Matt’s Story - Low Back & si Pain

Before Align

I’ve dealt with chronic back pain since my early 20’s, but in 2022 I dislocated my SI joint and had a bulging L4 disk. After the initial injury, I couldn’t even stand up straight without passing out. I went to a chiropractor and found that I had a long road of recovery ahead. For several weeks I had to avoid lifting anything over five pounds. I was slowly increasing the amount of walking I could do each day. Even sitting on the couch was excruciating so laying on the floor was the only place I could find comfort for months. 

Prior to my injury I enjoyed activities like landscape photography, hiking, fishing, and kayaking. I’ve driven for work and traveled a lot too, but unfortunately I often neglected to do much physical exercise as I got caught up in the busyness of life. 

I saw measurable progress for the first three months of chiropractic care, but after that my progress plateaued. I was still in a significant amount of chronic pain that made it difficult to work or do any of the things I loved. After six months, I realized chiropractic care wasn’t doing anything to help me further. I knew it wasn’t the solution I had hoped it would be so I began looking for a better alternative.

First Impression

When I first visited Align, they were able to give me a real solution to my pain. Since then, they’ve been there to guide me through every step of the process. I also really appreciate the community aspect. I have a lot of friends that work or go to Align, and have made more friends during my time here.

The Journey

Within two short weeks of going to Align, my coach was able to get me out of 80% of my pain. Ever since then it’s been a journey of strengthening my body so that I can continue to stay out of pain and live a more demanding lifestyle that allows me to get back to pursuing my passions.

Align taught me that the source of the pain can actually stem from a problem in a different part of my body. Their approach looks at the function of your whole body, unlike traditional physical therapy and chiropractic care that tends to focus on the site of the pain.

Life Now

Since joining Align I’m far less irritable and happier over all. Life is much more enjoyable now that I’m not in pain.

Pass It On: What would you say to someone who is considering starting their Align journey? 

Listen to your body when it’s telling you something is  wrong. You wouldn’t continue to drive a car with its check engine light on. Our pain is like a warning light on the dash telling us that if we keep driving this way we’re going to break down at some point. Look into biomechanical coaching (like Align) before you start considering more invasive “solutions,” you’ll be glad you did!