“I’ve had back and SI joint pain since high school that continued to get progressively worse with each passing year. I have had two MRIs that showed progressing retrolisthesis and degeneration. I also met with a rheumatologist after a shockingly high CRP level on my lab work. Surgeons offered me steroid injections and the potential for surgery later on. I sought help instead from PTs, Chiropractors, Nutritional Response Practitioners, and Yoga/Pilates instructors. While I would never diminish the help that they gave me in that time of my life, I needed a more concrete way to help my body go from a place of reacting to the symptoms, to instead being proactive by building my strength up in a foundational way to learn to trust my body once again. I found that through FP. The fear of being laid out on the ground without being able to move, and getting into that dark space is gone now that I have the tools and resources to address the issues when they arise. I still have lingering hip pain that I am working on (which I experience more after a run of nursing shifts and being on my feet for 12-16 hours) but it no longer keeps me awake at night and the spasms that extended into my glutes and back are scarce. My back pain has dramatically improved and the right foot pain I was also experiencing is nearly nonexistent. When a flare up does occur, the duration of the impact is significantly shorter. I can be a better nurse because my symptoms aren’t taking me out any longer. And I have the added bonus of getting definition!  (Before: May 2022 After: August 2023)