We know how hard it is to get out the door when your body hurts, because we experience that too. Movement helps. A lot. We will guide you through the fear and discomfort of exercise so you can ultimately live a more comfortable life.
Calling all athletes! Please participate in The Athlete PEACE Survey. This Institutional Review Board approved study aims to characterize cannabis use in athletes over 21 and examine whether cannabis use is associated with pain and well-being.
Chronic pain can actually affect your brain! Changes can occur to the hippocampus, amygdala, brainstem and right insular cortex, with the addition of reduction of gray matter in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These changes can be partially alleviated with exercise.
Exercise provides numerous and widespread benefits, including increased pain tolerance, lower blood pressure, enhanced sleep, reduced risk for metabolic syndrome while improving the function of the nervous system, muscles, and immunity.
Chronic pain can cause anxiety and depression. Exercise can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Our program can help you find happiness again. We love endorphins, they are the strongest, most natural pain-killer out there. Get your daily dose, now!
Are you suffering from chronic pain? Did you know that exercise can actually help alleviate some of your symptoms? Your doctor may have even encouraged you to start exercising. We know that the thought of exercising when your body already hurts is scary. We will help you with a personalized program that combines aerobic exercise, strength, and mental skills training. Our programs are simple to follow and FUN which will enable you to live happier, healthier, and with less pain.
Our mission is to help you to Tame your PAIN! (Physical Activity Instead of Narcotics). Take back control of your life and empower yourself through exercise.
On November 9, 2009, Olympian and World Champion triathlete Joanna Zeiger, Ph.D. crashed on her bike due to a faulty water bottle hand-off during a race. The aftermath of the accident included a broken collar bone, multiple rib fractures, tearing of intercostal muscles, and intercostal nerve damage which led to an eventual diagnosis of intercostal neuralgia. Years of chronic pain led to nine chest wall surgeries, multiple nerve blocks and nerve ablations, and the intermittent use of opioid and other pain-relieving medications. Although the chronic pain ended Zeiger’s career as a professional triathlete, as a lifelong athlete, Joanna turned to exercise as a primary source of pain relief. No longer able to bike or swim, Zeiger continued to run and added walking, hiking, and strength work to her regimen. The endorphins derived from exercise coupled with preserving functionality and muscle strength helped not only with the pain, but also with the mood changes that can occur due to chronic pain. Is Joanna pain free? Not by any means! But, a daily dose of exercise has kept Joanna sane, markedly decreased the need for pain medicine, and has given purpose on days when getting out of bed was otherwise difficult. Zeiger’s motto? You are only one run away from a good mood. Her experience with chronic pain and mental toughness (check out her book The Champion Mindset) are the basis for the training written for you.
Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than 3 months. An estimated 11-40% of Americans are living with some type of chronic pain, occurring from an initial injury, trauma, illness, infection, nerve damage, or cancer; sometimes, there is no clear cause for the pain. Pain can range from mild to excruciating, continuous or episodic, sharp or dull, burning or stinging, with daily variations a common occurrence. Chronic pain can also cause soreness, sleeplessness, depression, fatigue, anxiety, stress, fear, hopelessness, and disability.
Since pain is a subjective feeling, sometimes a diagnosis for the cause of the pain is difficult. Traditional imaging, such as X-ray or MRI usually cannot detect levels of pain. Often, the underlying cause of the pain is not treatable, so the patient’s team must find ways to alleviate the pain symptoms.
Treatment of pain can come from medications, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, nerve blocks/ablations, or surgery. Other modalities include psychotherapy, relaxation therapies, biofeedback, and behavior modification.
What often happens is that “people with pain get caught in a vicious cycle of inactivity that results in lost muscle strength and further pain problems.” Studies have shown that exercise can provide an alternative approach to the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain. Indeed, “If exercise was a pill, it would be the biggest blockbuster in the history of medicine.”
We think exercise is one of the best therapies to help manage chronic pain! Please consult your doctor before starting our exercise program.
We want to help you Tame your PAIN!
Olympian, World Champion, coach, author, and chronic pain sufferer since 2009. Joanna placed 4th in the triathlon at the Sydney Olympics, won the 2008 Ironman 70.3 World Championships, and has been a coach since 2003. Joanna’s experience with chronic pain gives her a deep understanding of the daily struggles that occur due to chronic pain.
“I am excited to guide chronic pain sufferers through the process of living their best life through the power of exercise and positive thinking.”
Kim is a Certified Massage Therapist and a Board Certified Nutrition and Health coach with a license from the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She continues her education through the Institute for Functional Medicine. Kim has a deep understanding about the interplay of sports, gut function, and autoimmune disease.
“It is my aim to help people simply find the route to their own optimal health and wellness so they can achieve their highest quality of life.”
Dr. Zeiger is an expert in research and the evaluation and treatment of patients with chronic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy. Dr. Zeiger has decades of experience in helping patients manage chronic illnesses, including encouraging appropriate exercise programs for those with asthma.
“My years of experience in the medical arena will help guide the development of activities/exercises for chronic pain sufferers.”
I often tell my athletes that not every race can be about obtaining a personal best. Some races are merely stepping stones to other races, because nothing gives us the information we need about how our bodies will handle racing in the way that doing a race does. With that in mind, I toed the line yesterday at the Colorado Half Marathon in Ft. Collins. I had one objective and that was to get a … Continue reading