by Efrem Lieber (Scottsdale, AZ)

Use it or lose it! That advice from my Mother resonated with me all through my life. She walked and cycled miles every day into her 80’s, so I vowed to emulate her.

I was a four-sport athlete in high school, two-sport participant in college and continued to play high-level baseball, softball, and basketball well into my 40’s. As I grew older and inevitably heavier, tennis and golf became my sports of choice, especially because I could enjoy them wherever my professional career took me: Long Island, the Boston suburbs, Chicagoland, Delaware, and Arizona.

Tennis requires quick reflexes for netplay, rapid side-to-side and forward-back movement for court coverage, and fast shoulder rotation for an adequate serve. After foot and hand broken bones, bad reaction to treatments for kidney stones, tennis elbow, peripheral neuropathy, and a sudden sciatica attack, I found I had lost these skills to leg, hip, and shoulder pain and weakness, at the age of 78. In addition, my sleep was interrupted by those pains and persistent discomfort. Even walking, to and from work or on the golf course, was painful and daunting.

I tried many possible treatments for relief: a competent chiropractor tried adjustments and acupuncture to no avail. Common NSAID’s had no effect; I even tried an opioid on two occasions to get some much-needed sleep. On the advice of one doctor, I took two weeks off from tennis and golf. The layoff did not help.  I was desperate to avoid the aches and pains, so I considered quitting tennis altogether.

My daughter suggested that an evaluation at Hope Clinic by Dr. Okky Oei might help; he had treated an injury of mine previously, using the LaserTouchOne pain relief device. The evaluation was very thorough; Dr. Oei analyzed all possible concerns and issues I presented. Then he and his dedicated staff began attacking every possible cause of my pain, using a comprehensive combination of unique devices, electrical, mechanical, and manual stimulation, plus old-fashioned elbow grease.

By concentrating on my particular needs, Hope Clinic treatments began to relieve my pain. Even better, the individualized two-month program restored my reflexes and mobility. The program included instructions on proper warmup and stretching exercises. Sleep became more predictable and productive. No medicines were necessary to help me cope with pain or intense play. I can walk the golf course pain-free. My tennis partners are pleased by the improvement because together we win more often!

Well, Mom; I thought I’d lost it, but I got it back! All of this improvement is thanks to The Hope Clinic.