At 27, I was a fit and sporty individual, balancing a high-pressure sales job with rugby, social football, and running to relieve stress. However, I neglected the signs of stress overload. One fateful day, during an impromptu football game, I skipped warming up and soon found myself in agony. My lower back went into a severe spasm, leaving me bent forward like a question mark. Stretching was futile, and I crawled to my car, driving home in desperation.

After three chiropractic sessions, I was able to stand straight again and thought the ordeal was over. But three months later, I began experiencing stiffness in my Achilles tendons, which soon turned into acute pain that made walking, driving, and exercising unbearable. Several doctor visits led to conflicting diagnoses—Ankylosing Spondylitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis—both with no cure in sight. The prescribed chronic medication and cortisone injections offered little relief, and I spiraled into a depressive state, losing hope.