09/30/2026
A few years ago, I suffered a pretty nasty back injury.
It happens to the best of us, and probably most of us at some point. I lifted something the wrong way (I should know better), felt something pop in my back, and went straight to the floor. Writhing in pain. My new 10/10.
It took weeks to recover.
Since then, I've had a flare-up every 6-12 months. Usually, something small kicks it up: shoveling snow, bowling, or just moving the wrong way. When it happens, I can barely lie flat to sleep. Turning the steering wheel hurts. I can bend over, but getting back up is another story.
For a few weeks out of the year, I'm basically sidelined.
I've used medication to take the edge off, and while it helps me get through the night, I'd wake up the next day feeling just as bad. Eventually, after a couple weeks, I'd get back to a relative normal.
Then last Sunday happened.
I was playing with my dog and stepped too quickly in the opposite direction. *Pop*
This one was bad, about a 9/10. I had to call off work the next day.
But this time, I decided to try something different.
I came here, where I work, and got a massage. I was actually surprised by how sore I was in other areas, too.
Immediately afterward? Not much changed. I could still barely move.
But the next morning, I noticed a difference. I had a little more flexibility, and my pain was down to about a 5/10.
I still couldn't do my job properly, so I took it easy and used the Halo Red Light Therapy.
The following day, I was down to a 2/10.
I used the Red Light again.
And the day after that?
No pain.
That's less than four days to get back to feeling normal after what had previously taken me 2-3 weeks, even with less severe flare-ups.
I can't say exactly what made the difference this time, but I know I did something different: I gave my body some extra support instead of waiting for the pain to run it's course and just coping along the way.
Since then, I've been using the Electronic Massage Chairs for a few minutes here and there between tasks, just to keep up with how I'm feeling.
I've been fully back to work since Wednesday, and I feel great. Maybe even better than I did before the flare-up.
For me, this experience was a pretty powerful reminder that sometimes it's worth trying a different approach.
Your body deserves some attention, too.
Trust the process. Listen to your body. Give yourself the opportunity to feel better and get back to doing the things you love.
That's what we're here for. 💜
