This review is sooooo overdue but here it is finally! It's also insanely long so the TLDR version…read moreis this: if you've been dealing with regular pain for a long time, and are ready to put in the work to finally get to the bottom of what's going on, put your trust in LPI! I've worked with both Ben and Bryant since 2021 back when they were still running their clinic out of a little room at Reason fitness; and I went from waking up every day with some amount of neck/shoulder pain to feeling the strongest I've ever been in my life and 90-95% of my days with no pain. I wouldn't be where I am today without LPI and their help and guidance so I really can't thank them enough
Working with Ben:
So what eventually brought me to LPI in 2021 was that I'd been having increasing bad bouts of pain where I would get like a crick in the neck so bad it locked up my entire upper back and I'd only have about 25-50% range of motion of my neck in any direction without pain. I suspect many of my symptoms were built up overtime due to a bad ergonomic work setup and stress.
From day 1, Ben was super attentive and eager to help. Most of what he talked about was new to me but he always took the time to explain things and answer any question I had. During my time with Ben, I gained so much understanding about how connected every part of your body is with each other, and how much modern life has made our body adapt in ways that aren't the best for longevity(!!)
We worked a lot on how to create a stable trunk through proper breathing mechanics in the beginning and then later strengthening the muscles in my shoulder area to better support and stabilize the shoulder; and so much more! What I can tell you now is that I'm not waking up every day in pain, I don't have pain going down my arm anymore, my neck and jaw are so much less tight, and even if I do have days when that crick comes back, it's much less severe and resolves a lot quicker than before.
One thing with chronic pain I didn't realize before was how much you lose hope that it will ever get better. So it kind of surprised me that having someone who cares so deeply about getting you better would help, but Ben's hope gave me hope, and in time the results spoke for itself. The body isn't as weak or fragile as you might think, it's actually super resilient and adaptable. There's a solution to pain that doesn't involve bandaging the pain but rather retraining your body to do what it was meant to do so you can live the life you want to live. This isn't something I believed before but now I'm living it! And Ben has the skills to help get you there. Don't get me wrong, it is HARD work on your part, and while you're in it, it might not feel like you're getting better for awhile, but be kind and patient with yourself in those first several sessions!
Working with Bryant:
Eventually I hit a point where I needed less PT specific guidance (I also just really sucked at keeping up with my PT exercises at home), so Ben suggested I transition to working with Bryant on a regular strength and conditioning program, which is now what I've been doing for the past 3 years. I started off hating exercise and never having done strength training, to hating exercise slightly less (lol), hitting PRs, feeling less tired in my body all the time, being more confident in the strength I have (especially when needing to lift heavy things!), and of course being in SO much less pain, most days no pain!
If you work with Bryant, he'll help you come up with a program that fits your fitness goals, whatever that means for you. All you have to do is show up and do the work! Which is still a lot, but it really helps lower the barrier to exercise for me (someone figuring out the program and also coaching me through sets--I would not push myself as hard otherwise). I like that he can also make adjustments on the fly depending if I am having pain that day.
I've also talked with him before about how I like/don't like to be pushed, and I appreciate that he understands how to coach me best through tough sets. I've definitely broken down multiple times during different sessions (whether with Ben or Bryant) because I was having a really bad day or just feeling hateful towards myself for not being able to do an exercise and both of them always held space for me with care and without judgment, and I am super thankful to them for that Mental health and physical health are absolutely tied to each other and they both recognize that.
On a final note, I've now sent the rest of my family to them as well haha! My brother has been working with Bryant for about 2 years and has made his own huge fitness gains, and my mom has started seeing him for her pain too. And shout out to Wendy who's also been helping my mom!! It's great to see LPI continue to expand their space as they grow too.
Anyway, wishing you all well out there with your own PT journeys, it's not an easy path, but the investment in your health is worth it!!!