Does Your Back Hurt Because You’re Getting Old?

I just had a long talk with my barber about how his back has been hurting for the past few years, and he doesn't know why.

He tells me, "Jonathan," (in an Italian accent, he's from Sicily), "I used to play soccer every week, I used to go to the gym, then during COVID, I gained about 15 lbs, and now I'm in my mid-50s, and at the end of the day, my back is in pain."

He says it's not that bad, but it does hurt.

I said, "Anthony, this ain't rocket science. You used to do all those things, and now you don’t, and now your back hurts. Do you think if maybe you got back to being more active and lost a few pounds, things might start to feel differently?"

In my experience, people love to blame age. Maybe because it's convenient. But if age were the reason, then literally everyone would have the same issues as they got older.

And even if it seems like everyone over 40 that you know is struggling with something physically, it's not everyone.

But staying out of pain is not always convenient, although with practices like Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and Ba Gua, it can be.

It takes a committed effort to start something new. And then to keep it going!

The key is to find something that's enjoyable for you, so at least on those days you REALLY don't want to do it, once you get started it's not so bad.

It's also helpful to find something that can check off several boxes at once. It should be efficient and convenient.

That's why I love the internal arts like Qi Gong and Ba Gua.

I think a few of the main reasons why a lot of my clients love it are: you don't need to go anywhere to practice, you don’t need any equipment, you can knock out your daily session in under 20 min if that's all the time you have, it integrates with the rest of your life so normal activities become opportunities for therapy, it feels good and makes you feel more balanced, aligned, and decompressed, it both energizes me and calms you down, it helps improve physical aptitude, increases agility and sharpens your mental focus to name a few.

It's hard to find another physical therapy approach that even comes close to that. And those aren't even all of the benefits.

If you’re thinking you're getting old and that's the reason you're experiencing orthopedic pain, you're mistaken. I mean, age is a factor, but it's literally the only one you can't control.

There are a plethora of other things you CAN control, and I highly recommend getting started on them so the next 10, 20, 30 years plus of your life aren't riddled with more discomfort.

If you want more information on a movement therapy approach like Qi Gong in New York City, Ba Gua in NYC, or Tai Chi in NYC, or if you're interested in online training, schedule a call to speak with us today.

Qi Gong: A Vital Practice for Professionals Who Depend on Their Bodies

As someone who worked in a physically demanding job for years as an electrician, I get it. Over time, your body begins to protest. You wonder - is this just a function of aging?

I thought so too, until my own journey led me to discover a unique practice known as Qi Gong (pronounced 'chee gong').

If aging were the only culprit, everyone growing older would be in constant pain, right? But that's not the case. Not everyone in a physically demanding job lives with pain. A secret to this? Good body mechanics combined with a balanced and aligned skeleton.

A few years ago, I was introduced to Qi Gong, a practice that forever changed my understanding of the body and my approach to physical well-being.

This practice not only gave me a unique perspective on how I was holding and moving myself throughout the day but also helped me suss out the root of my chronic wrist pain.

Qi Gong creates a new level of awareness that helps you identify what's misaligned before it turns into pain.

And if you're already struggling with unresolved pain - be it back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, or wrist pain like me - it can be a game-changer.

Most people living with chronic pain don't get the lasting relief they hope for from conventional therapies like physical therapy, cortisone injections, chiropractic adjustments or even surgery. It's because these modalities don't always educate the person about the origin of the issue.

Building strength and creating space are essential, sure, but without understanding why things have become weak or imbalanced in the first place, it's a band-aid solution.

This is where Qi Gong shines.

It's not just a practice; it's a daily ritual for self-calibration and rebalancing. A timeless technique that's been evolving for thousands of years, Qi Gong brings your body back to a state that feels familiar, one you might have lost due to years of injury, bad habits, and lack of awareness.

Qi Gong shows you how to move in accordance with your body's natural design.

Most tension and pain result from muscles not firing sequentially in the right order. Qi Gong helps you reconnect with the different areas of your body and understand how they should connect.

It's as simple as it sounds and feels like a massage from the inside out. It doesn't need to take long. I noticed significant improvements in a few weeks, and you could too.

If you're like me, having tried everything but still not where you want to be, Qi Gong could be your missing link.

As a professional instructor and coach now, my greatest joy is empowering others to take control of their physical well-being, just like Qi Gong did for me.