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As an active athlete and mother of two rambunctious young boys, it’s been easy for me to pretend that I have a bit of superhero inside. I was working out, golfing, and ballroom dancing with my husband-not to mention running, jumping, and roughhousing with my boys. I even had my eye on joining them in doing parkour, which nicely complemented my background as a gymnast and weightlifter. But then, I was derailed by the excruciating pain of sciatica twice in one year. The first time, I chose the less intelligent route and decided to “heal” on my own. Upon inevitable re-injury I wised up and went to see the team at Peak Performance. At that point, the burning, muscle-knotting pain extended from my lower back down to my knee every moment of the day. I was prevented from doing any normal activities, could barely concentrate on work and even sleep was a luxury…heck, just being able to put my shoes on would have been a major victory! Fortunately, my boys were more than happy to help me with that chore for almost three months. (So much for being a superhero!) From the moment I walked in the door, I could see that I had come to the right place. I’d been referred to Mike Napierala, who did a comprehensive review of my movements and abilities. He took a whole-body view, assessing past injuries along with the sciatica. He came up with a plan that addressed the root causes of my sciatica pain as well as identified immediate steps to alleviate ongoing pain. He even set out a plan to address a latent shoulder injury once my back was in a place to handle the additional exercises. My back and shoulder healed more slowly than either Mike or I preferred. It was the patience, ongoing customization of my healing plan and, most importantly, encouragement and upbeat attitude I got from Mike during every visit that inspired me to never give up. He looked at all of my activities and athletic pursuits from a holistic perspective and gave me exercises that built one upon the other to encompass the gamut of strengthening, neurological, and balance moves for my entire body—not just for my back. Today, I’m thrilled to have resumed my former life of golfing, dancing, playing with children and working out again. Even more exciting is that I’ve now become an avid parkour enthusiast! The confidence I have in my body now is such a far cry from the pain-filled sleepless nights I had…and I simply couldn’t have done it without Mike and Peak Performance! ~ Kelly Roland