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 Karen Briner
SKAGWAY, ALASKA - When you live in a town of 800 souls, everyone is your friend and neighbor. So when they come to you for pain relief, there is a little extra pressure (albeit self-imposed). Although we have all the basic amenities of civilization, life in the North is definitely different. No traffic lights, no doctors, no lawyers, no dry cleaners, no theatre, no golf course and no tennis club. Basically, folks here just want to be able to get through their hard-working day without hurting. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to help them do just that.
I first heard about The Egoscue Method six years ago from a friend who had traveled to San Diego to get help for debilitating back pain. She was a changed person. I could see it in her eyes. Actually, I could SEE her eyes. If you've ever known someone suffering from long term chronic pain, they are no longer ‘there’. The pain is too much to bear and so they 'leave' their bodies ~ their eyes become glossy, fearful and emotionless. That was Diane.
At that point I had been on a 10+ year journey of my own, searching for answers to back pain (scoliosis), hip and knee issues and worst of all, a painfully stiff and fragile neck that felt like it was being held together by pea gravel. Having spent thousands of dollars on just about any and every sort of treatment you can possibly imagine. Nothing helped. I was really scared.
In the beginning, I thought I just needed to get in shape, so I started a really aggressive fitness program (personal trainer and all) with a focus on multisports. The fitter I became, the worse the pain got. Eventually, it became impossible to endure the neck pain I experienced when cycling. I had to quit. No cycling. No horseback riding. No running. No skiing. No backpacking. Not good news for an athletic Colorado gal who grew up in the out-of-doors and who’d been making a living as a Ski Instructor since she graduated High School.
Anyway, after talking to my friend that day, I went straight home and to the Egoscue website. It struck a chord of truth. A really BIG chord. All those years of having to pay someone to do something to me (Chiro, acupuncture, Osteo’s, massage, Doctors and x-rays, etc…). Getting no answers, no explanations. The feeling of helplessness. during all this I was aware of a deep and wordless sense that there must be something I can do for myself. A sense that what was missing was motion. The Egoscue Method is exactly what I had been looking for and I was ready to dive in head first. That night when my (wonderfully supportive) husband came home, I announced that I would soon be traveling to San Diego to become a Posture Alignment Specialist. I already knew in my heart that I would be getting better soon and that I would want to share this with others. During that week, we attended the early morning workouts. At the end of day three I went back to my hotel. I always climb the stairs, even though it hurts my knees. Halfway down the hallway to my room I stopped in mid-stride. OhMyGosh! My knees didn’t hurt. I went back and took the stairs down – then up again. No pain. The point is, I was too afraid to allow myself to consider that all my aches and pains could be treated. I was bargaining, just like our clients – I thought, “If I could just get the neck pain to go away, I could learn to live with the rest.” I hadn’t even considered my knees. I just thought that was the price you paid for an active life. Lesson One: The body works as a unit! Kewl!
Today I live a life without limitations, as Pete says. I bought a beautiful new road bike to celebrate! The thing I love the most is that, at 55, I am ½” taller than I was five years ago. Yes, I fall off the wagon occasionally, as do we all, but I know enough now to understand that this Method is a lifelong commitment for me. I help my fellow Skagwayans set and reach their health goals from a wonderful space at our corner gas station. It was originally a car wash bay (so you can picture the size) but it is now completely finished out. I call my business Mobility. Townspeople donated almost everything: desks, chairs, stereo, towels, computers, equipment, giant mirrors from someone’s closet doors, even a privacy screen for my clients to dress behind. The local paper donates space for informative articles that I submit. I teach a variety of group fitness classes at our local Rec Center, where I naturally utilize lots of E-cises. Our community hosts a Health Fair every other year. This has been another effective tool for spreading Pete’s word: “Starting today, you don’t have to live with pain.”. Because Skagway is such a small town, I can make home visits for the elderly, house-bound and wheelchair bound. Currently we have a husband and wife each recovering from broken backs (we bring them meals too). The greatest gift I ever experienced was the home visits I made to a wonderful woman with brain cancer (Rest in Peace Dear Margaret).
As you might guess, I do not have college degrees in sports medicine, physical therapy, fitness, anatomy or physiology, etc... My passion is fueled by my own living proof that The Egoscue Method really works. I have traveled to Atlanta (hi Kathy), Phoenix (hi John), Orange County (hi Chris), and San Diego (hi Everyone) to continue my Egoscue education. Courtney and Casey have endured hours of E-Pete training with me. There is still SO much to learn.
My friends and neighbors are working hard and getting pain free and I owe each and every one of them a debt of gratitude for their trust, commitment and patience. Thanks everybody, and thanks Pete! And to anyone who is reading this, please look me up if you’re ever in the neighborhood.
Sincerely, Karen Briner
Teaching Skagway to stand up straight, one spine at a time.
P.S. Within my community we have almost 20 towers in service. Imagine that. |
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