Rebuilding Strength After Four Spinal Surgeries: How EMS Helped

Barbara Redefine Her Body and Herself

By Amanda Nemade

Throughout life we may encounter experiences that generate significant

physical limitations, especially as we age or due to injury. These limitations

may require us to redefine who we are and adapt appropriately for what we

can do and who we can become. This often becomes more than a

process—it becomes a journey.

Barbara Jones knows this journey very well. Diagnosed with degenerative

disc disease in in her 40s, Barbara knew surgery was inevitable. In

preparation, Barbara trained to be in the best shape of her life—running,

cycling, lifting and doing hot yoga every day. And in August of 2017 at the

age of 56, her life changed.

Enduring four surgeries over only six weeks, Barbara first had several

vertebrae in her neck replaced to relieve pressure on her spinal column.

Then her doctor opened her up six weeks later for surgeries two through

four, which reset the vertebrae of her spinal column with titanium plates.

Barbara spent eight days in the hospital and weeks on a cocktail of

different drugs. Starting with walking in a pool and a walker, Barbara slowly

and painfully rebuilt her cardiovascular fitness—eventually ditching both the

drugs and the walker for a stationary bike and steps on an elliptical.

After 12 weeks, she started with light weights—four-pound dumbbells. She

advanced to light weight on machines. While this seemed better than

nothing, she “became very frustrated with the progress.” Her workouts

improved her cardiovascular fitness, but she wasn’t able to rebuild her

muscles because of the weight and movement restrictions.

Frustration finally led Barbara to start using electro muscle stimulation

(EMS) with P20 in 2019 around two years post-surgeries. Having been a

member at Worldgate Gym, she’d walked past the front desk for years,

certain she could never try it because of the titanium in her body. Finally,

she took a flyer and, much to her surprise, her surgeon cleared her to use

EMS due to titanium’s unique biocompatibility.

Working out while wearing an EMS training suit changed Barbara both

physically and emotionally. For Barbara, EMS is "a testimony to how much

you can mimic heavy duty exercise.” Even without being able to twist, bend

or do traditional abdominal crunches, Barbara says: “P20 just made me feel

so much better because it can stimulate those muscles whereas before

they weren’t being accessed.” Unable to lift enough to build her back

muscles traditionally, the stimulation pads on her back accessed those

muscles for her through the stimulation. And even without getting on the

floor to do crunches, Barbara couldn’t believe the improvement in her core

strength. She recalls: “I can’t do crunches but enter P20 now I have abs of

steel. I couldn’t add that resistance on my own.”

And, after going to P20 twice a week for about five months, Barbara had

her “a-ha” moment. She kept up with her husband over five days of killer

hikes in Zion National Park. She remembers: “I was full of stamina and had

so much elation on that trip. It just made me feel empowered.”

Many years later, Barbara not only continues to work out with P20 but also

joined as a personal trainer in 2024. Barbara loves sharing her story and

helping clients who have similar limitations.

Along with becoming a P20 teammate, Barbara says that exercising and

working with P20 has helped her psychologically. While she worked hard

physically to rebuild her body, her mind healed more slowly. Post-operation

depression was very real for Barbara—she could no longer work as a spin

or yoga instructor, no longer run or cycle as she had before. In fact,

because her spine is fused flat, she can never really twist or bend, which

means no yoga at all.

In addition to grieving for the body you had, you’re also grieving for the

community you lost. Barbrara says: “When I lost my yoga, I lost my

community. You become so close to your workout buddies. You become

friends.” P20 helped Barbara “rebuild that community of like-minded fitness

buffs.” This new P20 community helped Barbara not just physically but also

emotionally.

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