It’s the end of a beautiful, warm June day, and I’m reflecting on the day’s events.
I woke up early, and roused my 10 year-old daughter and 12 year-old son.
We hopped in the car and drove to a youth speed and agility class, where I helped with some of the teaching. At the class, due to an odd number of students, I partnered with an 11-year old girl and did the workout with the young athletes.

On the way home, my kids and I stopped to load some landscaping rock into the back of my vehicle.Upon returning home, my 11 year-old son and I played some driveway basketball. After lunch, I took my car to get new tires. Instead of sitting and waiting, I enjoyed a vigorous walk.Later in the afternoon, I climbed a ladder in the garage to retrieve a heavy blow-up waterslide for my kids, and set it up in the backyard.

They had hours of fun before we had to head off to soccer for the rest of the night.
Why is this normal summer day significant?

Less than two years ago, most of this activity was impossible for me; even the “hopping into the car”. At that time, I had to carefully back up toward the car, sit down on the seat, and then cautiously rotate my body as a unit until my legs were under the steering wheel.

I had recently undergone a spine surgery where a herniated disc between my L4-L5 vertebrae was repaired. The surgery was a result of years of on-again, off-again low back pain and numbness that actually began in college. For the most part, my symptoms were a nuisance.
I’d take it “easy” for a couple of weeks, and they’d subside.

However, after two babies, inappropriate exercise techiques, and poor posture, I had a very unconditioned core. I was a back pain accident waiting to happen. And it did. I exercised in group fitness classes like step aerobics, cardio kickboxing, and Bodypump at a local health club. While I did well for awhile, something felt “wrong” one day in class. My back was not right. I figured it was just another one of the “flare-ups” I’d experienced for years.

I took it easy for a few weeks, and noticed some improvement before going on a trip to Arizona during spring break. While swinging a golf club during a warm-up, I felt a sharp twinge in my low back again. I followed my usual prescription, but the annoying pain, and lower left leg numbness, never really went away. I noticed progressive weakness in my left leg, and felt the back pain increase whenever I’d do even a simple task, like moving a load of clothes from the washer to the dryer.

I’d hurt for days after holding my toddler niece, but I just couldn’t say “no” when she looked up and said “Assn, peas hode me?” Eventually I‘d have to say, “Aunt Allyson can’t hold you because her back hurts.” I really hated that. I did not want that to be my life. At that point, I consulted a string of professionals including, Physical Therapists, neurologists, and chiropractors. I took lots of ibuprofen, had two steroid injections, and felt like I had an intimate relationship with my reusable ice pack for as much time as it spent in my pants. Finally, after two MRIs, I consulted with a spine surgeon.

I was given the choice of whether or not to have surgery to “trim” my herniated L4-L5 disc so that it would no longer impinge on the nearby nerve. The surgeon said that it was a “quality of life” decision for me. Was I ok with my quality of life until my herniated disc reabsorbed, like most do over time? I didn’t have to think very long when I considered how my kids were starting to make comments like “Mom! Your back!” when I would bend to lift something, start to vacuum, or even hug them tightly.

I wasn’t being invited to play catch, take bike rides, or shoot baskets anymore. They were scared I would get hurt, and so was I. I still coached some of their sports, but couldn’t instruct by example, only by words. I clearly remember coaching my daughter’s “coach pitch” softball team. I got to the first game, tried to throw a couple of underhand slow pitches, and felt a “nerve shooter” all the way down my left leg. I had to recruit another parent to pitch for me.

For the remainder of that season, my 65 year-old father drove from Eden Prairie to pitch for me. It was a great experience for him and for my daughter, but was clearly not where I wanted to be at 38 years old.

I had the surgery. Afterward, I noticed no immediate improvements, but knew I needed time to heal. Six months later, after more PT, chiropractic, etc.,I felt the same. No worse than before, but certainly no better, either. I became resigned to the fact that I was going to be on the “sidelines” in life.

About 9 months after my spine surgery, on my 39th birthday, my husband purchased a series of therapy sessions for me at The Body Project. He had simply seen the sign on the window saying “Low Back Therapy” while getting coffee at the café next door. He knew how much I enjoyed being active in the past, and how much I missed it.

I was not thrilled with the idea of doing more therapy with another therapist. Rob says I was very “icy” when I first came in. I guess I felt that I had let my hopes rise so many times before, with so many different people, only to be dissappointed. I just didn’t believe I would ever be “normal” again. But I did start my sessions with Rob, and to put it simply, I got my life back.

Rob explained the mechanics behind the exercises he gave me, and why they were essential to my recovery. I am an analytical person, so I appreciated this approach. He also took various measurements that basically proved how deconditioned my core muscles, glutes, and other low-back supporting muscles were. I didn’t really like hearing that; I thought I’d been doing the “right” things, but I just wasn’t.

I began working with Rob on simple core exercises. I was diligent, very diligent. I paid careful attention to detail, and found Rob’s immediate feedback/correction during my sessions very helpful. By the time I went home, I had complete confidence in what I was doing.

The sessions were not inexpensive, and I thought, “if I’m going to do this, I’m going to give it my best shot”. Within two weeks of the sessions and working at home, I could honestly notice a difference in my abdominal area. It was tighter and I just felt more stable. I continued following the progressions of his exercises, and after a few months felt really great.

I started to try more activities with my kids, and found that I could do them without irritating my low back. I was so excited! I almost didn’t want to tell anyone because I didn’t want to “jinx” myself. About six months after beginning with Rob, I started doing more fitness-based workouts. I felt my body reshaping. I was never really overweight, just very “soft”. My kids always used to say, “Mom, I love your tummy. It’s just like a pillow!”

Well, not anymore!

At my one-year point, my 40th birthday, I had lost 8 pounds, went from a size 10 to a 6, but most importantly to me, I could do really anything I wanted. I’ve been waterskiing, hiking, and ice-skating. I recently finished coaching a 5-month season of boys traveling basketball. It was a wonderful experience. I could actually demonstrate skills and scrimmage with the boys. I coached 4th grade girls track this spring. I even ran the 800M with my girls at the first practice, as they were all worried about this “new” race at their age level.

I am happy. And I am happy with my body. I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to say that in my life…until now.

Rob knows what he is doing, and sincerely wants the best for you. It seems like he is on a mission to help you until you succeed.

Thank you to Rob and the friends I’ve met at The Body Project. I owe you so much, and am so glad we found each other.

Ally Christianson

Inver Grove Heights, MN

★★★★★