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The Path To Wellbeing

Taking a Pause to Reflect, Redirect, and Reinvent painfreeathlete sabbatical self-care self-compassion thepainfreeathlete May 25, 2023

In January 2022 I listened to the Wellcoaches’ continuing education (CE) class–“The Urgency of Sabbaticals” by DJ DiDonna, founder of the Sabbatical Project. I recall that before I took the class, I had recently talked with an excited client about his sabbatical and was...

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Pain as My Teacher - I can't shoulder it all chakras grief meridian letting go mind body syndrome painfreeathlete psychogenic pain shoulder pain shoulder tension thepainfreeathlete Apr 05, 2023

Two weeks ago, I developed severe right shoulder pain and stiffness. It was excruciating to move in any direction, and I couldn’t get into a comfortable position to rest. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to meet with clients, teach my class, or ride my bike.

The timing of my...

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The Perfect Storm of Chronic Pain chronic pain david butler lorimer moseley pain science painfreeathlete persistent pain thepainfreeathlete Mar 22, 2023

A perfect storm, like chronic pain, emerges when numerous factors combine simultaneously. Merriam-Webster defines “perfect storm” as “a critical or disastrous situation created by a powerful concurrence of factors.” Let’s substitute chronic pain into this definition:...

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Healing Chronic Pain - what will it take for you? chronic pain healing mind-body painfreeathlete thepainfreeathlete Jan 10, 2023

Chronic pain is a complex experience. I like to say that it is a whole person experience affecting many aspects of one's life that goes far beyond an unpleasant physical sensation. 

On my client intake form, I ask, “Do you have any ideas about what it is going to take for you to...

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3 Exercises to Relieve Neck Pain kyphosis lordosis military neck neck pain neck tension posture alignment posture exercises spine thepainfreeathlete Dec 15, 2022

This is the second blog in a two-part series on neck pain. Read the first blog: Neck Pain and Posture. This is a collaboration with Dr. Michael L. Rothman, M.D. Dr Rothman is a former orthopedic surgeon and Advanced Exercise Therapist (AET), certified by the Egoscue Institute. 

 

Neck...

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Neck Pain and Posture cervical pain military neck neck pain painfreeathlete posture alignment Nov 10, 2022

Please enjoy this guest blog by Dr. Michael L. Rothman, M.D. Dr Rothman is a former orthopedic surgeon who now helps his patients overcome chronic pain using posture alignment therapy. He is an Advanced Exercise Therapist (AET), certified by the Egoscue Institute, who practices in Albuquerque,...

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Join the Pain Revolution! gothedistance lorimer moseley painfree painrevolution painscience thepainfreeathlete Oct 18, 2022

The Pain Revolution is a grassroots movement that strives to change people’s understanding of chronic pain. The genesis of this evolution in our understanding of pain is based in Australia. Specifically, the Pain Revolution started in South Australia, in the city of Adelaide at the...

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Why Stress Feels Good and Relaxing is Hard parasympathetic nervous system pns relaxation response relexation sns stress stress management stress relief stress response sympathetic nervous system thepainfreeathlete Sep 13, 2022

While I was recently talking with a client, she remarked, “I don’t know how to relax. And when I try, I worry that I am doing it wrong. After a few minutes (of sitting still and breathing) I get antsy and start doing something. It is uncomfortable to be still.”

Not surprisingly,...

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Racing: Chase Results or Enjoy the Experience? cycling gravelcyclist oregontrailgravelgrinder otgg stageracing thepainfreeathlete Aug 08, 2022

After a two-year delay due to Covid-19, my husband and I were excited to finally be on the start line for the 2022 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder (OTGG). The OTGG is a 5-day stage race in the Cascade mountains. Our trek included nearly 350 miles and more than 30,000 feet of climbing. A bonus of our...

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Prevent Injuries: Ease Back Into Exercise injury kneepain running runninginjury sportsinjury thepainfreeathlete Jul 13, 2022

Let’s say you’re a runner, because the person who inspired this blog is, and this is her story. I’ll call her Kate, although it’s not her real name. In a nutshell, Kate took a week off of running, then she went back to it at the same intensity and duration as before. The...

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Which shoes do I recommend? gaitcycle hruskaclinic painfreeathlete pri prination pronation runningshoes supination walkingshoes Jun 08, 2022

Shoes, shoes, shoes! There are so many to choose from, making it hard to select the right pair. As a result, I am often asked for advice on this purchase. So, here’s what I usually say: Your shoes provide the interface between your feet and the ground. Good posture and movement patterns...

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End Chronic Knee Pain Through Alignment bow leg knee arthritis knock knees meniscus tear osteoarthritis painfreeathlete May 12, 2022

We learned everything we needed to know about our skeleton in kindergarten . . . Recall a section of the lyrics from the children’s song Dem Bones:

“The ankle bone's connected to the leg bone,
. . .
The leg bone's connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone's connected to the thigh...

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