MY JOURNEY IS LIKE YOURS
Long before I began practicing physical therapy in late 2019, I had my first real experience with the vicious cycle of pain. A seemingly-insignificant weightlifting injury at the age of 20 to my lower back had settled in and became chronic. The pain was virtually 24/7 and refused to go away. “How could this be?” I thought to myself. From friends and family I heard: “it should heal on its own.” The medical advice was to rest and take Ibuprofen, and if that didn’t help I may just “have a weak back”. Physical therapy treatment only granted temporary relief from the incessant ache. Defeated, I chose to ignore the pain as months turned into years with no lasting success.
In the end, it wasn’t some fad exercise or stretch that cured me. No, not some surgery or medication either and it certainly wasn’t from rest, waiting, and over-the-counter painkillers. It turns out no-one was able to help me afterall, because the solution had to come from within. The truth is, our body has everything it needs to heal, and it desperately wants to. We just need to accept The Call, and take the leap.
Struggling with and eventually overcoming my back injury led me to question everything we know about pain, injury and rehabilitation. The truth became more and more clear after observing the patterns with thousands of patients over the years with conditions ranging from TMJD and headaches all the way to spinal surgery and ankle replacements. The ones who got better all had the same things in common.
That source of success is what I want to share with you. It begins with believing our pain isn’t something to be feared. It is instead a Call to Action, one that will take you on a Hero’s Journey. Who’s the hero, you ask?
You, of course!
Born and raised in the beautiful California Bay Area, I’ve been drawn to the outdoors and to seek adventure from a young age. My love for sciences led me to attain my Bachelor’s of Science degree from University of the Pacific in 2016, and subsequently to New York University for my Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) in 2020. My hobbies include things like hiking, road trips, camping, cooking, traveling and photography.
“Boiling water softens a potato and hardens an egg. It’s what you’re made of that matters most”
— Quote Source