When I was 14, every Wednesday I use to go to Hammersmith Hospital in London to be prodded by specialists, consultants and physios who were trying to figure out why my back hurt like hell and ease the pain I suffered. I stopped doing PE, dance classes, I didn’t ride my bike, I didn’t do any after school clubs, I even remember being told to lie in bed for 14 days to ease the pain. I think the only think I enjoyed about this period of my life was getting out of school early every week. It was a pretty miserable time.
I’d completely forgotten about all of this until recently, when 2 things bought it all back – (1) trying to remember why I had given up dance when I loved it so much, (2) the huge number of emails we are getting from people struggling with back pain and being told similar things to what I was once told.
I don’t suffer from back pain anymore, I haven’t for years. I never had surgery, I don’t take medication to manage pain, I am not ‘careful' in how I use my body. What healed me, was not doing less, but doing more. I managed 5 days of lying in bed before I’d had enough and my Mum took me to a body worker who transformed my life. She told me that movement was the solution and I needed to move (with correct form) to heal and to grow strong.
These words are as true today as they were back then. I don’t think I can do the power of movement justice – it is transformative physically, emotionally, mentally. Movement on and off my mat heals me and makes me stronger.
So if you’ve been told to ‘do less’ to ease back pain and feel pretty miserable, get a second medical opinion and come see us, let us help you move towards a pain-free life.
Find out more about our classes and teacher trainings at YogaVenue at www.yogavenue.co.uk
