Rocky’s story - Low back & hip pain

Before Align

Before I came to Align, I had severe SI joint and lower back pain due to a number of injuries, the worst of which was an acetabular labrum tear in my left hip that required surgery when I was 19. I never fully rehabbed from that surgery, which led to an imbalance of muscles. As a result, I've always had a signature hobble because of what I now know is called the Trendelenburg gait.

I also have a torn TFCC in my wrist, have had a number of hernia surgeries, and am really prone to injury. Prior to coming to Align, I would yelp in pain almost every time I would get in and out of bed or off the couch.

I tried literally everything to relieve the pain: injections, surgery, pain medications, chiropractic care, physical therapy, heat, ice, TENS units, “thoughts and prayers,” orthopedic massage, “walking it off,” and even just manifesting the placebo effect. Nothing worked.

As a local lawyer who works as the Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for a local company, I like community projects, playing a role to enhance our community's standard of living, and I love the climate and surrounding area for recreational activities like hiking and other adventures, experiences my pain was keeping me from.

Coming to Align

The moment I decided to come to Align was after I could barely get out of a hospital chair, but not MY hospital chair. I could barely get out of the chair or bed in the hospital next to my pregnant wife, who was giving birth to our son. (My wife and I have had serious discussions about who was in more pain that day. Of course, she wins, but it was a memorable day to make a life-changing decision to come to Align.) 

The Journey

My initial impression of Align was that of a “geriatric gym.” Then, I met the people at the gym, some of whom are relatively elderly, but they kick my butt. 

I can't remember when I first realized the treatment was working, but I did start to see changes in how I walked and what muscles were tight. I remember when my coach, Matthew, identified my iliacus muscle, and it felt more like a live electrical circuit attached to a guitar string than it did a muscle. From that point forward, I experienced progressive improvements that continue to this day.

Life After Align

I can now lift my increasingly heavy toddler son with ease. I can work on my hands and knees doing repairs. I can lift a lot more weight, am more stable walking on a roof, and my balance has even improved. What I've learned throughout this process is that before I didn't actually know what “no pain” was. There were times I would report “no pain,” but realize two weeks later that my “no pain” at that time was just less pain than previously. 

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

Align operates differently than traditional pain-management modalities like chiropractic care and physical therapy.  Instead of chasing symptoms, Align teaches you to develop permanent lasting strength and mobility that ultimately deletes pain.  Previously, when I rotated between chiropractic care and physical therapy there was a recycling loop of feeling great for a few weeks to horrible until I could get my next appointment.  Now, this loop doesn't exist and even if I suffer a setback or flare-up, I know it will be a couple of weeks out and I will be pain free again.

Align is approachable, knowledgeable, allows for a good sense of humor, and provides a degree of care that is unmatched, both locally and beyond.

I think the biggest barrier for most people to joining Align is that “personal training” is seen as an expensive extra, but pain-free days are a compounding investment for the rest of your life. You never work out as well as you do when somebody is watching your form and understanding what your body needs. Align isn't a luxury service. It’s about getting your body to function as it should as a baseline standard.