Today, I strongly insist that, “You don’t have to live with pain!” Thankful for my recovery, I have now dedicated my life to spreading the benefits of stretching to everyone I can. People of all ages and from all walks of life have received the benefits of simple stretches. Doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and all type of healthcare providers have enjoyed my courses and recommend stretches to their patients. As we age, our muscles tighten and we have lesser range of motion in our joints. Simple activities that we once took for granted, like cutting our toenails, picking things up from the floor or zipping a dress, can all become difficult. However, a regular stretching program can help lengthen your muscles and make these daily activities easier and more enjoyable. 

My neighbor Jennifer suffered from arthritis. Her arthritis was getting worse every week, and sometimes her legs hurt so bad that she couldn’t stand. She couldn’t do regular activities such as gardening and taking walks. Jennifer suffered from another major problem, and that was anxiety. She couldn’t handle stress very well and sometimes she lost control in the worst of places. However, her friends and relatives remained in constant touch with her during this terrible period and took care of her emotional needs. Doctors suggested traction for relieving the acute pain. After vigorous sessions of traction over a six month period and determination, she was again able to resume a normal life. 

Massage or stretching may not always necessarily relieve you from the pain of arthritis. I remember my uncle knew something was wrong when he started waking up in the night with a tingling sensation in his fingers. It was a weird feeling and his arm also used to go numb. He was a keen baseball player and started to find it difficult holding the bat. He described it as a feeling that there was no power in his shots. The doctors advised an operation. His hands did feel sore for a few days after the operation and the pain soon turned into a stinging feeling, but after about a week it passed. He was given some simple exercises to do and was soon wriggling his fingers again.

This is the story of one of my friends who suffered from arthritis early in his massage career. He was overworking his hands by massaging and writing after work. However, he was all too familiar with the pain and the worry that comes with arthritis. Still he neglected his hands. He could have done something about it, but he didn’t. Instead, he continued working as usual and ignored them. Before long, the pain in his hands was keeping him up at night. Finally, he decided to get proactive about his problem. He did a lot of research and asked for the advice of other massage therapists. Using the knowledge he already possessed and the knowledge he gained from others, he was able to cure his painful condition.

My problems started at the age of 27 years when I was afflicted with neurological problems which doctors were unable to diagnose. I was in pain and started losing sensation in my limbs. Soon I lost all use of my left arm which atrophied over time. My ‘mystery illness’ made me the subject of much medical interest. However, the doctors finally diagnosed my condition as severe arthritis. Despite the pain, I traveled 600 miles to meet a man who told me that the simple exercise of stretching is the only hope to recover from this terrible condition. At first I could only stretch for a few seconds and then rest for half an hour before trying again. But, after spending 3 weeks doing stretches throughout the day, the pain reduced by 50 percent. In another 6 months, the pain completely went away and I am leading a normal life again.