Ashley Swartzwelder
How does a person run when a leg can barely be lifted? How does a person run when each step is a jolt up the spine? How does a person run when a jump is a shock to the brain? How does a person run when the core is destroyed? How does a person run when it causes neck or face spasms? How does a person run when it causes migraines?This was Swartzwelder’s reality after she was hit by a tractor-trailer. In a split second, she went from living an active life, including running marathons, to not even being able to lift ten pounds. She was told she might never run again. But she refused to listen. She was determined to overcome doubts and reclaim her life and achieve her dreams. However, the universe threw everything at her, including the COVID pandemic, to disrupt her course.Swartzwelder became a human experiment. She shares her personal stories of pain and suffering while trying to conform to society’s need for poise. She opens up about how the emotional burdens of living in a world still disconnected from the realities of living with a disability are detrimental to society’s well-being. And she details what her team did right to rebuild her body and her life using both alternative and functional medicine for successful pain management while becoming aware of trauma’s presence in physical rehabilitation. With the intuitive insights of her team, she accomplished her dreams of running again and completed a 5k.Swartzwelder also shares a rehabilitation plan that is based on what worked for her. She discusses why trauma matters, why rest matters, and why pace matters in recovery. She includes the stretches and exercises that were pivotal to her successful recovery. Finally, she encourages radical changes in rehabilitation plans to improve recovery for those with trauma, neurological, or high-impact injuries.
