haas

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In 2008, I heard about Pain Free Performance which was started by Susy Russell and Cindy Meyers, who I knew were in Physical Therapy. I had been to numerous spine specialists and to numerous alternative medicine practioners. The medications that were prescribed helped to a degree, but none had been bale to make me free of my severe sciatic pain or my very severe pain caused by Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) also referred to as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). In effect, my caregivers were telling me that I would have to learn to manage and/or “live with” the pain. For me, managing the pain meant planning each day’s activities carefully, so that I would not end up bed for a day or two — literally writhing in pain. I decided to the Egoscue method a try. Each day, I faithfully do the ecises that Susy prescribes me; and I AM MORE THAN THRILLED WITH THE RESULTS. Before Egoscue, I would have to leave UVA football games at half-time because of unbearable sciatic and or RSD pain. Not anymore! For the past two years I have been able to stay and enjoy the games with minimal discomfort. At basketball games, because of the narrow space between the rows at the JPJ Arena, my pain would start up and my foot would swell since I could not stretch my leg out to a comfortable length. I wouldn’t leave the game early, but by the time I go home I was a wreck and my next day would be spent in severe pain. Because Egoscue has helped me get my pain under control, that is all changed. I can once again enjoy the basketball games. I still can’t stretch out my left leg, but the pain does’nt overwhelm me and I’m fine the next day. In fact, I still have some level of pain each day – but it is bearable. I have very few “down days” and I can’t remember when I last spent a day in bed because of pain. Not to be trite, but, Egoscue and Susy have given me “a new lease on life.”

Discover Egoscue. December Client Spotlight

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      Before starting Egoscue I knew my mobility was spiraling downward at a rapid rate.  It was becoming increasingly more painful to walk and stand.  In fact, so much so that when I saw someone in a wheel chair I wondered if that might be me in five years.  Since joining the program I’ve overcome one problem after another and what were once large issues have now become subtle annoyances.  One easy measure: I used to carry and frequently use aspirin.  Now I only rarely take one.  With success has also come the peace of mind and confidence knowing I have the power and ability to influence and control my mobility as I age.

      When I started my program I couldn’t decide which was more painful my feet or knees.  There was only one pair of shoes I could wear with any comfort and even then I could only stand or walk for a maximum of 10 to 30 minutes before the pain got the best of me.  I dreaded standing after sitting for any length of time because of the sharp pains in my feet.  Walking and balance was made more difficult by my toes grabbing the ground like claws.  As for my knees, I would experience periodic concussion like incidents which caused debilitating pain and swelling keeping me immobile for several days while guzzling aspirin. 

      Now after three years I no longer worry about walking, I have several pairs of comfortable shoes, and my toes no longer are curled. My knees aren’t perfect and I still have joint pains. But I’ve had no immobilizing incidences requiring massivce doses of aspirin. In fact, now I rarely take an aspirin at all.

      The services provided at Pain Free are excellent. The entire staff is knowlegeable and well trained. More than that, they genuinely care about their client’s well being and comfort. You know that if you have a problem they will address it with the expertise and time it takes to diagnose the source and correct it or direct you to the resources that will. I not only have complete confidence and respect for each and every one of them, I also consider them to be my friends.