Meredith’s story - Back, Hip, and Knee pain

Before Align

In 2023 I had a back injury and didn’t fully deal with it. It went away, but the problem came back about a year later. At that point, my masseuse, who had been with Align for three years, kept encouraging me to join. After doing the initial assessment, talking with a coach, and listening to some of the podcasts, I decided I was ready to make the commitment. 

Before the pain, I was doing running, yoga, and backpacking. I used to be on the rowing team in college and was an athlete as a kid. I’m used to being really active, but I started working from home, so I was sitting more. Then, I stopped running for a couple of years.

Coming to Align

As a registered nurse, I have the background of knowing the body. From the start, Align seemed like a comprehensive way to strengthen the body and create mobility. I wanted to learn how to move appropriately so I could age well and reduce pain.

I'd done physical therapy before, but it's very one-dimensional. You kind of stop doing your exercises once the pain is gone, and then it comes back. So Align seemed very detailed, goal-oriented, and consistent. And after seeing my progress, I trusted it.

The Journey

I do online, virtual coaching with Andrea. She'll check in with me if I haven't done my workouts and see how I’m doing. She’ll also write notes on the workouts themselves, saying things like, “Good job” or letting me know I need to increase my reps or make changes. The biggest help is that she's a really good cheerleader and keeps me focused.

If we need to change things, I just let my coach know. Like this morning I wasn't feeling well, so I said, “Hey, is there something else I can do when I'm feeling like this?”

The accountability and adaptability of Align is so important. 

Life After Align

In midlife I got really into whale watching. I go on trips to see whales and love meeting new friends and following my passion. One of my big goals was to have minimal or no pain during or after traveling via airplanes, hotels, and the whaling boats. Whereas before I'd be in pain on the trip or afterward, I don’t come home in tons of pain anymore.

Also, if I get a cold or something, it doesn’t set me back as much as it used to. My body is able to take the time to rest, but also maintain strength and recover faster. It’s almost like my body is telling me, “You're okay.”