When I first moved to Austin, Texas I knew all of 2 people. I was a new hire at a big tech company and like most, I sat all day. I filled my free time with 5 am 5 mile runs and 90-minute Bikram yoga classes pretty much daily. I didn’t know much about fitness or prehab or strength training. I was pretty clueless and didn’t realize I was headed for a painful encounter. After months of overusing my body, I started feeling an odd sensation in my knee. In those days, I heard things like, “Pain is weakness leaving the body!” Yikes! I cringe at that now, but at the time I ignored my pain and pushed on.
It only got worse. It got so bad I felt someone was holding a candle to my knee, like it was on fire. It was so stiff it felt like any move might make my kneecap pop off. I stopped running. I stopped yoga. I put on some weight. Like many people, I initially sought traditional medical treatments for my knee pain. I even consulted an orthopedic surgeon and only to feel frustrated, discouraged, panicked. The surgeon mentioned knee surgery without even discussing the root cause of my pain. A coworker suggested I go to a massage school nearby. When I called, they told me there were no student internship appointments available; only appointments with licensed massage therapists were available. I was desperate so I booked.
The massage was one of the most uncomfortable experiences of my life. As I laid on the massage table, I took lots of deep breaths and squirmed as stealthily as I could. The massage tempo was very quick, as if she was kneading bread. I thought to myself, "This can't possibly work. I feel worse. I will not be coming back." In retrospect, I can't believe I was so out of touch with my body that I didn't realize just how much pain my muscles were in. Up to that point, I had perceived the pain localized solely in my knee. But as my therapist explained, she was a graduate of the Clinical Massage Therapy program I would also graduate from, my knee wasn't the culprit. It was just the area of my body my trigger points were referring pain to.
The massage ended. I sat up and when I went to place my feet on the ground, I no longer felt my knees on fire or had the sensation that a wrong move would make them pop off my body. Sure, my legs were sore but the pain in my knee was gone! My mind was blown. The results were astounding. Not only did the massage therapy provide immediate relief, but also took that now obviously unnecessary surgery off the table. I was so affected by that experience that I enrolled in massage therapy school about a month later.
Since 2011, I have been providing specialized massage therapy services to individuals experiencing low back, hip, and knee pain. I remember how uncomfortable yet effective my first massage was. My personal approach has evolved to combine deep and gentle techniques to ensure both comfort and effectiveness.
My own experience is a testament to the transformative power of massage therapy. If you are ready to take control of your pain and embark on your own healing journey, consider massage therapy. You may be surprised by the results and find yourself on a path to a pain-free life.
I want to share the healing power of massage with those suffering from pain and look forward to working with you.
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