My Hinge Health Story: Andy

“I'm probably in the best physical condition that I've been in in a number of years. I attribute that solely to the Hinge Health program. I'm a year and a half into this program, and getting back to the activities that I like to do without pain means so much to me in my life.”

Meet Andy

Andy, a middle-aged man, was an aggressive skier, wakeboarder, and rock climber for most of his life until debilitating back pain stopped him in his tracks.

How Pain Impacted Andy’s Life

I have a really high tolerance for pain. I'm like one of those worker bees that just works till he drops. I never take time to really relax.

A few years ago, my back pain was so bad that, on a scale of one to 10, it was a 15. I was walking hunched over. I couldn't get out of the car without taking five minutes before straightening up.

I could not bend over to put my socks on.

I got X-rays taken. If the doctors had their way, I would have had surgery.

Andy’s Turning Point 

It was so painful that one Monday morning when I went to work, I answered one of the emails I had ignored that was asking me whether I was suffering from lower back pain. And that email was from Hinge Health. 

I started out maybe doing it two to three times a week. Now I do it five to seven days a week, sometimes twice a day. Hinge Health sends you everything that you need to be successful in their program.

I've lost 10 pounds and I'm probably in the best physical condition that I've been in in a number of years. I attribute that solely to the Hinge Health program.

I've never done the simple stretching that they tell you to do before beginning any physical activity, and my back suffered from that. The 24 minutes that I spend stretching every night while I'm just watching the news is the best 24 minutes of my day. 

How Hinge Health Helped

I think I really first started feeling the effects of the Hinge Health Program, honestly, within the first two weeks.

One of the first realizations I had was when I got back from a visit to my daughters in North Carolina. I got out of the car and I was like, ‘Wait a second. I just got out of the car and I'm standing.’ The other thing I notice is how much straighter I’m standing. I used to walk with a slight forward lean.

I still communicate with my coach. The other great thing about Hinge Health is that there's somebody on the other side who pushes you a little bit.

I'm a year and a half into this program, and getting back to the activities that I like to do without pain means so much to me in my life, because I still have a long life to live and there's going to be a lot of skiing in that future. I'm looking forward to doing it without any pain. I cannot wait to ski this year. I am going to be in the best shape ever. 

Andy’s Advice

For a person who has a really high tolerance for pain: My pain is 1000% gone. Whether you have back pain, knee pain, or shoulder pain, join the Hinge Health program. It will make a huge impact on eliminating whatever pain you are dealing with, or it'll just make you feel good at the end of the day.