Brenda McLaughlin
5/5
I’m a 73 year old female who exercises obsessively for more than 50 years. Run, swim, bike, ski, earlier softball and racquetball. All cardio fitness preoccupation. I’ve had my share of injuries but darn, my body is showing a little wear. About 6+ months ago I started having some left hip “clicking/pain.” One person I saw said my pain was caused by SI joint and advised stretches. I over stretched daily hoping to “heal” quicker. Didn’t work. I first went to Runners Edge and Zuzana diagnosed glute medius tendenopathy and weak muscles in that area. I called it a gimpy, no-good” left leg. Susana taught me so much about the body, good health in general, and drew personalized stick figure exercises for me to practice. The purpose was to strengthen the weak muscles while reining in my habit of overdoing everything. Each week she built on the exercises and I did improve. Then she recommended a hip x-ray just to rule out anything serious in the hip. Good news- X-ray said, “moderate deterioration due to age” or something like that which was a relief to me. Suzan’s advised me to work with Helen Cortes for continued p/t loading and strengthening. More personalized stick figure drawings each seemingly “invented” just for me. Either it’s through experience, training, or imagination, it felt like Helen was the best friend I ever had! She was caring to the limit and , somehow or other, helped me follow directions. I did not have a daily exercise plan, but a weekly plan with loading exercises to do and how much hiking,swimming,biking was “allowed.” The goal for me is avoiding overdoing that tendon, building strength, and eventually returning to all my play habits. Overdoing it has been a lifelong habit. I don’t know why Helen has gotten through to me. I know she spends time beyond our appointments trying to help me because we exchange emails and communicate weekly. Today, that tendon is not 100% but I’m hiking hills again and exercising, not carefree but carefully. I can NOT skip my post exercise single leg bridges or curtsy’s with 10 pound weight, or my lower leg holds with yellow rubber band. Helen will say that I’ve worked hard. But I will say, “I could not be continuing hiking, swimming, biking without her care.
