Do you keep trying to figure out that "one" thing that triggered your back pain?  What you did the day before you woke up with knee pain?  Why your feet suddenly get mad at long walks or why standing in line at the grocery store or at a "standing-room only" concert feels like too much to handle?  Do you remember the last full day you had without a headache? Many clients come in wanting answers to these questions.  There's a feeling that if you could just pinpoint when it all began, it would be easier to fix.  

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you might never figure it out.  It's rarely "one" moment that creates the problem.  Likely it's been brewing for a while and that "one" thing is much harder to pinpoint because it's like the straw that broke the camel's back.

Instead of trying to pinpoint a moment in time, start evaluating your habits over time.  Do you slump at your desk for 8 hours a day?  Do you lounge crooked on the couch for a few hours every night?  Do you brush your teeth with a rounded back and hunched shoulders (everyday, twice a day)?  Did you sprain your ankle back in high school and just "suck it up" at the time?  Is your diet full of foods that create inflammation in your body?  How much sleep do you get, how many glasses of water do you drink?  Do you continue intense workouts even when you're injured?

Chronic aches and pains are often accumulations of poor movement patterns, poorly rehabbed injuries, compression, compensations, and/or mismanaged care (pain meds, incomplete therapy, lack of rehab altogether).  The good news is that with patience, attention, and intention, you can move better and feel better.  A lot better! 

I'm not just saying this because I read it in books or learned it at a workshop.  I'm saying this because I've lived it.  I spent 15 years living with chronic pain so I get it.  I get the obstacles, I get the frustrations and fear of trying new things.  I know firsthand the feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.  This background is what motivates me to assess and treat each individual as a whole and to honor each client's preferred pace and comfort level with new movements. 

It is incredible to have come full circle and to now be able to help others break the cycle of chronic pain, find the light on the other side, and enjoy their lives again.  Need help or know someone that does?  Call, email, or book an appointment today and take the first step towards feeling better.  

Naming a business is pretty crazy.  It has to be something that resonates, something you don't mind seeing and saying a million times a day.  I went through a couple of possibilities but struggled to find something that I felt truly represented me and my mission.  It wasn't until I'd almost settled on a different name (needing to meet a deadline) that it came to me one sleepless night (as most good ideas tend to do).  Every breath is movement, and every movement is an opportunity for improved fitness. 

During the Stott Pilates certification I learned about using the 3-dimensional breath and intentionally connecting each inhale and exhale to every movement.  The result was greater connection to my core and more control over my movements.  When I went through the Foundation Training certification I was introduced to decompression breathing; using the breath in combination with the muscles to create more space and actively resist gravity.  These two concepts have transferred so seamlessly into my daily life that I began to realize a simple fact about fitness.  Fitness doesn't just happen at the gym or in a workout class.  Fitness is a way of life.  Quite literally, every breath offers us another chance for a healthy, active life.  And that was it.  Breathe Fitness was born :)