MOVE WITH EASE
Heather Glidden, Integrative Movement Specialist, LMT
PILATES * GYROTONIC® * MASSAGE * MEDITATION
Call or email to schedule a consultation:
734-274-9482
Moving Beyond Back Pain
No dates currently scheduled. Contact me to join the waitlist and be notified when I offer this program next.
Research shows that one of the most reliable ways to eliminate back pain is through movement, however, when you have back pain, it can feel impossible to get moving. Every time you go to the gym, you get hurt or your back flares up.
If your back hurts every time you exercise, or you've been through PT and never got all-the-way better, then it might just start to seem like there's nothing you can do about your back pain. You might just decide that this is how it is and get on with your life as best you can.
But what if you could live without back pain?
If you've tried to get moving and haven't been successful, then this program is for you!
Here's why you've struggled to get moving again:
First: it's not your fault!
When you experience chronic pain, the body activates bracing patterns to try to keep you safe. Some muscles become chronically tight while other muscles "turn off." Often, the little muscles that help to keep your spine stable and safe in movement (the ones you don't even know are there!) become deactivated. When these muscles aren't participating, it's a lot easier to injure yourself at the gym.
When you get those muscles firing again then you can break the cycle and move beyond back pain. For good!
Back pain stops you from living your life. I'm here to help!
Meet the teacher:
My name is Heather Glidden. As an Integrative Movement Specialist and Licensed Massage Therapist in practice for almost twenty years, I've helped hundreds of people to move beyond back pain. I help my clients to build strength and flexibility safely while also understanding the full constellation of factors that contribute to their back pain so they can feel confident that their body will stop side-lining them.
Moving beyond back pain requires a multi-layered approach.
Here's what you'll learn:
Chronic pain creates changes in the muscles, the fascia, and the nervous system. This means that back pain is a complex problem with many contributing factors. Most current approaches to back pain don't address all of these factors. That is why, for example, you can go through a full regimen of PT and still have back pain after you're done. This course addresses many of the factors that contribute to back pain.
In this course you will:
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Learn self-massage techniques to bring you relief from tight or spasming muscles;
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Learn how to reactivate those little support muscles that stabilize your spine and allow you to move freely without your back going out;
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Learn how to build core strength safely (hint: it's not with sit-ups or crunches);
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Learn how thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and beliefs may be contributing to your back pain and what you can do about it;
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Have knowledgeable support so you don't have to figure this out alone.
You will be able to use the skills that you learn in this program anywhere. In your yoga class, on your Peleton, playing with your kids, holding your grandkids—these are tools that are designed to be taken out of the classroom to make your life easier.
You can move beyond back pain.
Yes, you!
Most of my clients come to me in despair. They feel like they've tried everything and nothing has worked. They've often been through PT, and they are still in pain or their back still goes out. Sometimes they've been told that they have degenerative disc disease or other disc conditions and there is nothing they can do for their pain.
What I have seen, in almost two decades of practice, is that there is always something you can do! It's a process that does take time—if you're looking for a quick fix then this isn't for you—but if you are willing to commit to the process, with support, then in my experience, you can feel better.
The reality is that, even if you have degeneration in discs, you won't necessarily have pain. Ample research has shown that what we see on x-rays is not a good predictor of whether people will have pain. You can have a lot of degeneration in your discs and have no pain, or you can have no degeneration and still have pain. The same goes for pinched nerves, bulging discs, and a wide variety of other conditions.
The story of pain is more complicated than what you see on an x-ray. This program is designed to address that complexity to help you feel better and get moving even if you have been told that there is nothing you can do for your pain.
Are you ready to move beyond back pain?
No dates currently scheduled. Contact me to join the waitlist and be notified when I offer this program next.
Here's what my clients say...
It’s not an overstatement to say that working with Heather changed my life. My back went out all the time and I was living in constant fear and pain. Worrying about my back stopped me from doing the things I loved (riding horses and surfing) and made simple things like putting on a sweater or picking something up off the floor terrifying. My body felt like my enemy.
Heather’s patience, care and genius understanding of body and mind gave me the confidence, tools, strength and flexibility to not just return to doing the things I love, but to do them better than before.
I’m capable of so much more now than I was even 20 years ago. My riding form is better than ever and I move through stressful times without fear. I feel strong and excited about what my body can do – something I never dreamed possible before working with Heather.
I’m not afraid anymore, it’s amazing! I feel like I have a new body!
So grateful and happy to have found Heather!
-Sarah
After I gave birth to my second child, my body was unrecognizable from what it had been before my first was born. I went from running a marathon to hurting when I walked around the block.
My main goal in working with Heather was just to be able to keep up with my kids without pain. I'm delighted to report that this summer, as a result of the work that we've done together, I was able to go white water rafting getting easily in and out of the raft, helping my kids, and paddling. And then few days later we went ziplining. Tons of stairs—all without pain!! I'm swimming, biking, going for long hikes, and getting to do so much more with my kids than I could have before.
This wouldn't have been conceivable when we started working together. Thank you!!
-Laoma
FAQ
I already get massage/see a chiropractor. Can this still help?
Yes! Adding movement training to existing body work practices is a great combination. You might find that your treatments are even more effective or last longer.
Can I join this class if I have a new back injury?
This class is not appropriate if you have a new (within the last 6 weeks) or acute back injury. You will need to give your body time to heal and get medical clearance to start gentle exercise before joining this program. If in doubt, contact me and we can discuss your situation.
Do you take insurance?
No, my services are not covered by insurance, but the good news about that is that I'm not limited in what I can offer you. Frequently insurance places requirements on treatment that don't allow practitioners to get to the root of the problem. By working outside of the insurance system, I'm often able to get better results.
What if I have other types of pain?
This course will focus primarily on back pain, but the same strategies are often effective for a variety of other types of pain, especially hip, shoulder, and neck pain. If you're curious about whether this program is a good fit for your situation, feel free to contact me.
What are your COVID policies?
I will follow CDC guidance. If transmission levels in the community are high then I will ask participants to mask. On weeks when transmission levels are medium or low, masking will be optional. I will be masked for your safety.
Have any other questions? Please feel free to contact me: heather@constellationbody.com