How do I explain to y’all what I’ve been doing for 4 years without being too overwhelming?

Here’s what I decided on:

As part of my research, if there’s anything all your doctors have told you about your body that you don’t feel was ever resolved, let’s go figure this out. For me, it was issues up my right chain (specifically my right trap) and also a right ulnar nerve compression issue. The process in which I gained strength back in my pinky and ring finger does not necessarily exist in current medical practice because people are terrified of malpractice lawsuits (At least this is my strong belief). So how do we change and update that?

Ok Shafiq. Why should we trust ya dumbass?

Maybe I’m Jimmy McNulty enough to try to use everything I’ve learned to fight the stupidity of the bureaucracy and the insurance industry who will make sure this shit doesn’t succeed.

I DONT KNOW. That’s what I’m scared of and hope you’ll support me on.

I DONT CARE. I’m going to go do this thing at all costs.

Ok so what exactly are you doing that we should care about?

Here’s some TL;DR without giving too much away:

• If your body can get to where it is now, it can get to a healthier place too. I think we dramatically underestimate how adaptable the human body is. For example, we understand neuroplasticity in the brain. Our brains and bodies continually adapt to how we use them and what we need them for. You can learn how to ride a bike or swim at any age.  

• If one side of your body is weaker, tighter, injured, or just feels different, that's information. For me, the goal was symmetry. I chased from problem to problem like untangling a ball of yarn until I felt as close to that symmetry in my body as possible. Referred pain is a real thing our brains do and neurologists will tell you a pain on your left side can be hidden by pain in the same spot on the right side. So… when you remove pain from one spot, another place flares up and you realize why you holistically have been on edge for so long. Your body is worn down from constantly fighting.

• Start from the ground up. Your feet are the foundation of everything above them. Your non-dominant side can also become your plant side and carry way more weight than you realize, so make sure that foot is supported and strong. I spent two years customizing orthotics with my foot and ankle specialist and contorting my feet until everything felt right. (I also don’t believe that flat feet are a permanent thing, but that’s a different conversation).

• The way you walk matters too. For me, getting toward the middle of my foot meant learning to cradle my foot as I walked. I think about it almost like swimming: start with your heel, move up the outside of your foot until you get underneath your toes, then travel across your foot and finish by pushing off your big toe at its height. When I do it correctly, I feel that push travel into my glute and the whole process actually moves me forward instead of just letting my body fall into the next step. Think about how you would roller skate.

• You have to actually learn how to feel your body. If you loosely hang from a bar and one side of your body feels completely different from the other, that's information. Barring something major, both sides should generally feel like they're doing the same thing. Close your eyes, scan yourself, and ask what feels wrong.

• You have to reorient your body every day. We spend eight hours sleeping while our bodies are twisted into whatever position we decided was comfortable that night, and it's not surprising that you can wake up sore or feeling completely out of whack. I like stretching in the morning, touching the floor, and giving myself a few minutes to figure out where everything is again. You can do something as simple as letting your neck or legs hang off the bed to release tension in your upper or lower back. Maybe a wall sit with your arms straight out and scan from your head down to your feet. Are your shoulders even? Are both legs doing the same thing? Is one part of you noticeably tighter?

• Don't expect something that took years to develop to get fixed in a day. Think braces for your teeth, not a one-time adjustment. My rule of thumb is that a major change can take 3–6 months to become your new normal before something else starts showing itself. Maybe it's sooner. Maybe it's a year. The point is that this all takes time. You make a change, your body doesn't like it, you adapt to it, and eventually that becomes normal. Then you make another change until you’re happy.

• Don't cheap out on this. I mentioned orthotics above and that’s a good example to use here. You should work with someone who can actually evaluate your feet, listen to where you're hurting, and adjust them as your body changes. Things you buy on Instagram or Amazon likely won’t have that continual human interaction and touch. And if someone says you’re good to go and stops treating you and you’re not satisfied, keep on chasing for that person who is actually on your wavelength, loves their job, and loves helping people.

• You can get strong while being completely off kilter. Your body is great at figuring out how to accomplish a movement. That doesn't mean the right muscles are doing the work. If you’re not properly engaging the muscles for a workout like those displayed on the machines, that’s information and you should probably stop and figure out why before you keep loading the movement.  

• Sometimes getting better means temporarily getting weaker. If you’ve spent years compensating, you may have to drop the weight and let your body figure out how to do the movement correctly before you build the strength back up.

• Once you're structurally in a better place, you have to relearn how to move. If you've spent years compensating, you can remove the compensation and suddenly realize you're not very strong at the movement when the correct muscles are doing the work. That's okay. Sometimes you have to drop the weight, let your brain reconnect with the muscles you're actually trying to use, and build the strength back up from there. Think about it like a broken arm. You don't break your arm, put the cast on, and immediately go back to lifting the same weight.

• Your body usually gives you clues before it gives you a major problem. A weird nerve sensation, one muscle constantly tightening, one side feeling different, etc. Don’t brush that stuff off and address it when it happens.

• There is not always a clear roadmap. You may have to see a physician, specialist, PT, massage therapist, podiatrist, trainer, or somebody who just happens to understand the thing you're dealing with. And sometimes the person with the credentials won't understand it. That doesn't mean you're imagining your pain. Keep communicating and hoping that someone helpful wants to use their expertise to get you feeling better.

• The process is basically question → discovery → fix → integrate → repeat. You figure something out, work on it, let your body adapt, and eventually something else reveals itself.

• Your support system matters. You need people who believe you, keep you grounded, and don't make you feel crazy for trying to understand yourself. That applies to your mental health too. Some people will actually have a problem with you getting better because it forces them to reconsider who they thought you were. You don't need to convince those people. The people who stick around and are happy that you feel better are the people you want around.

• Eventually, the goal is to stop thinking about your body. You wake up, move around, work out, play sports, live your life, and your body just works. You’re largely the same person but with greater self-acceptance. You can’t put a price on that peace of mind.

So yeah… where I’m at right now is that I feel better than I ever have, but what do I do with all of that?