Kelly’s Story: From Pain to Power

Kelly sought out GMCF Physical Therapy in the spring of 2024 because her back pain prevented her from bending over and climbing stairs. She had gained weight over the previous 4 years; she had been experiencing some life stress and began eating poorly. She tried to start exercising to lose weight, but her back pain kept getting in the way. She was unable to lift anything over 20lbs without pain. Due in large part to her work with GMCF Physical Therapy, Kelly gradually learned exercises that improved her strength while simultaneously utilizing strategies to control her pain. Kelly graduated from PT with a newfound confidence in her body’s capabilities and a new interest in weight lifting. 

After Physical Therapy concluded, Kelly used GMCF’s personal training to help establish a long term routine she could do on her own when not at the gym. She became a regular at GMCF’s Fit4Life functional fitness class and saw continued gains. Since January of 2026, Fit4Life includes dedicated time focused on the squat, deadlift, and bench press (the three movements that comprise the sport of powerlifting and have a whole host of health benefits). In September of 2026, she competed in her first powerlifting meet (which also happened to be the first powerlifting meet hosted by GMCF). She deadlifted 140 lbs! Congratulations, Kelly!

Kelly is one of many people who have utilized the full range of GMCF’s services to move from pain and decreasing capability to strong, empowered and pain-free. In Kelly’s own words, “ … the supportive and professional staff [at GMCF] provided a supportive environment to build strength and confidence to understand and test my limits and meet new challenges.” We are so proud of Kelly and the hard work and perseverance she has put in over the last two years. Here’s to you, Kelly! We can’t wait to see what you do next!