Chronic low back pain is one of the most common complaints in the United States.
Americans sit, a lot. We have to work for hours at a computer. This can lead to tight hips, a weak core and glutes and yes, major back pain.
When I met Dawn she says she feared her low back pain was something she would just have to live with for life. When she learned she was also losing bone density, she decided to try strength training in the hopes of getting stronger and perhaps finding some relief from chronic pain.
I structured Dawn’s training specifically to target her weaker areas without adding extra strain to her back. We incorporated stretching “micro-breaks” during her work days and daily step goals to get her up and moving.
After just three short months, Dawn found her back pain was diminishing. She felt stronger and more capable. Although weight loss was not a goal for Dawn, she did improve her body composition, losing 3% body fat in those three months as well!
“Melanie is attuned to the needs of the individual,” Dawn says. “Working with her has helped me eliminate back pain and gain strength in a very short time.”
Dawn’s journey is a great reminder that fitness is not always about weight loss. There are many benefits to strength training and daily activity that improve quality of life and have nothing to do with a number on a scale.
If you’re living with chronic pain or find yourself not able to do things you love because your physical condition is holding you back, we’d love to talk about how training can help change that.
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