Thankfulness grows from healthy soil.

Who was the last person you told, “I am grateful and thankful you’re in my life,” or some other iteration? For most it’s probably been a while. Or how often have you written down the things you are grateful for? Do we actually appreciate the life we are living? Gratefulness takes practice. A constant aspect of life that is either growing or atrophying. There is no I between, we’re either grateful or thankful for something, someone, or some circumstance.

“All good things are from above.”

But what if life isn’t going well? Stress, anxiety, depression, (SAD), or you feel like it’s not “your” time. How possibly can we be grateful in these moments?

Quotable quote: “When you climb up a ladder you are leaving what was and are becoming what could be” -JB

Gratefulness is a realization of where we CAN go, not necessarily where we are in the present. When life is going well, times are easy, and the good times roll. Being thankful is easy: of course who wouldn’t be? The food, the people, the experiences, the laughs, and successes are easy to celebrate.

Let me pose a question: if you place a white dot in the center of a piece of paper (assuming standard 8×10 printer paper) how quickly will someone ELSE find the dot? Chances are they’d find it after a moment of searching. NOW, let’s assume the paper was jet black and you placed that white dot on it (doesn’t matter where). How quickly would someone find the dot? The answer is obvious: instantaneously.

It’s easy to spot the dots: it directly contrasts the background… this example is slightly different than the one I provided above—Light in darkness

Now what about the “struggle?”

Let’s apply this construct.

People around us are affected by HOW we react to circumstances both good and bad. It’s our conduction of life through pain, which profoundly changes people. When we take a step back in reflection on how our situation can be used to help OTHER PEOPLE, we remove ourselves from the equation. Our desires and self-centeredness are vanquished.

An ice-cream cone can appear as a triangle when viewed from the side, or a circle if viewed from underneath. Or take a cylinder, from the side it is a rectangle, but from end to end it appears as a circle… how can something be both a circle and a rectangle???!!! Same analogy for life: my present suffering and pain is an opportunity for me to affect someone else, breathing positivity and strength to those going through the same thing.

Is the staircase going up or down?

Quotable quote: “Strength is contagious, unfortunately so is weakness.” -JB

I got 3 exams today, 2 practicals tomorrow, I’m behind on my studies, have this nagging foot pain, and I only got 4 hours of sleep last night but I’LL BE DAMNED if it keeps me from my mission in life.

I’m single right now and all my friends are getting engaged, getting married, having families, and starting careers. Where’s mine? When will it be? Who will it be? Stress stress stress ugggh!!! Alright, I’ll say this: that person someday is going to get the very best version of myself, it’s going to be soooo sweet when it happens. That person who gets me is going to get a warrior; a badass and most importantly someone who can reflect and complement their spirit back to them and upwards (y’all know c’mon). I’m single now when the opportunity comes I WILL BE READY!

I broke my foot in high school and the future of my running career was unknown. Was I going to make it to State, was my cross training enough, will it come back, will I run in college??? I said to myself, “what if I could turn this bleak situation into a strength?” Constant effort and determination, along with amazing support brought me to break through the barriers. I made it to state and finished the season well: Now here I am, a Chiropractic student, one day I will care for people who have the same pains I had.

Second metatarsal fracture: best thing that’s happened to me.

So how do we reframe, change perspective, and reaffirm our position in situations:

1. Catch: catch yourself when your mind starts reeling. Full stop, focus on what is real and what is not. We can change what is real starting with our thoughts.
2. Correct: the tools we have to correct our thoughts is acknowledging the power it once had over you. It’s a state of mind not something you can see. To be thankful for what is a part of your journey is to truly acknowledge who you were and WHO you are becoming.
3. Confess: Tell someone your struggle, or group, and humble yourself before others. It’s hard but being BRAVE is a sign that you have control.
4. Celebrate: because life isn’t worth living if it’s not worth winning. Celebrate the renewed version of you. We don’t get enough of this. Tell people: “I need validation sometimes when I’m trying hard to be better.”

So how does this all relate to being thankful? Be grateful for the opportunities to affect others positively. Be grateful for the opportunity to share life with others, be grateful for people who pour into your life, be grateful for the experiences, the successes, the food, drink and health, be thankful for the season of life you’re in, be thankful for the ability to learn and grow.

If I leave you with anything I leave with this: “You aren’t in the ring with struggle, IT IS IN THE RING WITH YOU!”-JB

  Ohio Sports Chiropractic and Rehab
📍 10360 Northfield Rd, Northfield, OH 44067
📞 (330) 908-0203
🌐 ohiosportschiropractic.com

🧪 Clinical Studies & Results

1. Case Series (4 patients) – A high-energy focused ESWT protocol (5 sessions, ~1.24 mJ/mm²) reduced pain significantly (VAS from ~8.7 to ~2.0) and even decreased nodule size in one patient at 8 weeks—no adverse effects noted europepmc.org+14pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+14journals.sagepub.com+14.
2. Pre-Post Study (20 patients) – Weekly sessions over 6 weeks showed sustained improvements in pain, disability scores, and finger contracture angle up to 14 weeks pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
3. Medium-Sized Cohort (23 patients) – Six-week regimen improved pain scores (VAS), DASH outcomes, grip strength, and “table-top” test results—in many cases converting to negative pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
4. Systematic Review (6 studies, 145 patients) – Moderate-quality evidence supports significant improvement in pain and function, with low-quality evidence suggesting reduction in nodule size. No serious side effects reported ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+3pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+3reddit.com+3.
5. Randomized Controlled Trial (DupuyShock) – A 2022 RCT using focused electromagnetic high-energy ESWT found a reduction in nodule pain, further supporting earlier case evidence ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+4pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+4link.springer.com+4.

🔍 Mechanistic Rationale & Comparative Findings

• Shockwaves may break down fibrotic tissue, stimulate blood flow, and reduce inflammation—similar rationale has shown benefit in conditions like Peyronie’s disease and plantar fibromatosis journals.sagepub.com+5link.springer.com+5ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+5.
• Radial ESWT—lower energy, more superficial—has been used in case reports, showing improved extension (e.g., 30° MCP contracture resolved) reddit.com+15bostonsportsandbiologics.com+15researchgate.net+15.
• It remains off‑label in most places and considered experimental, not mainstream pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+2bostonsportsandbiologics.com+2dupuytren-online.info+2.

📋 Patient Perspectives (Reddit Insights)

Some individuals report short‑term improvements, but long-term benefits aren’t universal:

“I tried a few sessions… made it feel a little better for a couple hours but … no long term effect.” reddit.com
“I did shockwave therapy on my hands for 15 sessions … It didn’t help me. It was painful as hell.” journals.sagepub.com+5reddit.com+5reddit.com+5

Conversely:

“I have had massive improvement in pain and range of motion with shockwave therapy and prolozone injections.” reddit.com+3reddit.com+3reddit.com+3

✅ Summary: What the Evidence Shows

🧠 Bottom Line

• Yes, emerging evidence (including RCT data) supports using ESWT—especially high-energy focused protocols—as a non-invasive treatment to improve pain, hand function, and sometimes reduce nodule firmness.
• However, it’s still experimental. Many physicians view it as adjunctive or reserved for early-stage nodules.