Back Injury Recovery.

Megan Shea’s constant struggle with back injuries.

Myovolt wearable vibration therapy back brace for lower back muscle.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. If at the age of seventeen you’d asked Megan Shea what her future looked like, it would’ve involved sport. An incredibly gifted athlete, along multiple sports and positions, her life was essentially paved forward with international opportunities and scholarships.

If you’d told her that she was looking down the barrel of severe back injuries that almost left her debilitated during her twenties, she wouldn’t believe you.

We don’t pick our futures. One day you’re a promising football star, with a side passion for basketball, the next day the disc in your back bulges up and in all the directions it shouldn’t.

Megan was always sporty. Working hard to achieve her goals. She excelled in multiple sports, but had the most success in football. She went from position to position, eventually settling in as a goalie, finding success as a national representative.

Things were looking up. She was traveling internationally to play football, and had multiple offers from U.S. Colleges and Universities to study and play for their teams.

However, one day while goalkeeper training for the New Zealand team, the trajectory of her life changed.

“I was doing resistance training inside the goalpost, and I just felt something in my back go. I was like the Tower of Pisa, leaned over to one side. It was bad. We didn’t know what had happened, I just had to go to the physio.”

The injury just got worse and worse. She missed out on the opportunity to attend the Under 20 and Senior Women’s Football World Cups. The treatments piled up. As a carded, professional athlete, she was provided access to the best physios, surgeons and doctors available, and a harrowing discovery was found. Megan had a bulging disc, stress fractures in her spine and pelvis and a schmorl’s node.

A schmorl’s node is an uncommon injury. It’s a vertical disc hernia, where the disc pushes into the vertebrae above it, causing nerve damage and significant pain.

“I saw eleven specialists about it. They said they were the biggest Schmorl's nodes that they’d ever seen in an athlete in New Zealand.”

Despite this, she quickly returned to form, even being selected to once again represent New Zealand.

“I made the Senior New Zealand team that went to the Asia Oceanias where we qualified for the World Champs for the first time in history. I continued on and then attended the World Champs in South Africa.”

Unfortunately, her woes continued.

“A month after the World Champs, I prolapsed the disc that they operated on. The surgeons wouldn’t operate again as it would have just created even more scar tissue.”

“I couldn’t run or do anything at all, really. I took a year off work to do more study, but also I think a lot of it was around pain.”

Her back was worse than ever. It had been years of injury and recovery, followed by further injury. But this time, it was over. Her sporting career was done. It was the final straw.

“I couldn’t get up some mornings. Couldn’t lift my head off the pillow, I would crawl to the shower like an old lady just to get some heat on my back.”

Facing severe back pain every day with a pile of medication simply to function at a bare minimum is a rough way to work through life. Megan was forced to sit on the sidelines, watching as her family - all extremely active people - went on bike rides, runs, and lived the lifestyle that she used to.

She got an e-bike to stay healthy and fit, but found that her back pain was so bad that the bike was collecting dust more than being ridden. Luckily, she found an alternative to the conventional medicines that had her controlling symptoms - Myovolt.

“I was at the point where I just needed to try something else. The physio, the rehab and the pain meds weren’t working and I couldn’t deal with it anymore. That’s when I bought the Myovolt Back.”

Combining the Myovolt Back with a new pain management program, as well as her usual practises of pilates and stretching had a remarkable effect. Suddenly, her life was back in her hands and she was able to reclaim a semblance of an up-and-go lifestyle.

“I wasn’t able to even sit on the e-bike. It was too much. But I started using the Myovolt back on warm up mode, and I was fine.”

Myovolt has a hands-free, convenient design. It can be used anywhere, and Megan takes advantage of this fact.

Back Injury Recovery.

Megan Shea’s constant struggle with back injuries.

If you’d told her that she was looking down the barrel of severe back injuries that almost left her debilitated during her twenties, she wouldn’t believe you.

We don’t pick our futures. One day you’re a promising football star, with a side passion for basketball, the next day the disc in your back bulges up and in all the directions it shouldn’t.

Things were looking up. She was traveling internationally to play football, and had multiple offers from U.S. Colleges and Universities to study and play for their teams.

However, one day while goalkeeper training for the New Zealand team, the trajectory of her life changed.

A schmorl’s node is an uncommon injury. It’s a vertical disc hernia, where the disc pushes into the vertebrae above it, causing nerve damage and significant pain.

“I saw eleven specialists about it. They said they were the biggest Schmorl's nodes that they’d ever seen in an athlete in New Zealand.”

“It’s so handy. If I’m sore at work, I can easily put it on and use it.”

Myovolt sports a specific frequency of focal vibration that’s clinically proven to ease lower back pain, aid recovery and help warm up deep into stiff and sore muscles. If you have lower back pain, you can read our article detailing nine exercises that can help ease the soreness and strengthen your body here.

But it’s not just about the day-to-day. Back pain can put a stranglehold on your social life. Sometimes we’re not aware of the opportunities we’ve been deprived of, the memories we’ve missed out on, and the people we’ve failed to connect with because we’re too busy nursing a sore back.

For Megan, it’s the small things, like finally being able to join in on family activities.

“I went on a family holiday, and my brothers were there, who were New Zealand cyclists. My family has always been into biking, and I’ve never been able to go. I’ve never known the trails, never been able to ride with them. I would always be the one who had to stay at home, and go on a walk or something really low key.

“I always reassured them, and myself that I didn’t feel left out. But it wasn’t until I was included that I realized this is what I’ve been missing.”

It’s a return to the life that she used to know, and the person she used to be.

“It’s not just physical activity for me. It’s my stress relief. I’ve always been a competitive person, always active, and it just got torn away from me. My passion is working hard, and sports but it’s also connecting with people.

“To actually be able to go out, with a bike ride, a decent walk, and know I’m not going to pay for it, what can you say?”

Megan sing’s Myovolt’s praises.

“I would definitely recommend it. It allows me to do what I want to do.”

Megan isn’t alone. Lower back pain is the most common ailment in the developed world. It affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. If you’re looking to reclaim your life as Megan and many others have, and free yourself from the restraints of lower back pain, Myovolt is a clinically proven, drug-free physical therapy treatment.

Myovolt. Good vibes. Great recovery.