26 Years of Chronic Pain

August 6, 2026


What Injury Taught Me about Adaptation, Movement and Resilience

This year marks 26 years since an injury changed the course of my life. What I initially believed would be a temporary setback became a decades-long journey through chronic pain, loss of identity, adaptation, resilience, and ultimately, a deeper sense of purpose.

Over the years, I’ve explored countless modalities. Some worked. Some didn’t. The ones that had the biggest positive impact for me were:

  • Chiropractic care
  • Massage therapy (including deep tissue work)
  • Acupuncture
  • Stretching and mobility work
  • Foam rolling and self-myofascial release
  • Assisted stretching (like StretchLab)
  • Exercise (when done correctly)


One of the most pivotal moments in my healing journey came in 2003, when I saw a chiropractor for the first time. After months of physical therapy and ongoing discomfort, a single adjustment made my foot feel noticeably better than it had in a long time. That experience completely shifted my perspective on healing and the way the body functions.


Up until then, I had focused almost entirely on the injured area itself. But that experience helped me realize the body functions as an interconnected system. When one part is compromised, everything else adapts and compensates around it.


Later, I met mentors who deepened that understanding, including Dr. Tim Schroeder. Over time, I realized something profound: healing isn’t always about doing more. It’s about precision, consistency, alignment, and movement quality. That understanding not only changed how I approached my own recovery, but also how I approached coaching and training others. 

My Lifelong Passion for Fitness

Throughout my life, fitness and movement have been far more than hobbies. They have been a core part of who I am.  As a lifelong athlete, personal trainer, gym owner, and adventure seeker, I’ve always been drawn to activities that challenge me physically and mentally. 


In my younger years I participated in soccer, baseball, and wrestling.  I’ve always been drawn to high-adrenaline pursuits that push me beyond my comfort zone. These include to this date mountain biking, snowboarding, downhill skiing, and wakesurfing. My current favorite thing is to shuttle up mountains and then ride E-Mtb for long epic adventures.


My body has allowed me to experience incredible adventures and accomplishments, including heli-skiing in Alaska, summiting the Grand Teton, and riding bike park annually in Whistler.


Movement has brought incredible joy, freedom, and purpose into my life, and I’ve never taken that for granted. Part of the reason my wife Jess and I moved to Bend, Oregon was because we wanted to live in a community where being active wasn’t just a hobby but part of the culture and lifestyle. Bend immediately felt like home.

The Injury That Changed Everything

Back in 2000, I attempted a wakeboard trick that was far beyond my ability. No practice, no safe environment, high risk, and very little reward. In an instant, everything changed. I broke my ankle and foot and tore multiple muscles, ligaments, and tendons throughout my left foot, ankle, and lower leg.


At the time, I assumed I would recover in weeks or months. I had no understanding of how significantly the injury would impact the rest of my life. About a year later, I reinjured the same area without even crashing. That’s when reality dawned that this wasn’t a temporary setback. It was the beginning of a lifelong relationship with chronic pain.

The Invisible Reality of Chronic Pain

These years of pain have been life-changing, humbling, frustrating, and deeply educational. What once felt like a life sentence gradually became a mission to better understand my body, restore balance where I could, and find peace within the limitations I was facing.


One of the biggest challenges was learning to live in a compensated body. My foot never fully returned to proper alignment, running now meant pain with every foot strike, and over time my body adapted around the injury. I learned to walk, stand, and move on an unstable foundation. Over years, and eventually decades, those compensations created deeper imbalances and constant underlying pain.


That journey included swelling, setbacks, discouragement, and moments where I questioned whether I would ever fully trust my body again. Simple things that seem mundane become challenging. It has been hard for me to run across the street when there is an oncoming car.  Or standing at events or concerts and being able to make the long walk. 


If you’ve never experienced chronic pain, it’s difficult to understand the amount of time, emotional energy, expertise, and financial investment required to manage it. Healing is rarely linear.  There is a physical and emotional toll that is always running in the background gobbling up energy bandwidth.  It’s  like leaving a navigation app running in the background of your phone as it consumes battery at a rapid pace.  At the same time, the experience gave me a much deeper appreciation for movement and everything my body still allows me to do.

How Chronic Pain Changed My Approach to Coaching

Living with chronic pain  has given me a much deeper level of empathy for people navigating injuries, limitations, fear, and frustration in their own bodies. I know firsthand how discouraging it can feel when your body no longer responds the way it once did, or when pain makes you question whether you’ll ever get back to doing the things you love.


That experience taught me the importance of intelligent movement and individualized programming. No two bodies or injuries are the same. Many of the people I work with come in carrying prior injuries, chronic pain, mobility limitations, or fear around exercise itself. My goal isn’t to push people through pain. It’s to help them move safely, confidently, and in a way that supports their body instead of working against it.


One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is this: injury doesn’t always mean you have to stop moving. It often means you need to learn how to move differently. Helping people adapt instead of quit has become one of the most meaningful parts of my work. Whether it’s hiking, skiing, lifting weights, traveling, or simply moving through daily life with less pain, I’m passionate about helping people continue doing the things that make them feel alive.

Final Thoughts

The past 26 years have taught me a lot about adaptability and the true meaning of resilience. Early on, I viewed acceptance as defeat. Over time, I realized acceptance isn’t surrender. It’s understanding your body honestly, respecting where you are, and learning how to move forward from there.


Living with chronic pain forced me to redefine strength. Strength is not about pushing harder or ignoring discomfort. Sometimes strength looks like patience, self-awareness, consistency, and the willingness to adapt.


Most importantly, I’ve learned that chronic pain does not have to define your future. Injury may change the way you move, but it doesn’t mean movement is over. With the right mindset, guidance, and consistency, it’s still possible to stay active, pursue your passions, and continue doing the things you love, even if the path looks different than you originally imagined.

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