How to Stay Strong Physically Through Lifestyle Changes

Got Back Pain? Pamela Boni Recovers From Debilitating Back Pain

Health and Wellness – Lower Back Pain -Stott Pilates

This is a story of how Pamela Boni, a Florida resident, overcame debilitating lower back pain and regained her youthful strength at 50 years of age without medical intervention.

It’s a story that highlights how each of us can benefit by learning what preventative health regimens will work for each of us personally to combat the negative side effects of aging or injury, even as we experience changes in healthcare and regardless of whether we move away from the health and wellness resources with which we are familiar.

If you’re planning to move out of your neighborhood or out of the country, ask yourself this:  What is your plan for building and maintaining your ultimate wellness profile?

Pamela Boni was struggling with chronic lower back pain due to a herniated disc.  The treatment plan her doctor prescribed included cortisone shots to her back, medication, and the possibility of surgery.

Reliance on medications or undergoing surgery can have daunting effects on anyone’s ability to snap back to a former, more youthful state of physical fitness.  Especially from 50 on, it can seem like you never regain your former quality of life.

“I was doing the doctor route, and they wanted to inject cortisone in my back and they gave me a bunch of medications that never really gave me any relief,” said Boni.  Many people experience Boni’s frustration.

“I never tried the cortisone injections because there was only a 50/50 chance that it would even help.  I decided not to go that route unless I became desperate,” she said.

Alternative Therapy for Lower Back Pain

Boni sought out a physical solution as an alternative to medical intervention as a means of regaining physical fitness.  She found her solution in what she describes as an athletic version of Pilates at the Pilates at Weston Town Center in Weston, FL.

Boni had thought about investigating Pilates years ago after abdominal surgery.  “I had abdominal surgery about 10 years ago which really weakened my torso.  I kind of just got into a rut, and my back hurt and I wasn’t strong anymore.” She said.

“I used to be very athletic, very strong, “said Boni, “and I just kind of got weak and out of shape.  All the reading and research I did led me to take a look at Pilates for core strengthening which is really what I needed after the abdominal surgery; I just took too long to get started.  I should have started Pilates 10 years ago.”

It’s Never Too Late To Get Physically Fit

Fast forward 10 years to 2011.  Boni’s chronic back pain forced her hand.  She responded to an ad of the Pilates at Weston Town Center in Weston, FL, that promised relief from back pain.

According to Boni, she’s only been doing Stott Pilates for six or seven months but in that period of time she has noticed remarkable improvement.

“Right now I’m pain free,” said Boni, “My recovery from chronic back pain has been very recent and very dramatic as a result of my experience with Tsipi Kop, owner of Pilates at Weston Town Center.

“I like the Stott Pilates form of Pilates that she teaches,” said Boni, “I’m not an expert, but my experience is that I get more of an overall body workout than with the traditional Pilates.”

“I can sleep through the night without tossing and turning,” said Boni, “I don’t have the intense pain shooting down my leg from the sciatica caused by the herniated disc.”

“Pilates has not only corrected my back issues,” she said, “I’m stronger all over now.  I’m getting very physically fit in just a short amount of time.  I go to the studio twice a week, for an hour, and I’d love to go three times a week, but I just can’t with my work schedule.  I could knock myself on the head for not starting Pilates sooner.”

Health Insurance Coverage

Boni realizes the importance of maintaining her Pilates regimen.  And regardless of whether her insurance covers the treatment, she realizes that this is the best preventative health treatment for her.

“To be totally honest with you, I haven’t really researched whether or not my insurance would pay for my Pilates treatments.  I suppose it might, but on the other hand some insurance companies seem to find a way out of paying for alternative treatments.  Whether or not insurance would pay was not the deciding factor,” said Boni, who explained what was important to her was getting rid of her pain and avoiding injections and surgery.

Becoming wiser as we get older about physical fitness

The benefit of having ever been athletic is that we remember what it feels like and our muscle memory responds to a good coach.  Unfortunately, it’s often it’s a mistake to try to recapture a level of fitness by returning to a workout routine that worked in the past.

Why?  Because as we age, our health risks are different.  We can do so much more harm by ignoring those risks, end up disappointed by the results, and risk settling for less fitness than we are able to achieve.

For example, the Yoga head stand that felt so good to execute in my 40’s could severely injure my neck due to my own health risk of advancing osteoporosis.

For many Baby Boomers, the exhilarating feeling of high-impact or contact sports that felt so good darn good when younger now results in joint pain that can even accelerate aging.

At no time in your life is it more important to be wiser about your wellness than when you are approaching 50 and older.  However, the really exciting news is that at no time in the history of mankind is it easier to tap into new technology and the modern thinking of wellness sages.  And I’m not talking marketing hype.

Traveling for Health and Retirement is committed to educating Baby Boomers on the importance of identifying their medical and wellness resources before and beyond Medicare.

The importance of discovering the wellness discipline that fits your health risks has never been more important than now because of the number of people who are faced with lifestyle changes due to work commitments, retirement, or moving to where there is more opportunity for personal quality of life.

Matching a Retirement Destination to Your Wellness Requirements

Our audience is concerned with surviving shrinking personal wealth and making plans for a meaningful retirement.  Strategies include relocation either to decrease their cost of living or to follow their dreams.

According to a study published in the Wall Street Journal, forty-two percent of surveyed 50-year- olds say they plan to move upon retirement.  Seven percent are considering moving out of the country.  (Source:  “He Says Maine. She Says Florida” WSJ.com, March 21, 2011)

When choosing a destination, make it a priority to visit the medical and wellness professionals in the area.   It’s always good to remember that “not all doctors finished first in their class”, and not everyone will meet your criteria for a satisfying client/provider relationship.

For example, my husband, due to several injuries as a construction worker, relies on a weekly visit to a trusted chiropractor to maintain his quality of life.  Finding another good chiropractor he feels comfortable with is a top priority in considering any relocation destination.

Boni, who is still several years pre-Medicare, realizes that a good Stott Pilates instructor will mean the difference in her quality of life.  Should she decide to make a move, finding a coach as good as Tsipi Kop, will rank high on her list in determining a retirement destination.

“I could do some basic exercises on my own, but without an instructor I would plateau out,” said Boni,  “I prefer a studio environment.  I have to be very careful that I don’t damage my back, and good form is what it’s all about.  That means I will want someone who knows what they’re doing monitoring my form.”

I don’t do any general exercises anymore at a gym,” said Boni, “I don’t touch any of that; the miscellaneous exercises they teach could do more damage than good for my back.

“Tsipi monitors my exercise plan very closely the entire time,” Boni said, “I mean every exercise she and her teachers watch my form and modify exercises because of my back.”

How important is it to identify your medical and wellness resources?

It amazes me that many people put less time into finding a good doctor or wellness coach than they do a good hair dresser.  Truth is, most people accept whatever doctor their health insurer will reimburse.

Wellness is an integral piece of the “retirement puzzle”; it is the healthy living piece that connects all the other lifestyle choices like finding your tribe, e.g., integrating into a new neighborhood culture, finding new partners in life, or establishing yourself in an environment where you can explore and fulfill your destiny.