TLF and Trigger have--no exaggeration--changed my life…read more
When I was 10 years old, I had to have major hip surgery. This put me in a wheelchair for 2 months and on crutches for 3 more after that. At the time, my orthopedic surgeon told me, "Yeah, you'll probably just never be a very physical person. Take care of yourself and don't overdo it." As a result, I spent the next 12 years avoiding physical activity, instead building up more and more tolerance for the pain that was a daily part of my life. Issues with my hip caused back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, and neck pain. I was, as I said often, a "broken thing."
In my mid-20s (with all the aches and pains of a 70-year-old), I decided to push back against what I saw as a miserable future of pain and debilitation. I tried rock climbing, I tried yoga, I did physical therapy, acupuncture, and gym work. With each new activity, I would have to muster up hope and throw myself into it. Maybe this one will work? Maybe I can make progress? Maybe I can learn to enjoy physical activity? Maybe I'm not a "broken thing"?
But every time, no matter how hopeful I was, it wouldn't work. With sports and physical activities, I'd jump in too fast and too hard and injure myself. With the more gentle therapies, it wouldn't work enough to reduce my pain to a manageable level. Every couple years, I'd get up the hope and the willpower to try again, and it wouldn't work. Year after year, this just confirmed in my own mind, "I am a broken thing. Why should I even try?"
After a particularly long period of sedentary hopelessness, I decided to try ONE MORE TIME. I checked Yelp and picked the nearest gym to my house. I don't even think I looked at the reviews. At 1AM, I typed up a plea for help and sent it off to TLF. The next day, Trigger contacted me.
She started slow, focusing on mobility and targeting all those tiny muscles deep in my joints that had atrophied over 23 years of inactivity and repeated injury. She was patient and incredibly meticulous as she identified each and every limitation I had. She pushed on the ones that were malleable, and she worked around the ones that weren't. Together, we learned all the ins-and-outs of my joints, identifying every flash of pain I felt and targeting it with gentle but persistent attention.
At times, it was frustrating, and at times, it was painful. But we did the work, both physically and mentally. Trigger helped me confront the feeling of powerlessness that injury can cause. I moved through all the anger and betrayal I felt toward my body. Slowly, slowly, I started to have confidence in my physical self. And in return, I saw improvements and gains. My joints stabilized, and my flexibility increased. My form got better, and my capacity grew. And the pain started to recede. It was SO slow in the beginning, but I trusted in the process and Trigger didn't let me down. Honestly, it restored my faith.
Now, I wake up and, no matter how tired I am, I look forward to that hour with Trigger. We've moved past the therapeutic/mobility phase, and I'm doing more strength work. My body operates so differently now. The pain is gone, my movements are more symmetrical, and I've got more confidence in my abilities. I've begun to trust my body for the first time in my adult life. With that strong foundation in place, the progress is increasing, and I feel incredibly empowered.
And all of that is thanks to Trigger and the TLF family. They take the time. They're patient. They're knowledgeable. And they invest in the foundations of healthy movement. That makes so much possible, especially if you suffer from chronic injuries. I've spent 10 years trying to find something that works, and this really really does. I'm so glad that I took the chance on TLF. They've changed my relationship to my body and my outlook on the future. There's still more work to be done, but I'm happy and excited to do it.
