After suffering in silence for years, one woman took her life back with the help of Kinetic Wise Massage.

by Becky Jensen 
Eight years ago, Kathy Rhodes worked hard to appear happy. On the outside, Kathy looked whole and healthy. On the inside, chronic back pain controlled her every move and dulled her spirit. 
Sports and Medical Massage, KineticWise Massage practitioners often assist other medical professionals to accomplish patient rehabilitation and wellness plan goals. They also work with both insured and non-insured clients, and handle auto accident and workers' compensation claims. Every practitioner at KineticWise is trained by Kendra, who is a certified NMR instructor of more than 15 years. 
As a teacher, her busy days were filled with standing and sitting for long periods of time. "Entering grades in my computer was agonizing," Kathy recalls. The pain was so bad she couldn't sleep. She took a sabbatical from teaching. Simple household tasks, like making the bed and vacuuming, became unbearable. The slightest wrong move took her breath away. Unfortunately, Kathy's story isn't unique. According to the Institute of Medicine, more than 100 million adults live with chronic pain in the United States, and most of them are women. Kathy didn't take her back pain lying down. She went to chiropractors, physical therapists, an acupuncturist, a pain management center, and even a podiatrist to seek relief, but nothing helped. A spine surgeon diagnosed degeneration in her back and recommended pain management. Adding insult to injury, she developed severe neck pain. Kathy felt defeated. "What more could I do? I was already trying everything I could think of to manage the pain." She decided to try yoga, and her instructor recommended Kendra Melson at KineticWise Massage. 
After one treatment with Kendra, the range of motion in Kathy's neck increased dramatically. She could turn her head, pain-free, for the first time in years. The results were both immediate and long-lasting. 
"Her hands are magical," says Kathy. “Each time I finish a session at KineticWise, I breathe easier and feel more balanced." She goes on to add, "Kendra also has a gentle way of redirecting negative into positive language ... because words shape your thoughts, which guide your wellbeing.” Kathy feels empowered because she's an active participant in the whole process. Today, Kathy Rhodes doesn't have to work hard to appear happy because she truly is happy. Laughter bubbles out of her because she's experiencing relief. When Kathy was interviewed for this story, you could hear the smile in her voice-even after she had been sitting in a conference all day. 
Kathy learned that Kendra and her team of licensed practitioners offer much more than short-term relaxation. The goal at KineticWise is to relieve pain by identifying the underlying cause through advanced neuromuscular rehabilitation (NMR) concepts, to regain structural balance. 

"When you're able to stop focusing on the pain, you can focus on the joy in life. Thanks to Kendra and KineticWise, I'm a hopeful, joyful person again." - 
“Massage is a drug-free, integrative way to facilitate healing and alleviate chronic pain," says Kendra, who is the Founder and Director of Education at KineticWise Massage. "It's also an effective, hands-on way to shorten recovery time from illness, injury or an operation.”

Becky Jensen is a freelance writer and wellness enthusiast living the dream in her hometown of Fort Collins. Learn more about KineticWise Massage at www.KineticWise.com or call (970) 682-2038.