How To Make Sure Back Pain (And Your GP) Don’t Rob You Of Your Retirement Dream…
I received the most incredible email and photos this week from a patient of ours who only a year ago had been told her retirement plans, after working so hard for them, may in fact never become a reality.
How To Avoid The Trap Of Back Pain Compromising Your Retirement Plans And Dreams…Retirement for many patients we see here at the Idaho Spine and Sports Physical Therapy means freedom to do what you want, when you want! You’ve worked so hard for it all your life and you’ve earned it! Here’s an example of a common retirement goals that our patients have shared with us:
“When I retire I’m going to be more active, walk more, travel, spend more quality time with the family and my grandkids.” I’m sure you’ve heard similar, and maybe you’re even planning the same for your retirement too? If so… keep reading!
There’s a common factor that we don’t take into consideration when planning our dreams than can often creep up on us – particularly in our 50s and 60’s… And that’s the curse of back pain. So many of us have a lifestyle and jobs that involve a lot of sitting. Whether this is on a computer, in an office or driving to and from work, its unavoidable! And our backs simply aren’t designed to take the pressure of sitting for so much of our lives. The thing is, when you’re younger you can “get away with it”.
But here’s the thing, when we get older – it becomes hard to get away with this! Think of your body like a car – after so many years and miles of working hard, cars need an MOT and tuning up again run smoothly. Well our bodies are exactly the same. So when was the last time you gave you’re body an MOT?…
Ok, so back to our patient (who has sent me her incredible photos). She had a great career as a teacher – and a damn good one too, and had planned walking holidays far and wide with her husband for when they both retired. Not long after she retired was when the most dreaded thing happened. Bang. Back pain literally stopped her in her tracks. Yes she had suffered with the odd aches and pains in her back over the years when she sat too long, but that’s quite normal right? Wrong!
Those aches and pains are your bodies’ way of letting you know something’s not right and you need an “MOT”. After repeatedly being told by her GP “its just ‘wear and tear’, keep taking pain killers”… she came to us desperate to keep her dream of enjoying all of the walking holidays that she’s worked all her life for, alive. Luckily (like many others suffering unnecessarily with aches and pains), she just needed a few tight muscles relaxing and weak muscles strengthened. Simple! Thank goodness she didn’t listen to her GP, or she’d still be suffering now.
Sounds scary right? But instead she has just returned from an incredible two-week walking vacation. Now keeping herself strong with her monthly “MOT” in the clinic, she already has many more holidays planned for the future with her husband and family.
If you want to know more about how to make sure your future isn’t compromised by ill health just get in touch and claim your FREE DISCOVERY VISIT with one of our expert Therapists today.
P.S if you are suffering with Back Pain or Balance issues, take advantage of a great opportunity and register HERE for our upcoming FREE workshop!
– R. Bret Adams, PT, MPT, ATC, CertMDT