One of our most popular posts is Stephen Kiesling’s Miracle at Miraval, which tells the story of the rapid healing of his shoulder.Thanks to acupuncture, Ayurveda, and massage, he didn’t need surgery and his shoulder is back to normal.
His story precipitated Michael Tompkins’ story. Tompkins, the CEO of Miraval and the newly elected Chair of the International Spa Association (ISPA), attended the ISPA convention this past October riding a motorized scooter. He had torn knee ligaments and was expecting surgery.
But guess what? His own prestigious surgeon recommended foam-roller therapy and within weeks, Tompkins was back on his feet—sans surgery. “After nearly thirty years in the healthcare and spa industries, I continue to be amazed by the resilience of the human body,” he shares. “I also feel blessed that spa has connected me to preventative and reparative medicine.”
In my own case, I’ve been suffering from extreme pain in my thumb joint, the result of an old bicycle injury worsened by arthritis. I recently found that what restores my mobility and eases my pain, is Shiatsu—a favorite modality of mine for years. In early December, I booked a relaxing massage at Waterstone Spa in Ashland, Oregon, and thankfully, the therapist took it upon himself to work on my thumb. (I hadn’t mentioned any issues with it.)
Sixty minutes later, I walked out with what felt like a new hand. The relief lasted more than a month and was well worth the price of the massage.
So what does all of this mean? “Over the last 30 years, we’ve come to understand just how much the body can heal itself,” says Kiesling, a career health journalist and Olympic athlete. “One key to that self-healing is making sure all the muscles and ligaments are properly aligned—which a good body worker can do.”
In other words, body work sets up the body to heal itself. And at the same time, it keeps you properly lined up to avoid injuries.
Spa is good medicine!