From the recovery room to discharge

The following testimonial comes from Jill Nyman, a very brave lady who has just undertaken her fourth hip operation at the age of 70.

I would like recount a recent experience to  illustrate the power of breathing as taught at Systema classes. At the age of 70 I have undergone a fourth hip revision operation – since misfortune hit me at an early age. The operation involved a cup replacement and bone graft and was more complex than expected.

From the recovery room to discharge, I was able to control any pain by simply focusing on ‘drawing’ the pain with inhales and smoothly releasing the pain with the exhales. When the pain got too much, I would override it with pants (burst breaths).

At first I had to concentrate on the breathing but soon the body was so relaxed that I found it automatically kicking in.

I required no pain relief via drugs; and apart from learning to walk again properly my body is coping like its normal self. Nurses on the orthopaedic ward were intrigued. I taught them the basics and they are now teaching each other this simple regime so they can help patients even more.

Thanks Matt. If you are lucky enough to meet him, use him. If you go to his classes regard yourself as extremely fortunate and please pass on your knowledge to others. But above all never ever dismiss learning to make breathing your main toil for life.

The breathing techniques are outlined in my new book Systema Health which can be found on Amazon and all good bookshops

Jill Nyman.