I love treatment. If I could, I would have treatment at least every week at one of the clinics. Especially massage, gosh I love love love massage. You'd think I would get massages more often, being married to a massage therapist, but whenever I complained to Josh about pain I am experiencing, he just tells me to " do the exercises".

But alas, I, owner of the clinics and consequently someone who genuinely knows better, really suck at doing my home care exercises. Oftentimes when I go in for treatment I tell the clinician, "I know, I know - what I really need to do is strengthen my glute muscles. I know that would relieve my back pain and prevent it from reoccurring. But I just can't seem to make myself do it! Can't I just lay here and you make me feel better? Please?!" 

And the answer is, yes. I can lay there and receive treatment, and my pain will subside. But unfortunately the relief is temporary and I soon find myself whining to Josh once again. I have come to learn from much, much experience that the times I go the longest without pain are those times where I find it within myself to do some of the exercises and stretches as prescribed by my team. These are also usually the times when I most desperate, when my pain is so much that is it negatively impacting  or preventing me from enjoying other aspects of my life. The team has all been incredibly creative with me: recommending ways I can do small things while I'm doing other tasks in my busy life, so it doesn't become yet another thing to schedule or add to the to-do list. Some recent examples are how I will lay on the floor while watching TV, doing glute bridges as recently recommended by Dr Barry (see her video of this exact exercise here), or how I will waddle around the kitchen while making dinner with a thera-band tied around my thighs, as recommended recently by River. My pain is far less, oftentimes non-existent, the following day if I manage to do even just a few minutes of these exercises. 

I know I'm not alone in this! Do you also struggle to do your home care recommendations? If you are like me and just can't seem to make or find the time, please talk with our team. I can say from personal experience how creative and amazing they are at coming up with ways to help people do the things that will most help them feel better, in the most efficient way possible, without it feeling like a chore. Treatment in the clinic matters, absolutely, but what matters more is what you are doing with the other ~23 hours of your day when you're not with the team. A few minutes of home care will allow you to achieve your health goals in a fraction of the time and cost then if you stick to treatment in the clinic alone. You can take my word for it!

Lisa

Lisa Shaw, Co-Owner (and frequent patient) at Energize Health