I
am a former rugby player. I played at the premier women's collegiate
rugby program in the country - a D1 school - and also on the the
national level for both age-grade and senior side teams. I retired from
rugby about ten years ago for various reasons - not the least of which
was a chronic neck issue. Since rugby retirement, I have become a
runner, a triathlete of sorts, and an overall
athlete who loves to train and challenge myself. But, I had chronic
neck pain - so much so that I had trouble sleeping, I couldn't turn my
head to look over my shoulder, and I had general discomfort all the
time. I spent quality time in physical therapy, acupuncture, at the
chiropractor, paying ridiculous prices for massages, and even got a
steroid injection. I was told that there was nothing that could be done
for the pain and that I would have to live with it. I just couldn't
accept this - I was too young for this kind of pain. And then, we moved
to Albuquerque and I found my people - the Institute of Community
Wellness & Athletics (ICWA). I had my initial assessment with
Nathanael and I left feeling optimistic and confident that my neck pain
could be helped. I hadn't felt optimistic for a long time. Nathanael and
the ICWA team assessed my entire body - not just my neck. They assessed
me from top to bottom and found several imbalances and muscle
tissue issues. The years of a high impact sport, combined with a
youthful attitude of invincibility had caught up with me - in the way of
chronic pain. To make a long story short, I have been working with the
ICWA team for a year now. It took several months of muscle tissue work,
scrutinizing my gait and how I move, and identifying physical tendencies
that I did without even thinking about but that contributed to my
chronic pain cycle. I'm happy to report that my neck is pain free. It
has been amazing. I'm fitter, stronger, and healthier than I have ever
been in my life. I attribute this to the ICWA team.
I
am an athlete and will be for my lifetime. I
have aches and pains (but not my neck now!) as any athlete who pushes
the limits. I place a high value on the services that ICWA offers. The
integrated, total-package approach that ICWA offers is very hard to
find. In fact, I have been looking for this kind of facility for years.
As a team, ICWA keeps me healthy and my body feeling good. This alone,
allows me to push my limits. They challenge me at every class and
educate me about what it means to be an athlete. The ICWA staff are
total professionals at what they do. They are current in the industry
and genuinely want to make the general population healthier. They are my
people, my friends, and professional who I trust. At age 35, I have
once again realized that I am an athlete - and I can be a pretty good
one at that. Thank you ICWA!
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Jen E.
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