Having always enjoyed the wonderful and vital ‘gift’ of mobility which is (unfortunately) so often taken for granted, it came as a surprise that one day in retirement I would encounter lower back pain. I do not mean niggling back ache, this was pain off the scale, 10 ++ level, and it was terrifying. I can only describe it as though someone was discharging a TASER gun in my lower back. Never having experienced anything like it before, I could not, and dare not move and just lay in bed and prayed. Some 3 days later I became mobile just enough to get downstairs.
Analysing what had happened, I attributed the injury to my enthusiastic efforts to clear a large snow fall from around my house by wielding a large and heavy snow shovel. It was not until the next day however that the pain started to build, and so began the above episode that I hope I NEVER have to experience again.
Anyway, my prayers were answered when I started on-line research to find ways to prevent such back problems. I came across Ashley’s video channel, and it made a momentous change in my life. I learnt from him about the three phases of (lower back) pain, and how to deal with each phase in turn, with the ultimate goal of preventing that pain from ever returning.
Ashley’s ‘Beat Your Low Back Pain’ E-book has now become a ‘bible’ for me, a complete tool box of help and advice to understand the anatomy of the back and how and why pain might develop and how to manage and prevent such pain occurring in the future.
That was over two years ago, and since then I have managed to stay relatively pain free and realise the need to listen to one’s body and modify activity accordingly. I also keep some strong pain killers in the bedside cabinet in case I should relapse and need to start the whole healing process again from phase one!
To be fair, the book can only take you so far because the final (strengthening) phase really depends on how much work you are prepared to put in yourself, but at least it shows you how and exactly what to do – the rest is up to you!
It is obvious to anyone reading the book that Ashley has put a lot of compassionate thought into its construction and presentation, and that he has a genuine desire to help prevent such suffering – There should be more people like him in this world.
Thankyou Ashley!
R Shelton