Firefighter finds relief with use of COMPEX EMS unit
BY BEN PARSONS
Between my professional life as a firefighter and my passion for high intensity sports such as mountain bike and ski mountaineer racing, I've experienced more than my share of injuries. However, the injury I'm currently facing takes the gluten-free cake. Through a series of work related traumas, I herniated my L5 vertebral disc. Then it ruptured - affecting my right sciatic nerve. What began as a constant and limiting back pain last winter became an unbearable, searing pain by early spring. An MRI showed a ruptured disc that almost completely pinched off the nerve running down my leg.
The doctor recommended surgery to get immediate relief. However, the potential of recovery through physical therapy and rest was possible, assuming I could tolerate the pain in the meantime. Figuring temporary pain wasn't reason enough to dive under the knife, I threw everything I had at non-surgical healing.
Fortunately, Brian Frank heard of my injury and reached out, coaching me through proper use of my COMPEX EMS unit. Though I'd previously used it for recovery and strength building, I was unaware of its powers in injury rehabilitation.
At the start of my injury, I woke each morning in excruciating pain, but found that thirty minutes of the COMPEX massage setting made an immense difference. The pain relief I experienced from EMS was unlike any drug I've taken. As my healing continued, I used the Pre-Workout feature to increase circulation and then used the specific sciatic pain pad configurations to accelerate healing. The COMPEX pre-warm up setting was also essential for freeing up my range of motion, thus enabling me to complete my physical therapy exercises. As things improved, I gradually added time back on the bike. I found it tolerable only if I ran the Compex before and after each ride. Sleep came after another round of EMS massage that allowed my muscles to relax and open up for further circulation. I still practically live with the machine on my back.
Though I'd known for years that COMPEX was a secret weapon in an athlete's arsenal, I now know that it serves even greater purpose in times of injury. For pain relief, increased circulation, and expediting healing, there is no better tool. When I total up the bills I've paid for physical therapy, laser treatment, and chiropractic visits, I found that COMPEX is the cheapest form of treatment I've had - and the only one that provides immediate relief.
If you find yourself in a circumstance similar to mine, be it a disc injury, a strain, or a nerve entrapment, do yourself a favor and give the COMPEX a shot. Further down the road to recovery, I look forward to putting it towards its intended purpose, on my legs, when they are once again working hard.
