I'm not a doctor, but I am a 38-year-old graphic designer who nearly lost the career she loved because of something she thought was "just part of getting older."
My name is Sarah, and for the past six years, I've been running my own freelance design business from home in Austin, Texas. I love what I do. The creative freedom, being there for my 8-year-old daughter Emma after school, and building something that's truly mine.
Life was good. Really good.
Then came the discomfort.
At first, it was just a slight stiffness after a long day at my desk. Nothing serious. I'd stretch, take a walk, and it would go away. "That's what happens when you sit all day," I told myself. "Just part of the job."
But over the next few months, that slight stiffness turned into a dull ache that wouldn't go away. By 3 PM every day, I'd be shifting in my chair, trying to find a comfortable position. By evening, I was exhausted—not from the work, but from fighting the pain.