The day I herniated my L5-S1 I knew better than to carry a 50 pound-ish bundle of roofing material up a ladder without treating it like a workout and warming up first.
It was day 3 of roofing my house and I was sore and tired.
I didn’t even think about a need to warm up because I wasn’t going to “workout”.
I’d struggled with low back pain in the past, thanks to the joys of pushing myself with deadlifts in CrossFit.
Participating in roofing a house is like CrossFit on steroids.
Instead of racing against the clock and lifting for personal records, you’re trying to get it done as fast as possible.
Even if there’s no rain in the forecast there’s this sense of urgency, because you never know if a spontaneous storm may appear out of the ether (thank you Dad for this paranoia).
Fast workouts lead to injuries because you’re not bracing your core and letting form go.
That’s exactly what happened the day I blew out my disc and I believe I could have prevented it by warming up my spine with rotation and slowing down to brace.
Fast forward 3 years later, a surgical consult behind me and battling pain flares here and there, I could kick myself!
Being the “health junkie” I am I dove deep into all aspects of my health perpetuating the pain…
- Lowered estradiol
- Higher amounts of inflammation in my body from the cheese, butter and bread-atarian diet I was adopting compared to my usual
- Gut microbiome shift from diet change and stress from the move to Wisconsin from Washington
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- Poor recovery with decreased hours of sleep and my HRV dropping
While pain has many sources there are clues to complete the “why did this happen to me?” puzzle.
I highly recommend diving into those in addition to seeking out a movement specialist if you’re dealing with chronic pain.
Because I refuse to have surgery, I’ve leaned on my physical therapist friends and coaches to guide me.
Which is why I had to bring Dr. Krista Fazio, Doctor of physical therapy and athletic trainer on the podcast.
Her Instagram is a wealth of information for practical tips on how to get yourself out of pain and prevent it!
In fact, her video on relieving a stuck sacro-iliac (SI) joint causing low back pain and sciatica has helped me more times than I can count. (check it out HERE)
Being stuck in a cycle of pain, feeling “old” and frustrated because you can’t workout, run or do life as you’d like is an awful place to be.
That’s why I sat down with Dr. Krista, to talk about how online PT coaching is changing the game for women’s health.
In this episode of the Health Fix Podcast, you’ll learn:
- Why so many women struggle with recurring back, hip, and shoulder pain
- How pelvic floor and core health play into overall strength
- Why rotation and internal hip mobility are often overlooked but crucial
- How posture and foot health set the foundation for pain-free movement
- And how working with a PT online can give you personalized, insurance-constraint free, effective coaching wherever you are
Episode Title: Out of Pain, Into Power: Online PT Coaching for Women
Click HERE to listen.
It’s time to break free from the pain cycle and step into a future where movement feels strong, confident, and free.
To your health,
Dr. Jannine Krause
