I have known for about 20 years that my hips are out of alignment, whether caused by genetic disposition or childbirth trauma. I asked every new physician what to do about the problem. No one had any suggestions other than pain medications, physical therapy, water aerobics, and traditional gym exercises. Not only did none of the suggestions help, in some cases they actually worsened the condition. Meanwhile, the osteoarthritis degeneration was steadily progressing. By age 73, I had become a severe arthritic with limited mobility and pain that was affecting every aspect of my life.

A friend recommended Pete Egoscue's book, Pain Free. The exercise photos were discouraging because they were way beyond anything that I could do. His response: "Jane, just READ the book." Well, the text made sense! Finally, I understood that there is indeed a way to address misaligned muscles and affected joints.

An initial appointment at the Austin Egoscue Clinic assured me that I was in the hands of an experienced, professional and supportive staff. Initially, my therapist Ralph worked with me anywhere from 2-3 hours each session, primarily because I was so stiff with extremely limited mobility that it took a great deal of time for me to assume the ecise positions. Gentle insistence on his part carried the day and with time I made progress.

Although I will never be one of Egoscue's poster girls, I can now walk without a cane, no longer have the severe, disabling pain, and can look forward to an active life with no wheelchair in sight!

I came to Egoscue because I read an Egoscue book and thought it made sense. I was in a LOT of pain and VERY SCARED and anxious. After 24 clinic visits over three years, I have made the following progress: Oh Wow! I can do pretty much anything I want to do. I am not scared of my body, I am pain free at least 90% of the time, and if I hurt, I know Theresa or Rick are there to give me E-cises to help. There ae things that I would like to do—like go horseback riding or roller skating—and things that I worry about, like if I FELL what would happen. But I know that I will be able to do these things in the future! When I started my therapy, one of the goals I set with my therapist was that I wanted to dance. And now, I dance! Some of the limitations I had when I began with Egoscue was severe anxiety, very limited movement, and pain all the time. Now I'm SO MUCH BETTER. I'm not where I want to be yet—but thank God I'm not where I was! I look forward to getting better and stronger for the rest of my life.

Thanks to the Egoscue Method I can walk again. I was having a very painful time (for two years) with my feet and often had to use a wheelchair. I had been to two podiatrists, bought a very expensive custom-made orthotic for my shoes, but experienced very little relief. I also went to a well known orthopedic. After x-rays he honestly said "I don't see anything that surgery would help". He was clueless. I felt depressed and afraid. Would I end up in a wheelchair? I could barely walk around the house, go to the grocery store, much less do the shopping mall, museums, concerts and other things I enjoyed.

A close friend also had problems with her feet and she heard of the Egoscue Method and flew to San Diego. She had great improvement after several sessions and called to tell me to make an appointment as the clinic would be coming to Austin. It sounded expensive and "too good to be true" to me, but I was desperate. At this point I called to make an appointment. It was the beginning of getting my normal life back.

I signed up for the eight sessions and found my posture was all out of alignment and as I walked all my body weight was put on the large bone behind my big toe - for seventy years!

I did the exercises religiously. Now I can walk without pain! I wear attractive but sensible shoes, I do not walk fast or great distances but I do all I want to do and I have a full and active life. I never dreamed it could happen. Thank you Pete and Rick!

I have been practicing orthodontics for 38 years, and my posture at the chair has taken its toll on my back. I didn't mind having a stiff back so much, because I would stretch it out to the extent that it didn't bother me in the office. But when my back started interfering with my golf game, I knew I had to do something more effective. I had to resort to using a back brace when I played, and that didn't always work. I have every gadget known to man that is supposed to help the lower back, but none did what they claimed. Three months ago I had my first session with the Austin, TX Egoscue team. If Egoscue was good enough for Jack Nicklaus, I figured it was good enough for me! I have been very diligent in following their instructions, and I want to report my progress. I played golf last week on an annual golf trip for four straight days. I didn't use a back brace any of the days and didn’t have to take any medications to make my back more comfortable. I even played golf with my wife on the fifth day, and we took third place in a couples tourney! I had never before played five straight days of golf in my life, much less played without pain. Now, I’m even more motivated to do my Egoscue menus faithfully and schedule regular appointments for updated menus.

Due to my wife's success in dealing with back and hip pain, I decided to visit the Egoscue clinic in Austin, TX to address a knee issue. I have been a runner for 31 years and a triathlete for 16 years. In January, 2007 I took a step on the golf course and my knee suddenly popped. Unfortunately, It also swelled and became very stiff. After visiting an orthopedic and having an MRI performed I was told I had a small tear in my medial meniscus. It could be surgically repaired, which would make a 3rd arthroscopic surgery on that knee, or I could stop running and live with it. Over the next 3 weeks my knee gave out 2 more times. Each time it swelled, making walking very difficult and running absolutely out of the question.

When, on my first visit Rick mentioned that he believed I would be running again in 3 months I got motivated. I was very diligent at doing my ecises, and, over the next 10 days, I felt better and better With improved alignment my knee did not give out one time. The swelling went completely away. I slowly worked some running back into my routine of exercise. Now I am pain free with the very best posture of my life.

Thanks Rick.

Egoscue saved my life. I was 16 years old and could barely walk. I had always had minor back complaints and pain but nothing debilitating. My Junior of high school came around and I wanted to play football for my high school. During the first week my back just simply went out, there was no big hit or big injury, it just stopped working right. I tried physical therapy, massage therapy, went to surgeons, got every scan imaginable and according to everyone, I was perfectly healthy.

There aren't really words to describe the anger and pure frustration going to doctors to have them look at you like you're an idiot and say "there's nothing wrong with you! Just go home and let it rest." Well I was sick of resting and not getting any results.

I heard about Egoscue from a friend and decided what the heck I've tried everything else, why not? It was the best medical decision of my entire life and probably will be for the rest of my life. It's hard to explain the joy and feeling of happiness when I left my first appointment. The therapists at Egoscue sat me down and told me to look them in the eyes. They said we KNOW what you're going through and we ARE going to fix it. I left the office that first day not only with a feeling that someone actually could help me, but with my back feeling amazing!!

The program works, I wouldn't be spending an hour writing this on a Saturday if it didn't. The people at Egoscue not only care about fixing the problem but care about YOU! My therapist Rick checks up on me, keeps in touch with my parents, and most importantly genuinely cares about how I am doing. Their goal is to get you in and out as quickly as possible so that you can live your life the way you want to live it. They give you exercises and things to do at home so that you spend time fixing the problem instead of spending time in their office(like every other place I went to) wasting time just to be told "well its looking ok, come back in 2 weeks and I'll tell you the exact same thing." The bottom line is, Egoscue empowers you with the ability to not only grow and fix yourself physically but makes you change your attitude and realize that you don't have to live in pain and don't have to give up the things you love doing.

I will continue to use Egoscue and promote this program for the rest of my life, not because I'm being paid to say this (which I'm not) but because it actually works. I owe Egoscue so much this is the least I can do. I ended up rehabbing my back at Egoscue for about 3 months and went from not being able to walk, to being able to run and play football. I was finally ready to play my senior year. My team ended up going all the way to the state championship and I made memories that will last me a life time. Without Egoscue I would have had to give up and admit defeat and would have had to watch from the stands. This program is amazing not only because of the results you get, but because of the people that help you achieve those results.

Thank you Egoscue,

As one who has a congenital back deformity, I've had lower back pain and sciatica since I was 18. I just learned to live with it. At about 64 years of age, I began to notice that I was beginning to stumble, shuffle and feel the need for a cane. It seemed that 'old age' had hit suddenly and with a vengeance. I didn't like it, but I didn't know what to do about it!

One Saturday morning, about three months ago, I heard a 'nut' on the radio talking about being pain free. He was taking calls and appeared to be giving callers almost instant relief. I was intrigued. At the close of the program a web site was given, www.egoscue.com. I got on line to investigate. I ordered "Pain Free". When it came, I read it from cover to cover and decided I couldn't figure out which way to go, so I got back on line and found a clinic in Austin, Texas. That's only 80 miles from where I live, so I made an appointment for late October, 2005.

When I first picked up the book, Pain Free, I knew I was on to something. After a serious of two major accidents involving my neck, I was in a constant state of spasm on my left side and was unable to hold my hands overhead. While the book was helping a little, I knew that I needed a customized plan due to my injuries to really make progress. I visited Rick Mathis on a Dallas visit from the Austin clinic and afterwards was amazed to find that the wrenching pain in my left shoulder had moved to my right shoulder. My left shoulder was pain free. This was hope. If the pain could move, it could also go away. I am now on my 4th menu and not only has the pain drastically reduced almost to the point of being gone, I have regained much of the function I had lost due to the accidents. I continue to improve every day and have to say that the Egoscue Method has given my back my life. Thanks, Rick!

I started going to an Egoscue clinic on Sept 1. I have had a chronic low back issue for over 20 years. Had a type of surgery to dissolve the last disc (L5) about 22 years ago. I have been doing pretty well, been doing hair almost 25 years, and been functioning fine most of the time. But last January my low back/sacrum just gave up. I was in bed for 3 weeks. Without boring you with all the details, I found out about Egoscue through my chiropractor, who gave me a book The Egoscue Method. I read it, but didn't do anything about it til I read your email though the list that you had gone. I had never heard of egoscue, and I thought, wow, twice in 4 months I have heard this guys name. So I looked him up on the web, and there is a clinic in Austin, about 35 miles from me. So I went. It is amazing. Already, I feel better. I have the 2 steps forward 1 step back thing going on, but I am getting stronger. I think that I am in the category like you, this will take a while. But I am encouraged already. I would just like to know what you have experienced. I think it would encourage me even more. I still get freaked out, and I was really scared before I went, just about my future. I also had a surgeon tell me in Feb. that the only cure for me was a fusion. I am glad that I don't believe him.