Low Back Pain Relief Case Study – My Mom!

Do you suffer from low back pain?

Are you fearful of movements like bending or twisting?

How would it feel to reconnect with your body, build strength and mobility, eliminate your fear of movement, reduce your pain, and enjoy moving again?

Give me a call today to discuss what’s going on with your body, and how I can help.

(503) 705-4762

Here’s the story of Claire, my sweet mommy. She is in her 70’s, lives in Florida, her and her husband keep a year round garden (collards in the winter, in April she already had waist high tomato plants). She loves to putter around the yard. She exercises just about every day, rocking out to her 50’s cassette tapes in the spare bedroom, and walking along the river with her husband. She is active, vibrant, and loves being outside.

Look how cute she is!

Recently, she was suffering from back pain so bad that she was unable to do the things she loves. When I visited her this spring, and saw how stiff she was, I knew we had to do something right away.

We started with heat, massage, and abdominal breathing. Each day we did a few exercises, and/ or soft tissue work. As she started to feel better we added new moves, slowly working our way from tiny clamshells and bird dogs, to bridges, squats and plank variations. After two days she was feeling better, after two weeks she was pain free!

She was walking at her normal pace, and able to do her regular exercises (she was even able to get on her hands and knees to pull weeds!).

If this sounds like an experience you have had, or are having with your back, watch this video, and listen closely to my cueing.

Go slowly, do less than you think you can, breathe, rest, and be really sweet with yourself.

There is hope, even if you have been diagnosed with arthritis, or a disc issue. Whether you are trying to prevent surgery, or recovering from surgery, I am here for you.

If you’d like me to personally take you thru these exercises give me a call. (503) 705-4762

Together we will go through my trademarked R.O.S.S. protocol to safely get you out of pain, and get you moving again! There is a way out of chronic pain. Come with me to the land of relaxation, and making peace with your body.

From Claire:

I’m Claire, Anne’s Mom.

I have an area in my low back which gives me trouble about every 6 or 7 years when I do something stupid. I love to work in the yard and exercise. In early spring, there’s always a lot of yard work I want to tackle. In mid-February our weather was beautiful. I over-did it and ended up with some nasty low back pain. When Anne came for a visit in mid-April, my back was a little better, but I was still not able to exercise or do yardwork.

Anne massaged my back, applied heat, and showed me some exercises and stretches to help me. After a week and a half, I was much improved. A few days later I was just about pain free! In the last week I have been able to work in the yard 2 days with no problem. I’m continuing my back exercises, and plan to start back on my regular exercises soon.

Anne was a lifesaver. She knows her business and wants to help you.

Don’t stay in pain – give her a call!

Put A Spring In Your Step – Healthy, Pain Free Feet Workshop!

Do you suffer from foot pain, bunions, plantar fasciitis or hammer toes?

Would you like to spend an hour pampering your feet?

Click here to purchase the recording of this Healthy Feet Workshop!

We start with heat (either a foot soak or hot towels depending on what you have access to), then self massage and foot mobility work, then exercises to strengthen your arches and toes, and lastly stretches and flexibility work.

This workshop is suitable for all feet, whether you are currently experiencing pain, or not.

You will need a dish tub large enough to soak your feet, or two towels, a stretchy band, and a tennis ball, bouncy ball or small massage ball.

  • Who: YOU! (and your feet).
  • What: Foot pampering workshop.
  • When: Online, at your leisure.
  • Where: Watch the recording wherever you like!
  • Why: Your feet deserve some TLC.
  • How: click here to purchase the recording.
  • How much: FREE for Fit Club members, $20 for guests.

*You are purchasing a recording of our workshop that happened live on Zoom on March 12th, 2022. If you’d like to join our next live workshop, type your email address in the box over there to the right, under “Sign Up For The Monthly Newsletter”. You’ll be the first to know about upcoming events like this one!*

Fall In Love With Your Foam Roller! Release, Strength, and Balance Workshop. Friday May 3rd

Do you have a love/ hate relationship with your roller? Is your roller collecting dust in the basement? Do you feel like you “should” roll your legs, but avoid doing so because it hurts?

Let me show you how to incorporate this versatile tool into your self-care routine utilizing Fluid’s “Top Ten Foam Roller” exercises!

Myofascial release on the foam roller

Join us Friday May 3rd at 6 pm for this fitness “Happy Hour”.

Learn how to gently release your soft tissue, strengthen your core, legs, and upper body, and improve your standing balance. I will provide light snacks and drinks. You are welcome to bring your own roller, use one of mine, or purchase a roller from me before class.

Contact Anne to sign up today!

$30 per person, or $50 for two people.

Anne@ FluidPortland.com

(503) 705-4762     

Healthy Shoe Clinic October 21st

Have you been to Pie Footwear?

They are a locally owned shoe store that specializes in minimal/ zero drop footwear. Stacy, the owner, has offered to host a shoe clinic here at Fluid world headquarters this month. This is a great opportunity to learn about comfy, and fashionable minimal shoe options, and how to safely transition to a wide, flat shoe.

This is perfect timing for me as I am on the hunt for a waterproof winter shoe for kicking around town. Check out these sweet Mary Janes:

 

  • Who: You! and your healthy shoe wearing friends.
  • What: Shoe clinic. Try on shoes, learn about why healthy footwear is important.
  • When: Saturday October 21st 2017, at 10:30 am.
  • Where: 1644 S.E. Clatsop Street, Portland (Sellwood), Oregon, 97202
  • Why: You need stylish, pain free winter feet!

If you are interested please R.S.V.P. to me (Anne@FluidPortland.com, or 503-705-4762) prior to October 16th so I can reserve a spot for you.

Know someone looking to transition to minimal shoes? Please send this info to your special person, or invite them to come with you to the shoe clinic.

 

Anne McCranie is a Portland, Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She believes YOU have the power to relieve your foot pain by following a foot care program that includes increasing your body awareness, stretching and strengthening your feet, and wearing proper footwear. Contact Anne and together you will develop your custom foot care program.

Healthy Feet, Healthy Body

If you have done any personal training with me or attended one of my Pilates or yoga classes you have no doubt heard me discuss the importance of strong, flexible, healthy feet. Greater strength and mobility allows for more economic movement.

What are “Healthy Feet”?

  • Pain free!
  • Strong and flexible, feet, ankles and toes, that all articulate when you walk.
  • Toes are straight, not crooked, and point straight forward.
  • Toes lie flat, not curled under, with toenails pointing up towards the ceiling.
  • Foot is triangle shaped, widest at toes.
  • You are able to walk barefoot without discomfort.

Why is Foot Health Important?

Deconditioned foot muscles can cause muscles in your legs, hips and back to work less efficiently. This may translate to pain in your knees, low back, shoulders and neck. Common foot ailments include: bunions, neuromas, plantar fasciitis (or plantar fasciosis), hammertoes, and ingrown toenails.

How Can I Correct These Problems?

Oh I’m glad you asked! The good news is a lot of this is under your control. Start paying attention to which shoes hurt your feet, what activities make your feet feel better or worse? Kick your shoes off once or twice a day and walk around the house or office barefoot (if you are not currently in a painful, inflamed state). Meet with Anne to learn about:

  • Foot strengthening exercises
  • Healthy footwear
  • Correct Toes
  • Use of heat or cold
  • Myofascial release work

In this recent article about a new “foot core paradigm”. Dr. Patrick McKeon, an athletic therapist and professor of exercise science and his colleagues outline their ideas presented in the March issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine. They argue that traditional sports medicine largely ignores the contribution of the intrinsic foot muscles in stabilization work.

“When we talk about core stability, you immediately have visions of people training their abdominal muscles,” says Dr. Patrick McKeon, an athletic therapist and professor of exercise science at Ithaca College in New York.

“We also have a foot core,” he says. “The muscles in the foot behave in the same way.”

These small muscles in our feet help keep us stable and balanced as we move. By relying on shoes with arch support, or orthodics we use the small muscles less. The large muscles of the foot and lower leg often take over the role of stabilization. This can lead to overuse injuries. When my clients ask me about orthodics I recommend using them as a temporary “cast” to support and immobilize the injured area while it heals rather than using orthodics an ongoing permanent solution. Once the inflammation is gone you can begin strengthening the muscles that support your arch, rather than allowing them to become deconditioned.

So how do we strengthen these tiny muscles? The authors recommend spreading the toes wide, squeezing them together, curling your toes and pulling a towel towards you, and picking up a marble with your toes (all moves by the way that we did here in our Healthy Feet Workshop this past February).

Contact me to find out how my “Healthy Foot” program can help you live pain free!