As an employee at a local bar in Denver, one of my many duties was to change kegs of beer, as they would empty throughout the night.
This particular chore consisted of pulling the expired keg from the shelf and then replacing the old with a new. Not exactly rocket science, but the physical demand of lifting a full keg of beer, at about 130 pounds, from ground level to an above waist high shelf; is no walk in the park. It was my sixth week of employment with the company and the fifth keg of the evening that would compromise the entirety of my physical and mental state of well being for the next year and a half to come. Upon lifting the keg and wrenching it onto the shelf I heard a very vicious and aggressive pop come cracking from my lower back. About ten minutes later the throbbing pain and pounding sensation set in and within an hour I could no longer physically carry the right side of my body, to continue the closing duties of the shift for the restaurant. Needless to say I was sent home with a work related injury.
Up until the back injury, I was a very healthy and physically active 34-year old man. I was very physically involved in outdoor activities such as hiking, hunting, and fishing. I would spend most of my springs, summers and fall times building a humble cabin on land I own in the mountains. I was sponsored by a local skateboard shop B.C. Surf ‘N’ Sport and as a team rider was very passionately involved in my progression in skateboarding on a local level as well as video documentation of other Colorado talent. I would maintain the physical integrity of my body by doing acts of Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and my own personal stretch routine I have developed throughout my years of skateboarding. As you can see my life revolved around the physical well being of my body. I went from living my life at 110% before the injury to now being able to only function at about 15%. I couldn’t do simple tasks like my dirty dishes or bend forward to take on and off my socks and shoes without being in excruciating pain. Walking and sitting were brutal on my back. I began sleeping on the floor to alleviate the continual discomfort. I was an absolute mess physically and emotionally. I was desperate and broken.
Waking to the new found reality of the severe detriment to my back, the road to recovery would lead me on a year and a half journey of multiple different treatments from many different specialist. As time would reveal the true injury, it was determined that I displaced both pelvic bones alignment, bulged two discs at T4-T5 and T11-T12 as well as damage all the connective tissues and muscles involved in what connects the lower back to the pelvic region. Needless to say the day in day out constant pain was absolutely horrific. The treatments from the specialist would include dry needle trigger point therapy, chiropractic adjustments, massage and a regimented physical work out routine specialized to strengthen my lower back as well as develop core strength. The treatments would provide momentary relief but the reoccurring theme was that it was just a matter of time before my back was in the agonizing state of continual discontent. It wasn’t until I was referenced to see Dr. Jason Gridley through recommendation of Dr. Allison Fall, that I would finally start receiving the proper treatments I needed to literally get back on my feet again.
Upon my first visit with Dr. Gridley he gave me a comprehensive understanding as well diagnosis as to what he felt the true problem was. Dr. Gridley would base this on the existing symptoms and how the initial injury took place. Not only did he provide understanding and diagnosis he also would lay out a time line and treatment plan that would consist of 8 treatments over the course of 6 weeks and if need be several more visits until I was in a considerably better state of being. To me this was priceless. I was for the first time since the injury able to see some light at the end of this dark tunnel. Up until Dr. Gridley, the specialist involved had no insight nor could they explain to me just what exactly I had done to my lower back. As a matter of fact it seemed as though the other specialist involved in my rehabilitation were just taking shots in the dark at trying to heal my symptoms; where as Dr. Gridley actually had a diagnosis as well as a treatment plan with an expected out come. Some of the treatments provided by the other specialist were the same as Dr. Gridley’s however the difference was in Dr. Gridley’s application as well as the integration of multiple treatments involved in Gridley’s treatment plan. Dr. Gridley determined I was to receive dry needle trigger point therapies accompanied by cupping treatments, chiropractic adjustments and reference to physical therapies that would help in the core strengthening of my back and overall being. Dr. Gridley explained in a thorough manner how the needling and cupping treatments would work to first loosen taught and rigid muscles, ligaments and tendons in order to eventually allow the pelvic bones to be aligned. Within the first couple of treatments I was noticing considerable benefit in both overall function as well as pain relief. Eventually Dr. Gridley was able to rebalance my compromised state of being and get me back in the game of life again. The treatments did take a few more sessions than the original treatment plan predicted, however I relate this to the extent of the injury not questionable care. Honestly I would attribute 80% of the fact that I can comfortably walk, sleep, skateboard and everything else in life again to Dr. Gridley’s healing hands, his gentle yet aggressive approach to my lower back problem and the way he brought perspective and understanding to me as the patient with this unbearable reality.
Two and a half years removed from my back injury, I relapsed into a compromised state of disparity when I injured the lower back region again. At the end of a hard days work I bent forward to pick up a dustpan. The dustpan was the straw that broke the camels back. Turns out that I slipped a facet joint out of place and it was now impinging on a nerve, which was causing pain of which my words cannot describe. This time the pain was so bad I had to crawl on the floor throughout my house in order to make it to the bathroom. I would stay in this state of agonizing pain for two months. Within this two month time frame, I would receive six chiropractic adjustments, two massage treatments and several electrical stimulation treatments all from different specialist, which all provided little next to no relief to the pain I was experiencing in the lower back region. I almost admitted myself to the emergency room in hopes of a wheel chair to help me get around. With my back out of commission and nowhere left to turn I found myself yet again seeking the professional assistance of Dr. Jason Gridley. Within two treatments of Dr. Gridley’s practice he was able to get the joint back in place. It took about a month after the adjustments, the needling and cupping treatments to fully alleviate the pain and get me back on my feet, back on my board and back in my life again. My only regret would be that I waited so long and saw several specialists before returning back to Dr. Gridley.
Never again will I seek the help of another specialist outside the practice of Dr. Jason Gridley for my back pain. I cannot thank Dr. Allison Fall enough for the reference of Dr. Gridley. Again I attribute the fact that I can function in life mostly to the healing approach that Dr.Gridley brought to the table.
I sincerely thank you Dr. Jason Gridley with the up most respect for you and your practice.
– Aaron H.