To write down my MAP journey made me realize how privileged I am to share a testimony of hope. The hope that movement heals. The hope that our bodies are designed to move and heal. If we allow ourselves the gift of movement, we soon realize that movement heals so much more than muscles and fascia, but also our quality of life, stress management, confidence in activities and to take on challenges.
I was struggling on and off with hip pain for more than 2 years. I couldn’t run and couldn’t even sit cross-legged. On the verge of considering a hip arthroscopy, my MAP journey started with Lené.
Although my hip pain was my biggest concern at that stage, I had a few other niggles as well:
Although my hip pain was my biggest concern at that stage, I had a few other niggles as well:
– Acrophobia (fear of heights since childhood)
– Neck pain (previous fall from a horse)
– Intermittent shoulder pain
After a year of MAP, we went on a 8 day hike in the French & Swiss alps. I was very concerned about the heights and how I will manage. I even made my husband promise before hand that he will be patient with me and help me even if it means that he needs to blind fold me to get me across scary places. On our hike, as we went higher and higher, I was waiting for that crippling feeling that always made my feet go heavy and numb, heart racing and everything inside of me that just wants to ‘get out and away’. IT NEVER CAME. I was so surprised.. I then realized, all that changed was that I was doing MAP!!!!
After 18 months of MAP I started running again, without hip pain!!!! Now I already did 2 trail-runs of 40 km in a single day in the Drakensberg without even a thought of my hip pain.
As for my neck and shoulder.. if I breathe and move with MAP, I completely forget about the previous discomfort I had.
I feel so blessed to be able to challenge my body again on a physical level and to live out my passion of movement through MAP.
I am forever thankful for MAP Movement.